Don’t forget, Dawgnation. Saturday marks the end of a certain era.
The college football series between Auburn and Georgia will forever be known as the “Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry.”
After this Saturday’s game at Jordan-Hare Stadium, however, it will no longer have the late-season impacts on the Eastern and Western division races within the Southeastern Conference. Next year, Auburn and Georgia will collide in the regular season outside of November for the first time since 1936, with the two scheduled to meet Oct. 10.
Malzahn and Smart kind of brush off the shuffle (if it’s no big deal, why was Gus pushing for it in the first place?), but it is going to change the flavor of the second half of Georgia’s schedule.
By having the contest against the Volunteers in November next season, Georgia will have a closing conference run of Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee and Kentucky, which certainly will provide a make-or-break fate in the East landscape.
It’s not quite Tennessee’s November, but it’s a lot closer to that than it’s been.
Get The Picture 
I hate this so much.
Late October, Florida.
November, Auburn.
Tradition. Ritual. The seasons themselves.
Upended. And for what?
LikeLiked by 3 people
Yep. Still mad.
When we inevitably drop this game for a 9 game conference schedule, that may be the last nail in the CFB coffin for me.
Weird hill to die on, I know, but it is what it is.
LikeLiked by 1 person
If we go to a 9-game schedule, it will have to be to keep the permanent cross-over game and add another rotating one, right???
LikeLike
Not necessarily.
LikeLike
You could make the case that 10 of the 14 schools don’t give a rat’s @$$ about the permanent crossover game. 1 of the remaining 4 (10rc) may want to be rid of it to eliminate what is now an automatic loss to Alabama.
LikeLike
I’m still more irritated that McGoof can’t/won’t fight to get the home game back we lost with re-alignment… We had such high hopes for him; what a disappointment…
LikeLiked by 3 people
Does everyone realize that if we had AU in Athens in 19, we would have 5 home SEC games(SC,KY,Mizz,aTm and AU)…and if we played at AU in 20, we would have only 2 true SEC home games(Vandy and UT). That was the crux in the schedule change..UGA didn’t want the schedule falling that way after realignment. Bringing in Mizzou and aTm threw a wrench into the works.
And I don’t think many here would like it either.
LikeLike
SEC should have:
1) brought in aTm
2) dropped Vandy
3) moved Auburn to the East
4) remained at 12 teams
5) dropped permanent cross-divisional rivalries
6) Play 8 conference games/year
7) every team cycles through every team in the opposite division every TWO years
The end.
LikeLike
That does away with at least one giant rivalry game a year. Not to mention Ut Bama
Nothing about expansion was easy.
LikeLike
Wrong. the end.
LikeLike
No, its just easier to demagogue it to death! Not sure what people think the league was supposed to give us? Like did they want Sankey or Slive to get up at a podium and give McGarity a reach-around or something???
LikeLike
Rest assured, we are already in front of this. For next season, we made sure seven teams were not given the previous Saturday off before they play us.
#COMMITTOTHEG
LikeLiked by 2 people
We give this to Auburn, because they don’t like playing us and Bama back to back. We gave them double home games because SEC was in a scheduling bind. What do we have to show for all that?
Aside from all that, I’m bummed. My wife’s birthday is Auburn weekend, and before kids(and we hoped at some point during, and certainly after) re-convening a weekend in Athens or Auburn, with friends, watching the south’s oldest rivalry. McGarrity has ruined this for me.
LikeLike
Smart also didn’t like the possibility of playing Auburn twice in a short time span. UGA may complain but Smart backed the change.
LikeLike
One of many reasons I won’t buy season ticket’s on Big Ears’ watch, and my dad is going to to drop them after having had them as long as I’ve been alive.
One tradition after another, down the tubes. My boys will never know the pleasure of a cool November UGA-AU game. The Senator’s right about college football’s uniqueness circling the drain…
LikeLike
Certainly no big games coming up. Good call(s)!
LikeLike
Yes, because not having season tickets will preclude me from getting into any game I wish to see in the future…
LikeLike
Name a big home game before the year 2025 that doesn’t involve Auburn.
Good call Derek! LOL!
LikeLike
Pleasure of a cool November UGA-AU game…. 1995 my wife and I snuggled under a blanket in our end zone seats on a frigid night to watch a great game played by undermanned GA. Lost a close one but great memories nonetheless. Watching them play AU when it’s 85 just doesn’t fit.
LikeLike
Poetic justice that they bitch and moan about having UGA and Bama at the end of the season and they successfully get us moved and then find out our spot is replaced with LSU. Be careful what you wish for bitches…
I, too, don’t understand why they didn’t use this opportunity to correct the home and home disparity.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Auburn really, really wanted that late November home game next season. Rest assured, we were going to provide it to them in exchange for their coveted spot in the SEC West, but Coach Smart stepped in and nixed the deal.
Instead, Auburn got an October game. We figured if they are going to charge our Magill Society over $150 per ticket, we might as well be warm.
And that’s yet another Bulldog Point of Pride.
#COMMITTOTHEG
LikeLike
I can’t help but wonder if McGarity and Kirby wanted a big game like Auburn earlier in the schedule due to the overload of cupcakes in September that has become embarrassing. Austin Peay was even added to the schedule again. Good grief!
LikeLike
Honestly, UGA has played more Power 5 OOC games than anyone in the Country lately. I’ll hang up and listen to who has played more.
LikeLike
Sorry we need interrupt 100yrs of history so the cheaters from west georgia can have a softer schedule (even though they got lsu). i don’t understand this line of negotiating?
disappointing.
LikeLike
Here I am, waiting hopelessly for the Kentucky game to somehow get returned to before the Jacksonville Game so I can go to Keeneland.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We negotiated for November 21 so you can also catch a basketball game.
Rest assured, layers of clothing can be purchased online at the UGA Bookstore.
#COMMITTOTHEG
LikeLike
And you’re working on gambling in Georgia so he can have the opportunity to bet on the ponies as if he was at Keeneland, right???
LikeLike
Rest assured, fundraising details on the Spec Towns Sportsbook and Casino will be provided as they become available.
#COMMITTOTHEG
LikeLike
Thank you for your service!
LikeLike
The entire situation with the Auburn schedule and Mr Magoo’s acquiescence is another indication that he and his ilk simply have no concept of the tradition that is UGA football for most fans.
Quite possibly he is aware and doesn’t care what we think.
LikeLike
Think you nailed it.
“Quite possibly he is aware and doesn’t care what we think.”
LikeLike
And this move will likely have no impact on ticket sales or attendance. For everyone who gives up their ticket there are people with wads of cash right behind then. Xin Loi boys and girls.
LikeLike
The game is now “The South’s Oldest Rivalry”. Since the 2017 SECCG, we’ve played the same number of games as Virginia/UNC, and the first Auburn game was before their first game. Q.E.D.
LikeLike
How many more times will Georgia bend over to kiss Auburn’s ass? Pull a Nancy Reagan on them, Just Say No.
LikeLike
Don’t think we’ve ever kissed it, and hoping we shove our foot up it Saturday afternoon!
LikeLike
How many times are we gonna bend over before we realize we’re getting nothing in return? Gurleygate and twice for Auburn just in the last decade and nothing got reciprocated.
LikeLike
This just makes me hate Auburn even more.
LikeLike
On the upside, getting hosed down by the sprinklers at JH won’t be as cold in early October as it is in mid November.
LikeLike
Do we even know for sure whether this is permanent or just a one time thing? They’ve been coy about that.
LikeLike
As the Ole’ song goes “One More BRICK in the WALL”. …… sux !
LikeLike