ACC plan ‘eliminates’ UGA’s opening 2020 football game during COVID-19 pandemic
Georgia’s season-opening game against Virginia, originally slated as a Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game bout at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, is no longer happening.
The ACC announced a scheduling model Wednesday that allows each team — including Notre Dame — to play 10 in-conference games and a non-conference game within the ACC team’s home state.
“(The announcement) eliminates the Virginia game,” Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity told The Telegraph in an email reply.
With the ACC’s decision, Georgia’s only way to play Virginia would’ve been to travel to Charlottesville, Virginia. That is not an option.
In the ACC scheduling model, the in-state rivalry with Georgia and Georgia Tech could be played, in theory. A report by Ross Dellenger of Sports Illustrated, however, said the SEC athletic directors have discussed a 10-game conference schedule that would not include out-of-conference games.
SEC commissioner Greg Sankey, in a statement Wednesday, said: “It is not appropriate to respond to anonymous sources and speculation. We continue to our discussions focused on the return of fall sports, including football. We will announce any decisions at the appropriate time.”
The SEC’s presidents are expected to meet virtually Thursday and could make a decision on a season. They also could delay any news to another day.
Gary Stokan, the CEO of the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game, in a statement said: “We certainly understand the ACC is doing what they feel is in the best interest of the conference and the health of their teams, staff and student athletes, and as our partners, we support them in that decision. However, we are disappointed we will lose the opportunity to host Florida State, Virginia and North Carolina and their fans in our scheduled Chick-fil-A Kickoff Games this season.
“We still look forward to hosting two top 10 teams in our Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on January 1 in Mercedes Benz Stadium.”
At least one game, for now, is scratched off of Georgia’s schedule.
“I have no (further) comments until we have SEC schedule announced,” McGarity said.
Georgia Tech’s new ACC opponents for 2020
No new dates have been set for ACC games. A full week-by-week schedule for ACC teams will be released by the conference at a later date.
Georgia Tech home games: Duke, Clemson, Louisville, Notre Dame, Pitt
Georgia Tech away games: Boston College, Florida State, Miami, N.C. State, Syracuse
This story was originally published July 29, 2020 at 5:27 PM.