Georgia football and Clemson have a long history together, so deep-rooted that even though it’s not considered a rivalry game, it should be.
Separated by just 70 miles, the Bulldogs and Tigers have hated each other longer than most folks realize.
The latest installment resembles the times in the 80s when both teams were at the top of the college football world battling it out for bragging rights and who would be king of college football.
Once again, these two college football juggernauts face off on Saturday in a game that’ll define both teams’ seasons. The winner will be a favorite to win out and be in the College Football Playoffs, but so will the loser.
A look at Georgia football and Clemson’s overall record
With 64 meetings between the two dating back to 1897, it’s a shame there haven’t been more matchups.
The first-ever matchup was on Oct. 9, 1897, and Georgia shut out Clemson 24-0.
Georgia leads the overall series 42-18-4 and has a 6-4 record through the last ten meetings. The Bulldogs hold a 27-7-1 home and 12-10-2 away record against the Tigers.
Most recently, the Bulldogs beat Clemson on Aug. 30, 2014, 45-21, but the Tigers got the best of the Dawgs the year before as they lost 35-38 in 2013.
Those two matchups in 2013 and 2014 were both the last time either team lost their opening game, so it’ll be unfortunate to see Clemson break their streak.
Georgia football vs. Clemson, a history of streaks
Since 1994, these two usually face off in home-and-home matchups every few years. Before that, though, there were two times in their history where they played every single year.
There were also times they would face off in three-year intervals or every five years — they had chunks of time where they would play and then wouldn’t.
From 1897 to 1916, they played each other late in the season, either October or November. The Dawgs led that streak 10-9-1.
The two didn’t play each other for three years and then played three straight years from 1919 to 1921 — Georgia going 2-0-1. After 1921, Clemson and Georgia would play every five years until 1937 — the Dawgs swept the Tigers 3-0.
Georgia won 10 straight from 1920-1954, marking the longest win streak of the series. Clemson defeated the Dawgs in 1955, 26-7, breaking that win streak.
Before 1962, Georgia led the series 20-10-2 overall, with Clemson dominating the Dawgs early on in the series by winning seven straight years from 1900-1906.
Then came the next big streak where these two teams played each other every year, and the one that most of the fans know about and pretty much where the rivalry was truly born.
From 1962-1987, The matchup between these two was evident and one every fan looked forward to every year — outside 1966 and 1972 — because they knew it would be an absolute showdown.
Georgia led the series during this time 16-6-2, but there were only five games where the winner won by more than 28 points. On average, the winner would win by 12.37 points.
Ten games were decided by seven points or less, so even though Georgia won 10 more times than Clemson, it was still highly competitive.
When Georgia won their national championship in 1980, they defeated the Tigers 20-16. Clemson followed it up in 1982, beating Georgia 13-3 on their way to their program’s first national championship.
Then in 1982, when Clemson was on their high horse, the Dawgs defeated the Tigers in Athens 13-7.
During this period, this game was a rivalry, and it doesn’t matter what anyone thinks because going back and forth for 24 straight years means something.
Since 1987, the two teams play home-and-home games every few years, but it isn’t like during the 80s when it was such an exciting matchup.
Make Georgia football and Clemson a yearly event
Once again, the two programs have the perfect opportunity to make it an every year kind of thing now, and they 100% should.
It’s been 34 years since the yearly game ended between these two teams, and before that, it was 46 years (1916-1962).
With these two teams competing for the best recruits and their spot in the college football playoffs each year, why not have it as a yearly game?
By making it yearly, it would be another Power 5 matchup, another top-5 to top-10 ranked game on the schedule, which would increase both schools’ strength of schedule, and the two schools are close enough to benefit from it money-wise.
The Georgia and Clemson fans have a deep hatred for each other, so why not play into the college football traditions and make it a legit rivalry game.
Making it a yearly event seems like a win-win for both teams, but it has yet to happen. Maybe the television ratings and success of the 2021 matchup could be just what the two schools need to make it official.
I know there are obligations in place for them to play other teams opening week in the next few years, but it’s doable, and I think it would be incredible.
The history speaks for itself, and while there have been chunks of time that Georgia has dominated the series, it still makes for an incredible atmosphere.
Clemson is a force in the college football world right now, winning two championships in a matter of three years, and Georgia is a contender every year in the SEC, so let’s help each other out and make this an every season kind of thing.