What Is the Ideal 2020 Georgia Football Schedule?

The wait for the new 2020 Georgia football schedule is coming to a close. The SEC announced Sunday that it will unveil the new schedules on Monday.

The first week of games will be announced on the SEC Network's Paul Finebaum show which airs at 3 pm. The rest of the schedule will be announced on SEC Now at 7 pm.

The new schedules are of particular interest because instead of cutting two non-conference games and replacing the other two with conference opponents, the SEC elected to re-scramble each teams' schedule.

After cutting out non-conference games, Georgia was set to open the 2020 season at Alabama before hosting Vanderbilt and Auburn. That would have been a brutal beginning to Georgia's season, especially while the Bulldogs are implementing a new offense, and breaking in new starters at multiple positions including quarterback.

While we wait-out the remaining 24-plus hours to learn the new schedule, we can come up with what might be the optimal schedule for Georgia and its chances of winning the SEC East.

Preferred 2020 Georgia football schedule

Sept. 26: at Arkansas
Oct. 3: Vanderbilt
Oct. 10: Auburn
Oct. 17: at Missouri
Oct. 24: bye week
Oct. 31: @ Florida (Jacksonville)
Nov. 7: Mississippi State
Nov. 14: at Alabama
Nov. 21: Tennessee
Nov. 28: at Kentucky
Dec. 5: at South Carolina

Season opener at Arkansas

If Georgia can't begin the year with an out-of-conference tune-up game, might as well play the weakest team on the slate first.

New Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman might be familiar with the Bulldogs, but that won't amount too much. The Razorbacks don't have the offense this year to test Georgia's defense, and Georgia's new offense is radically different from the one Pittman contributed on.

Home games sprinkled around the schedule

Unfortunately, Georgia only has four home games this season as it's the Bulldog's year to wear red in Jacksonville. The games in Sanford Stadium are sprinkled around the schedule strategically.

Keeping Vanderbilt and Auburn in their original slots on the slate, while opening the season with Arkansas, completely turns Georgia's early schedule from harsh to graceful. The Bulldogs should carry a 2-0 and a lot of momentum into a home game with Auburn.

Playing Mississippi State after the trip to Jacksonville gives Georgia a tune-up game before traveling to Alabama. As for who Georgia would rather play after Alabama, there really isn't a right answer between Tennessee, Kentucky and South Carolina. The home opponent (Tennessee) takes precedent here.

Don't mess with (some) traditions

Florida stays on Halloween weekend, where it should stay until the end of time. Georgia will want to keep that bye week going into Jacksonville as well.

For the first time since 1924, the Bulldogs will not play Georgia Tech, but rivalry week should still be interesting. South Carolina also loses its in-state rival, making the Bulldogs and Gamecocks perfect matches for the season finale this season.

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