Georgia football schedule: Ranking the Bulldogs' 2022 opponents

A quick glance at what Georgia is facing in its national championship defense

For the first time in 41 years, Georgia is college football's defending national champion. Could that mean a changing of the guard in the SEC away from Alabama?

It was a historically-great defense that helped propel Georgia back to the promised land. A lot of that unit is itself history, off to the NFL Draft, but Kirby Smart's recruiting machine should ensure the Bulldogs will have enough talent in reserve to do more than just survive.

Add in quarterback Stetson Bennett — who announced he'll return to Athens in 2022 — and a plethora of solid receiving options, and the Bulldogs should emerge as favorites to repeat as SEC East champions at the very least, and in the College Football Playoff race at the most.

What can we expect on the other side of the field when Georgia finally gets out there?

Scroll through to see what the Bulldogs are up against this fall, with each game ranked easiest to hardest.

Georgia football schedule: Ranking the Bulldogs' 2022 opponents

12. Samford

When: Sept. 10

Where: Athens

What to expect: The visiting Bulldogs are coming off a 4-7 campaign last fall and draw the defending champion Bulldogs a week prior to their game at South Carolina. Breaking news: Georgia will win this one, but the score might be closer than you think with the Dawgs electing for a more reliable ground attack.

11. Kent State

When: Sept. 24

Where: Athens

What to expect: You could forgive the Golden Flashes for not bringing their A game to Athens for this one. Nick Saban's alma mater opens at Washington and takes to Oklahoma in Week 2. Another classic early-season talent chasm should afford Georgia another chance to build itself up in preparation for the SEC schedule.

10. Georgia Tech

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When: Nov. 26

Where: Athens

What to expect: Clean, Old Fashioned Hate returns to Athens for the first time since 2018, and should run along the usual lines. Georgia has routed this series, 180 to 35, in the last four seasons, and has been ranked in the Top 10 in each of those games. Tech lost quarterback Jordan Yates and running back Jahmyr Gibbs, but returns Jeff Sims under center after a 12 TD outing in 2021. But the Yellow Jackets were also the second-worst defense in the ACC last season, and the unit brings back just two starters this fall.

9. Vanderbilt

When: Oct. 15

Where: Athens

What to expect: Georgia has won 18 of the last 21 against the Commodores with the three losses in 2006, 2013, and 2016 by four points or less. The Bulldogs have outscored Vandy, 178 to 27, in the last four, all victories. Georgia's 62-0 rout last season was the largest margin of victory in the series dating back to 1893. 

Vandy accounted for just under 16 points per game a year ago and this defense allowed almost 40 points each time out against SEC opposition. Everywhere you look, Vanderbilt, which hasn't won an SEC game since late in 2019, needs major surgery

8. Missouri

When: Oct. 1

Where: Columbia

What to expect: There's been a lot of offseason buzz around Missouri, which signed 5-star wide receiver Luther Burden in the 2022 cycle. And the Tigers have a solid offensive line coming back to protect the quarterback. But who is that quarterback? We won't know much about this team until Eli Drinkwitz makes that decision, but Georgia still owns the talent edge. Missouri could look a lot better offensively in the years to come, but it's not going to make a run at the SEC East this year.

7. South Carolina

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When: Sept. 17

Where: Columbia

Need to know: Nobody thought Shane Beamer would do much with the Gamecocks in Year 1, but the coach teased a 7-6 record out of that roster, with wins over Florida and Auburn, and against North Carolina in a bowl game. Now he gets a pair of former Oklahoma players in the portal: quarterback Spencer Rattler and tight end Austin Stogner. That could be enough to earn Carolina a spot in the Top 25 polls for this game.

6. Tennessee

When: Nov. 5

Where: Athens

What to expect: There's a lot to like about Tennessee, which out-played expectations in Josh Heupel's first season. This isn't a contender in the SEC East just yet, but quarterback Hendon Hooker makes the Vols an interesting watch. He had 31 TDs a year ago, leading the SEC in passing efficiency, behind an offense that ranked No. 9 in yards and No. 7 in scoring at a shade under 40 ppg. Still, the Vols coughed up almost 34 points per game against SEC opposition a year ago. Advantage, Dawgs.

5. Auburn

When: Oct. 8

Where: Athens

What to expect: What will Auburn look like this year? After an offseason marred by intense speculation around Bryan Harsin's job, a 6-7 record, an exodus of transfers, and major coaching staff moves, the Tigers are one of the biggest question marks in the SEC if not the nation. Georgia cruised in the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry a year ago, and the 2022 edition should go according to that script. But there's precedent for an upset here: Auburn beat the No. 1 Bulldogs, 40-17, just five seasons ago.

4. Mississippi State

When: Nov. 12

Where: Starkville

What to expect: Georgia fans should remember the 2017 meeting between these two schools. Both came in ranked in the Top 25, but Georgia scored a TD on the first play and won in a 31-3 rout. Mike Leach has had spotty success with his Air Raid offense since coming to the SEC, to say the least, but it hasn't looked great against real defenses. That's despite the return of Will Rogers, a nearly 5,000-yard passer a year ago with 36 touchdowns last fall.

3. Florida

When: Oct. 29

Where: Jacksonville

What to expect: Three of the last five in the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party have seen Georgia and Florida both ranked in the Top 10. But the Bulldogs have won four of those last five overall and are coming off a 34-7 win last fall en route to the national championship. 

Billy Napier takes the reins at Florida now with a mandate to push the Dawgs out of the SEC East title race. It's a tough climb looking at the recruiting gap between these rivals, especially on a defense that allowed almost four TDs per game last season.

2. Kentucky

When: Nov. 19

Where: Lexington

What to expect: UK knocked off LSU and Florida in succession before Georgia handed this team its first loss, one of three straight that almost threw the Wildcats' season off the rails. But Kentucky recovered and beat No. 15 Iowa in the bowl. Will Levis returns at quarterback, as does leading rusher Chris Rodriguez. This year, the Cats have a home field against Georgia in a game that should go a way to determine the SEC East standings.

1. Oregon

When: Sept. 3

Where: Atlanta

What to expect: Oregon was this close to being a College Football Playoff team last fall, beating Ohio State on the road but losing twice to Utah, including in the Pac-12 title game. Now it has former Georgia DC Dan Lanning in as head coach with a date against his old team in Week 1. 

Former Auburn starter Bo Nix steps in at quarterback for the Ducks and Lanning should get enough out of a defense full of high-impact contributors to make the opener interesting. But it's not often a West Coast team gets the better of an SEC contender, and Georgia still enjoys a major talent advantage everywhere on the field.

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