It’s officially released by the SEC.
- 8/31: @ Vanderbilt
- 9/7: Murray State
- 9/14: Arkansas State
- 9/21: Notre Dame
- 10/5: @ Tennessee
- 10/12: South Carolina
- 10/19: Kentucky
- 11/2: vs. Florida
- 11/9: Missouri
- 11/16: @ Auburn
- 11/23: Texas A&M
- 11/30: @ Georgia Tech
Only two cupcakes, so we better not hear the pundits sniffing about strength of schedule. Two bye weeks, also (along with every other team in the conference). November could be more challenging than it’s been lately, at least until they get to Atlanta.
Conference teams with open dates before Georgia: Auburn, Florida, Missouri, South Carolina and Tennessee.
Thoughts?
************************************************************************
UPDATE: Profiles in scheduling courage…
Note the “again” part.
Are you including Tech as one of the cupcakes?
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Hard to bitch about that home slate. Even the diabetic streak gets rewarded by a home game against the Irish.
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I know it is due to the Auburn switch after realignment, but our schedule is so poorly constructed with UT, AU, and Tech always on the road the same season.
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I do not see Auburn as the biggest problem. It would be nice to have ND at week 2 and A&M week 4 moving the cupcakes to the date vacated by the move. ND, SC, and A&M is a nice home schedule. I do understand ND is not the same as scheduling a P5 team which is in a conference. So I’ll take it.
I do agree it would make the November schedule better if GT and Auburn were on opposite years.
If A&M continues to improve under Jimbo and the Gus Bus trucks along to 9-10 wins, UGA is looking at a highly rated schedule. ND always seems to be viewed favorably by the media.
The overall schedule what I would like to see. A P5 out of conference game in Athens on the year UGA goes to historic Mark Richt field at Bobby Doddy Stadium. Further bye weeks before trips to Knoxville and Jax is nice.
The worst part of the schedule is a big November especial playing at Auburn, A&M in Athens, and then going to GT in 3 consecutive weeks.
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Auburn fans feel even stronger about this.
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Can’t really blame them…. Bama>GT
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And always at home the next season.
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That gives Auburn the advantage in odd years. That’s the question: If you are Auburn would you want to be behind the eightball a little bit in even years by playing both Georgia and Bama away in even years in evxchange for playing them at home in odd years. If I were an Auburn I would want that.
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Need two together for the Notre Dame game..!!
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Good luck
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Better up that donation
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It’ll be a tough ticket, no doubt, but I’ll be interested to see how it compares to South Bend last year. There are ND fans everywhere, but is the opportunity to see the Irish play at Georgia as big of a draw as vice-versa? Kinda doubtful. Do Georgia fans that didn’t make the trip to Indiana drop a bunch of coin for the chance to see Notre Dame in person? Maybe, but most of the people with that sort of budget probably went last year unless they had scheduling challenges.
If I had to choose only one of the two, I’d take last year in South Bend over next year in Athens. I’ve seen plenty of big games in Sanford and expect to see many more in the future.
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I would say this is the biggest OOC conference game in my lifetime in Athens. I hope our fans don’t sell 40% of the stadium to ND people.
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Folks in Athens have been referring to the 2019 ND game in Athens for about 3 years now. If it’s not the biggest OOC game to ever be played in Athens, it’s certainly one of them. It’ll be a tough ticket and Athens will be at capacity from Thursday-Sunday.
Good chance A&M could end up the same way late in the year as Aggie alum base is huge, their fans typically have the coin to travel well, and many A&M fans have been fascinated with UGA and Athens since joining the conference (much the same way we have been fascinated with A&M and one day visiting CS).
Going to be a fun year with the squad we will have but, man, are we going to have to earn it. All those bye weeks for our opponents before playing us, Tennessee and Auburn on the road, year 2 of Mullen and Pruitt. Can’t say we won’t be well-tested by season’s end if things shake out like we hope they will.
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The reason ND-UGA tickets were so expensive last year was due to UGA demand, not home demand. I got the impression that most ND folks considered USC a bigger home game last year (though not in hindsight) and this, were willing to profit off their UGA tickets.
For this game to get to that level, it’s going to take high demand from the ND side. Most of the UGA fans willing to drop hundreds of dollars to get in already own season tickets, so I’m not sure how much an effect UGA fans will have on ticket prices for a home game.
Agree with you on A&M, though. That’s likely to be one of the biggest visiting crowds we’ve had in a while.
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I think there’s going to be high demand by ND fans especially after the 2017 Chicago/South Bend Takeover. There are going to be people like some who comment here that gave up their season tickets over the last few years that are going to drive up the secondary market because they want to be in Athens for the ND game.
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I’m working a year longer to get my two!
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I don’t know anyone that retired from UGA that does not still get tickets.
