College football needs to bring back the Georgia football vs Clemson rivalry.
There are a lot of Georgia football fans that remember the bitter rivalry between Georgia and Clemson. The two schools are separated by just 70 miles and the Tigers being just another one of those teams that wear that “Gawdawful orange” as Larry Munson would say. From 1897 to 1916, and again from 1962 to 1987 (aside from 1966 and 1972) Georgia played Clemson every season.
Since then there have been a few home and home series in 1994-95, 2002-03, and 2013-14.
Georgia owns the overall series boasting a 42-18-4 record against the Tigers, including a 6-1-1 record when playing them at a neutral site. Georgia has outscored Clemson 1234-769 over their 64 game series. The Bulldogs are one of few teams that have kept Clemson in their place in recent history. Over their last ten meetings, Georgia is 6-4. Since 1990 Georgia is 4-4 vs the Tigers.
Let’s take a look at where Georgia football and Clemson sits as programs. Their overall histories are quite different, but the results are not too different. Even though Clemson fans would probably hold up that one extra National Title as if it meant the gap between Clemson and Georgia were of that of the Grand Canyon.
Here is a comparison of both programs overall:
National Championships:
- Clemson: 3 (1981, 2014, 2018)
- Georgia : 2 (1942, 1980)
Conference Championships:
- Clemson: 26
- Georgia: 14
Bowl Games:
- Georgia: 57
- Clemson: 47
Bowl Record:
- Georgia: 33-21-3 (.605)
- Clemson: 25-22-0 (.532)
Most Wins:
- Georgia: 839
- Clemson: 768
When you look at both programs in terms of success, you have to give the nod to Clemson. However, Georgia football really isn’t that far behind. Just one more National Championship and Georgia’s program is tied with theirs. The argument could be made, according to this, that Clemson is in a better place than Georgia right now.
However, since the beginning of the College Football Playoff Clemson has only won one National Title. They have been to the College Football Playoffs six times and have made it to the championship four times. Georgia has made it to the College Football Playoffs once and made it to the championship once.
Now, to be fair, Clemson doesn’t have to go through Alabama in order to make it to the College Football Playoff. In fact, of their four matchups with Alabama in the College Football Playoffs, Clemson has only won one time. In fact, Clemson has lost to two of the last three SEC teams they have played in the College Football Playoffs.
All of that aside, playing a program like Clemson year in and year out would benefit both programs as iron always sharpens iron. The level of competition it would bring both would only make both products better. It also goes without saying that these two playing one another would be a prime draw for ratings as well. Which makes it a prime draw for recruits also.
Let’s get this done NCAA, SEC, and ACC. It is time to bring this rivalry back. It’s time for Bulldogs vs Tigers to be an annual thing again, and not just a cross SEC rivalry. It would also be nice to have a rival in the Carolinas that brings something to rivalry other than a trap game here and there. Going to battle against a tiger is always better than fighting with a chicken.