Since the SEC has now started making each team play nine conference games a year, the Georgia Bulldogs gained South Carolina as a "secured rivalry game" that they will play annually. The others on that list? Auburn and Florida.
However, a lot of fans are not too happy with this. For the first time in over two decades, the Bulldogs will not play the Tennessee Volunteers in the regular season in 2026. Over the years, the two teams have established themselves as an intense rivalry game year in and year out. At SEC Media Days today, one reporter proved absolutely nothing has changed.
Reporter question fuels Georgia-Tennessee sparks
One Georgia reporter worded his question in the most brilliant way to Kirby Smart, asking if not having Tennessee on their schedule this upcoming season was a challenge to work around due to not having a "free win." Though Smart answered it as professionally as one could, this reporter is hilariously not wrong.
Georgia has not lost a game to Tennessee in a decade. That game was in 2016 and was decided by an unfortunate Josh Dobbs Hail Mary that every Georgia fan wants to forget about. However, despite that game that was determined by the very last play, Georgia has a 9-1 record against Tennessee since Smart took over as head coach.
Even with a losing record, Tennessee fans have always found a way to talk smack with Georgia. Between consistently bringing up that one play in 2016 or saying the upcoming year is "THE year," the rivalry remains hot and has given us some of the best games in recent memory.
Just last year, Georgia won an overtime thriller against Tennessee in what was, in my opinion and many others, game of the year. Other historic games include no. 1 Tennessee vs no. 3 Georgia in 2022, a 2013 overtime game in Knoxville, and a 51-44 shootout in Athens in 2012. Also, do not forget that Georgia's game against Tennessee is where Herschel Walker "ran right through two men" and hit them "dead away at the nine" in 1980 or the "Hobnail Boot" in 2001.
The reason this game will not be played annually is because it is not flashy enough for the SEC or the NCAA. The games that will make the most money on brand and TV deals will be games like Georgia vs Alabama or Texas. Don't get me wrong, like Smart said in his response to the reporter, these games are exciting and it is fun to see some new opponents.
However, that does not mean we will not miss this rivalry game. A new schedule will not defuse the fire that is between these two programs, and the SEC needs to look into locking it as an annual game again.
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