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Yea, there are a few of us who have been given the courtesy of f/s tickets for the past 20 years but it’s clear on the application that we don’t qualify for tix in retirement. I’m thankful for what I have gotten.
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You can come over to my house and you and your lady can have the couch. 😊
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I’m not big on the two bye weeks, but that’s just me being selfish. Otherwise, it’s really hard to complain about it. I didn’t expect to see A&M so late, but it definitely breaks up the monotony of having Kentucky as the last game every other year.
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When the opening Saturday is in August, we get two byes. That’s just how it always works.
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Oh yeah, I remember that being an issue in the past. I had forgotten about that.
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FWIW……Last time we played Notre Dame and A&M in the same season good things happened.
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Very true, don’t forget going to Knoxville. Kirby has a good RB committed as well.
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That October 5 TV schedule breakdown?? Ugh.
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I really don’t like Auburn and TAMU back to back.
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Agreed but UGA should run the table to that point and can still control their own destiny if they split those 2 games.
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Gonna be a tough November!
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Yeah, that’s going to be tough. I hate Jimbo, but he seemed to have his team playing well against Clemson.
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I agree. The additional problem is playing Auburn in Auburn with them getting an open date the week before and the Dawgs don’t. Plus, Georgia has to play Mizzou the week before the Auburn game and Mizzou also has an open date the week before that game and the Dawgs don’t—we get the cocktail party instead. And after that, ATM. That is a tough stretch of games.
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You think we got a tough draw, you should check out aTm’s schedule.
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only 4 road games…3 real road games. so can’t complain about the schedule.
not opening on thursday on the road is nice.
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That November stretch is pretty meaty. Wish we could swap TAMU and UK.
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That’s a big boy schedule. If we’re who we want to be we’ll handle our business.
And no complaints about who comes visiting, we get our money’s worth.
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Yeah, I made a similar comment elsewhere. That is a great schedule for a great team, and we really should have a great team.
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I wish the UK weekend could stay the same for 2020 to get a bonus horsetrack trip. 2019 needs Murray st and TAMU switched.
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^^THIS^^ times 10,000. That October trip to Lex for the game and Keeneland is fantastic (esp if you throw in a distillery tour or two).
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On my bucket list for sure.
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S.C., Missouri, FL, AU, and TN all have bye weeks the week before they play UGA
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UGA also has bye weeks before TN, FL
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Someone please tell me I missed something http://www.secsports.com/article/24721837/sec-releases-2019-football-schedule
Is this McGarity’s fault? What the hell is this second open date weekend BS? Is this some sot of forced parity on the SEC East? Are they really trying to stop a challenger to Saban with this schedule?
In addition to the UF open date game that has been going on for the most part since Spurrier got there, USC, MIZZ, UT, and AU get open dates before playing UGA? We have to play 5 teams that are coming off an open date? then next closest teams (ALA, LSU, and UT) have three. WTF?
Aug. 31 at Vanderbilt
Sept. 7 MURRAY STATE
Sept. 14 ARKANSAS STATE
Sept. 21 NOTRE DAME
Sept. 28 Open Date
Oct. 5 at Tennessee (open date before)
Oct. 12 SOUTH CAROLINA (open date before)
Oct. 19 KENTUCKY
Oct. 26 Open Date
Nov. 2 vs. Florida (Jacksonville) (open date before)
Nov. 9 MISSOURI (open date before)
Nov. 16 at Auburn (*open date before)
Nov. 23 TEXAS A&M
Nov. 30 at Georgia Tech
ALA – Has three teams that have an open date before they play ALA.
ARK – Has two teams that have an open date before they play ARK.
AU – Has one team that have an open date before they play AU.
UF – Has one team that have an open date before they play UF.
UGA – HAS FIVE TEAMS THAT HAVE AN OPEN DATE BEFURE THEY PLAY UGA.
UK – Has one team that have an open date before they play UK.
LSU – Has three teams that have an open date before they play LSU.
MISS – Has zero teams that have an open date before they play MISS.
MSU – Has one team that have an open date before they play MSU.
MIZZ – Has one team that have an open date before they play MIZZ.
SC – Has two teams that have an open date before they play SC.
UT – Has three teams that have an open date before they play UT.
TA&M – Has one teamm that have an open date before they play TA&M.
VANDY – Has zero teams that have an open date before they play Vandy.
ALA
Open date before TA&M, LSU
ARK
Open date before UK, LSU
AU
Open date before ARK, UGA
UF
Open date before UGA, FSU
UGA
Open date before UT, UF
UK
Open date before ARK. UT
LSU
Open date before Utah St. ALA
MISS
Open date before AU, MSU
MSU
Open date before UT, ALA
MIZZ
Open date before Troy, UGA
SC
Open date before UGA, Clemson
UT
Open date before UGA, MIZZ
TA&M
Open date before ALA, SC
VANDY
Open date before LSU, SC
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befure=before…sorry was to busy trying to post to spellcheck
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You could also count Vandy as the 6th SEC opponent that has multiple weeks to prepare for us
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Yes.
