Georgia football: Can the Bulldogs revive their rivalry with Clemson?
Would this make sense?
Both already have annual out-of-conference rivalries. Georgia ends their season with Georgia Tech, while Clemson ends theirs with South Carolina. Having Georgia and Clemson play every year would mean both teams would only have two free dates to schedule other non-conference games.
On the flip side, neither would ever get criticism for playing a weak schedule. Especially with the status of both programs. Both are coming off playoff seasons. Georgia lost in the National Championship Game this year, Clemson won the National Title last year. They are among the elite programs in the nation right now.
Swinney, likely doesn’t care about losing one of his free non-conference games. Since 2010, his Tigers have played Auburn five times. But with Georgia and Clemson’s proximity, and the history the two teams have with each other, their meetings would be more than just a big game at the beginning of the year.
The added emotions and intensity of an annual rivalry would make both teams stronger, regardless of who wins and loses. Fans would love the rivalry as well. The schools are separated by less than 80 miles. Travel wouldn’t be a hassle for either fan base.
Georgia and Clemson playing annually would also ensure that both teams play a marquee game early in the season every year. That is huge for a number of reasons. One, recruits love to play for schools whose games are on national TV often. They want to make sure their families can watch their games if they can’t attend.
Second, as long as champions are chosen in some part by a committee of individuals, you want that committee watching your game live as much as possible. That could end up as the difference between a no. 4 ranking and a no. 5 ranking after conference championship games.
On the other hand, do we want to lose one of our free non-conference games? And what would we do with our other two? Would Georgia still try to schedule other power-5 conference teams? I doubt that. We’d likely never have a new opponent to get excited about seeing in Sanford Stadium again. At least until the hypothetical deal with Georgia and Clemson ended.