SEC schedule update: Georgia learns opponents for all 10 conference games in 2020

The full 10-game slate of opponents for Georgia in a pandemic-shortened season has been announced, according to a release by the SEC.

The Bulldogs’ new 2020 schedule will feature games at Arkansas and at home against Mississippi State as the additional SEC West opponents. Georgia keeps its original conference schedule intact, which included the six SEC East opponents, a road game at Alabama and a contest with cross-divisional rival Auburn at Sanford Stadium.

The SEC last week announced plans to play a 10-game, conference-only schedule as a way to navigate the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Georgia’s trip to Arkansas will create a reunion with Sam Pittman, the Razorbacks’ first-year head coach and former Bulldogs’ offensive line coach. Georgia has a 10-4 all-time record against Arkansas, last beating the Razorbacks 42-35 in 2014.

For the Mississippi State contest, it creates a rematch of a recent primetime game in Sanford Stadium. During the 2017 season, Georgia beat Mississippi State 31-3. Georgia leads the overall series 18-6

Georgia’s season is slated to begin on September 26, although the opening opponent is unknown. The SEC plans to announce the dates for its recently-unveiled schedule in the near future.

Georgia can begin preseason practice on August 17 in preparation for the season. Players and coaches have been on-campus in a bubble-like system for workouts since June 8.

The schedule’s new format involves 10 in-conference games and the elimination of four non-conference games — Virginia, East Tennessee State, Louisiana-Monroe and Georgia Tech. Georgia will host four home games and travel for six. The annual rivalry with Florida is scheduled to remain in Jacksonville, Fla. at this time, athletic director Greg McGarity said.

The opponents are finalized. Georgia and the SEC have released an extensive set of protocols centered around testing and masking in order to limit the spread of COVID-19. Around six weeks remain until scheduled kickoff, and now the hope is for college football to actually make its return,

“I’m about as confident as I can be,” said Ron Courson, Georgia’s senior athletic director for sports medicine, on a Zoom call with local media on Friday afternoon.

New Georgia football schedule

Game dates and times are still TBD

Home games vs. Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, Auburn, Florida and Tennessee

Road games at Arkansas, Alabama, Missouri, South Carolina and Kentucky.

This story was originally published August 7, 2020 at 6:06 PM.