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and we’ll get their…wait…wait…how do I phrase it?…All together now: BEST SHOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I know…cliche..but
Go back and look at what happened when Spurrier switched UF’s bye week to before the UGA game…granted he was a great coach and had talent, but that extra week to prepare certainly helped their streak too.
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you are correct
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Absolutely. Also, if memory serves, the last year Phat Phil was HC in Knoxvegas the Vowels had a schedule similar to this and lost all of the games where the opponent had an open date and UT didn’t. The went 5-7 and Phil got canned. I know I am a conspiracy theorist but still—this looks and smells fishy.
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Nice that 5 of the first 7 games are at home. Get a chance to gel, build chemistry and do some damage. Both road games are Vandy/Tenn …. Should be 7-0 heading into Jacksonville
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Looks like an easy choice for CBS for the 3:30pm slot on November 23rd .
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Definitely backloaded, but at least 3 of the last 4 will be played in front of a favorable crowd.
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Week 1 TV Schedule will be interesting:
Noon
UGA @ Vandy
3:30
Auburn vs Oregon
UF vs Miami
730
Bama vs Duke
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Alabama-Duke??
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CFA game in Atlanta.
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3 SEC teams play 2 Power 5 teams, best I can tell. UF, UGA and Carolina…
I see UF plays 2 FCS teams to ease the pain.
Tough crossover schedule again for the Dawgs..
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So how many of these games do we wear the black jerseys? 😉
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Light up Vandy and have the long weekend to visit Nashville–nice start to the year. Although, we’ll need to cower all Summer because ’16 Homecoming, lol
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In 2010, Alabama was defending national and SEC champion. They had 6 games where their opponent had an open date the previous week. Those games were @S. Carolina, Ole Miss, @UT, @LSU, Mississippi State, (all those in a row) and Auburn. They lost three of them, all road games: SC, LSU, and AU. Their open date was before LSU and they played Georgia State before AU.
They were 10-3 that year and finished 4th in the West at 5-3.
This open date thing is kind of a big deal and if anything can wreck the ’19 team’s chances. Definitely going to be deserving of a lot of trophies if we make it to ATL, let alone all the way to NOLA.
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I remember the Bammers freaking out about that and the SEC said it would never happen again…Now we have FIVE games where teams have a bye before us, LSU, BAMA, and UT have three and most have zero or none. this is a BS schedule released from the SEC.
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I blame McGarity. This schedule is another example of him being a pushover just like he did for the AU game with conference expansion. We will never get that one back and it still sucks every other year for our home slate.
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I don’t think it will hurt UGA that bad in ’19 but it is something Smart needs to jump to make sure it does not happen again. SC and Mizzou do not bother me that much Auburn is a problem. The other 2 UGA (UF and TN) has a bye before the game as well.
SC might actually be easier facing them in October coming off a bye rather than in week 2 after a cupcake.
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Our byes in ’19 are before UT and UF – which I’m ok with. We’ll face SC the week after we play UT (unless I can’t add).
It’s November that has me worried: Mizzou (after UF and them off a bye), then go to Auburn (after they come off a bye), then play A&M, then off to Tech. That’s going to be tough sledding to end the season.
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Agreed. Extremely tough November stretch considering all the teams coming off bye’s. Hopefully AU is a train wreck next year after losing a lot of SR talent in font 7 and Stidham. Hopefully it takes Jimbo until year 3 to get the A&M train running.
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Florida’s got to get those dubs where it can these days.
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It could be worse. Behold:
Texas A&M 2019 Football Schedule
8/31: vs Texas State
9/7: at Clemson
9/14: vs Lamar
9/21: vs Auburn
9/28: vs Arkansas (AT&T Stadium)
10/5: Bye
10/12: vs Alabama
10/19: at Ole Miss
10/26: vs Mississippi State
11/2: vs University of Texas San Antonio
11/9: Bye
11/16: vs South Carolina
11/23: at Georgia
11/30: at LSU
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1 Power 5 OOC….
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Yeah but it is a pretty tough game—at Clemson.
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Pretty tough slate. The good news is that I feel like this team will be an absolute nightmare for every team on that schedule. Along with an even more explosive offense, the defense should be really salty by next season.
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11-23.
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That TAMU game will be interesting. Say what you will about Jimbo, that guy can coach QB’s and he’s not too shabby of a recruiter. I expect them to be a top 15, if not top 10 team when they roll into the Classic City.
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Pretty good of Jimbo to have TAMU ready for that game against Clemson game 2 of the season and he’s holding the #3 recruiting class right now. It may take another year or two but I expect them to challenge for that number 2 spot in the SEC West.
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100% agree
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Rest assured, we have taken into account the specific needs of all of our conference peers in compiling this schedule.
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