A tale of two reports, first, on April 2nd, from Seth Emerson ($$):
There should be another big series announced soon: Georgia is deep in talks with Oklahoma about a home-and-home series, The Athletic has learned. Georgia was seeking a Big 12 opponent and Oklahoma, which Georgia played in the memorable 2018 Rose Bowl, has an open spot in 2023.
Shortly thereafter, from Mike Griffith, at DawgNation:
Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity said Thursday the Bulldogs are talking to “a number of schools” right now about future scheduling, but no deals are imminent.
When pressed about reports that a deal with Oklahoma could be close, McGarity said “none of our conversations would be considered deep talks.”
“We’re in conversation with a lot of schools,” McGarity reiterated when pressed on potential home-and-home opponents. “There are two other schools we are having more aggressive talks with than Oklahoma at this time.”
Hmmm… note Greg’s use of the specific phrase “deep talks” there. Pure coincidence, surely.
You know what’s coming next, right?
Georgia and Oklahoma have finalized a home-and-home series, as The Athletic reported was likely a month ago. The two games will be separated by eight seasons: Oklahoma will host the Bulldogs in 2023 and then the Sooners will make a return trip in 2031.
Connor Riley does the announcement honors at DawgNation, sans any reference to deep talks, or, indeed, Greg McGarity at all.
I know some folks have an agenda, but this is getting a little ridiculous.
Get The Picture 
Mixed feelings about this one. i like beefing up the schedule, but I feel like Oklahoma and Georgia are essentially setting themselves up to play mid-season playoff elimination games here.
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Still no interesting home games after this year until 2025. 2020-2024 is going to be a rough 5 year stretch to be a season ticket holder.
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Zero? That seems a little dramatic to me.
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I’ll go along with you on 2021, but 2020, 22 and 24 you get GT, Auburn and Tennessee at home so I feel you’re being a bit over the top.
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We get the same home schedule year after year after year with very little variety. It’s the east teams (minus Florida!), GT, and Auburn. The only variation is the one other west opponent and OOC games.
The west opponents at home during that 5 year stretch are Arkansas and Ole Miss (bor-ing). And the OOC games currently on the home slate are cupcakes.
This year is great with Texas A&M and Notre Dame. Then it’s 5 straight years of stale bread in Athens. Then LSU comes to town in 2025. They need to do better than that.
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This is where we’re always going to agree. The east/west rotating scheduling sucks.
Our children’s children may not live see you guys play in Aggieland
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Seeing that we still have games to schedule in all those years and we’re seeing some seasons planned with 3 OOC P5 games (2028: @Texas, FSU, tech; 2029: Texas, @Clemson, @tech), I wouldn’t lose all hope just yet.
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True. We’ll see.
Not that this really matters but the 2020 schedule is already full. Though I guess they could cancel Louisiana-Monroe or ETSU. But the other years aren’t finished (like you said).
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That’s right on ’20, of course. But most of it has some room.
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Yeah, 2021 and 2022 still have 1 game left to fill. 2023 and 2024 have 2 games left.
Since we only have 2 years scheduled with 3 OOC P5 games and they aren’t until 2028-29, I’m not holding my breath that they’ll do it for any of these years. The window is slowly closing and the options are decreasing. But they could still do it. Time will tell.
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Maybe that’ll help get the points back to a more realistic, non-frothy level…
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Looking forward to this game. I’d love to make the trip to Norman.
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Barbecue baloney. Yeah, they think it’s a thing
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It is a thing and it is pretty good. Last time I had it Mike Davis was doing the cooking so that might have played a role.
http://www.lottabullbbq.com/bio/
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McGarrity still flexing his negotiating chops. No return trip from OK for 8 years.
Can’t wait until he negotiates we to go to Auburn twice in consecutive years to make up for us going there twice consecutively earlier this decade. That Georgia Way goodwill is earning compound interest in the SEC office and will yield a glorious payday someday.
Negotiating with McGarrity is like Ox teaching “the Cruiser” how to play poker in the movie Stripes.
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The only thing worse than the prospect of Oklahoma canceling the road game is the prospect of GM still being Georgia’s AD when it happens.
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So true. If Oklahoma cancels, GM will probably send them a check and an apology letter.
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+1
Maybe he’s banking on OU backing out and he put some killer buyout fee in the contract. Yeah, right.
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My oldest son will be Class of ’31.
He’s finishing fourth grade.
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Ha, it’ll be here before you know it.
Wise man said about kids: “Long days, Short years!”
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What year makes sense before 31? Seems strange typing 31.
2023: at Oklahoma, at Georgia Tech
2024: vs. Clemson (Atlanta), Georgia Tech
2025: at UCLA, at Georgia Tech
2026: UCLA, Georgia Tech
2027: at Florida State, at Georgia Tech
2028: Florida State, at Texas, Georgia Tech
2029: Texas, at Clemson, at Georgia Tech
2030: Clemson, at Georgia Tech
2031: Oklahoma, Georgia Tech
2032: Clemson, at Georgia Tech
2033: at Clemson, Georgia Tech
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Meant for Bill above…IPad gets wonky on this site at times.
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All/any of them?
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Suicide schedule, I get it now.
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So on all of these p5 non-conference home and homes series, are we always the away team first? I don’t recall a single announcement where we are going to host first.
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These types of big away games are a selling point for them to get people to join the Magill Society (think access to tickets). Having them sooner (pardon the pun) rather than later helps in that regard.
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You have a point. Away games are practically now out of reach of the average Hartman donor. I’ve had tickets and donated for 27 years and couldn’t even order Vandy tickets.
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Colorado and Oklahoma State both came to Athens first – Red Panties, now there was a real negotiator/hustler!!!
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Planning ahead for the 8 team playoff. Smart move by McGarity.
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Uh. That’s not how home-and-home works. And it’s very likely not only the conference but the entire landscape will be completely reshaped by then
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Maybe we’re just staking our claim to a home game when $ankey decides to expand the SEC again.
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Yeah, locking in that coveted 2nd week sauna at both locations is another example of McDoofus’ great vision. No longer have season tickets, Adams made that an easy decision for me, so I feel differently about the quality home and home games than many: love them for the improved football involved, and the chance to go to their place to experience their traditions on a big CFB afternoon/night. Also think providing other fans the UGA excitement on days when we host; this is a great part of what made the collegiate game so popular. It has faded with the popularity of the cupcake schedule, and fans are showing their reaction by drifting away, and cherry picking the better games. (I don’t agree at all with those who are so fearful of incurring a loss in a real contest that they prefer watching insignificant games much of the year. That just makes no sense to me at all.)
I felt the same risk about getting stiffed with ND and just two years of separation, these contracts really need a big time penalty for cancellation.) I am sure there were some obstacles on the OU side that drove this but they don’t seem to have put much effort in working through their schedule issues.
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UGA scheduling is as good as anyone in the country and outside of Clemson, the best in the south. They are getting solid home and home games and the occasional neutral site game.
So ADGM might not be doing a great job with the schedule, they are doing better than everyone else.
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