Top 5 Georgia football matchups if the SEC and Big Ten come to a scheduling agreement

The state of college football seems as if it changes daily now. Court rulings, Transfer Portal news and a host of other things can be overwhelming to the sport at times. The latest of those developments is the recent buzz that the CFP committee is nearing an agreement to once again expand the college football playoff bracket, this time to go from 12 to 24 teams.

As history has told us since the BCS model was dissolved 12 years ago, a lot of change comes when you start expanding the field of teams to compete for a national title. Some good, others bad. Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt believes that a scheduling agreement between the SEC and BIG10 could happen "almost immediately" after the 24-team playoff format becomes official. Meaning, every year the two conferences would likely have an annual "SEC vs BIG10 week", similarly to what college basketball does. This would bring some of the biggest names in the sport on the same field, and finally putting to rest who the better conference is.

For Georgia Bulldogs fans, it can be exciting to imagine who the Dawgs would potentially play against. In this list, I ranked the five most intriguing teams Georgia could play against if a SEC vs BIG10 challenge were to happen. Also, note that these matchups are based on the assumption that the games would be a home-and-home series.

Honorable Mentions: UCLA Bruins and Michigan Wolverines

A UCLA-Georgia home-and-home series was actually supposed to be a thing this year but was unfortunately canceled due to scheduling conflicts. Georgia was set to play UCLA in the Rose Bowl Stadium this year, and what a sight it would have been if it happened. It's a fun thought to imagine, not necessarily for how good both teams look at the moment, but for the environment it presents. The colors of both teams could easily allow both teams to wear home uniforms while playing at night under the Pasadena lights in a historic venue. It was really hard not to put this matchup in the top five, but the other teams were just too intriguing to leave out of the list.

As far as Michigan goes, it's a great thought just the same, but I think they just got edged out of the top five by other more impressive teams. Michigan hasn't quite been the same caliber of team since they won a national title in 2023, and other than the brand Michigan presents and playing in the Big House, there wouldn't be all that much excitement if these two were to play. Plus, it's a matchup we've seen already. Most of the teams in the top five have either never played Georgia before, or the last matchup ended in a classic. The last time the Wolverines played Georgia it ended in a 23 point win for Georgia in the Orange Bowl.

5. Penn State Nittany Lions

A Penn State whiteout alone could be enough to put Penn State in the top five of this list. However, this matchup has history to it. The history of the matchup is very similar to how Georgia vs Notre Dame was before that home-and-home series took place in 2017-2018.

The first time Penn State played Georgia was in the Sugar Bowl in 1983 for the unofficial National Championship crown, which the Nittany Lions won 27-23. The only other time the two teams played was in 2016 when Georgia beat Penn State in the TaxSlayer Bowl. Blue blood programs built on tradition and some of the best venues in the country would make this must-see tv.

4. USC Trojans

The USC Trojans are one of few teams who can say that they are undefeated all-time against the Bulldogs. However, these two programs have surprisingly not faced off in a football game since 1960. USC holds a 3-0 record over Georgia, but a lot has changed in the decades since their last matchup. USC is another team that has an elite venue that would be cool to see Georgia travel to play at. Also, USC has never played Georgia in Athens.

All three previous matchups occurred in Los Angeles. The last, and only, time Kirby Smart and Lincoln Riley faced off provided arguably the best bowl game finish of all time. Similar fireworks could happen if this series were to take place.

3. Indiana Hoosiers

Ever since Curt Cignetti won it all with Indiana last year, the noise around who the greatest coach in the sport is has started to grow louder. This series would likely settle that debate. Cignetti has turned Indiana into a program that competes for wins and can square off with any team in the nation.

With both teams running a similar style and mentality, it would be one of the most physical and hard-nosed games in recent memory.

2. Oregon Ducks

It is still way too earlier to tell, but Dan Lanning already looks like he is to Kirby Smart what Smart was to Nick Saban. Lanning is by far Smart's best former assistant turned head coach, leading the Oregon Ducks to some great seasons in his tenure there thus far.

The two programs have also only met twice, with Georgia winning both. One game in Athens in 1977 and the latest being in Atlanta in 2022 in Smart's only game against a Lanning-led team. Georgia playing in Autzen would be an amazing sight, as would a Dan Lanning homecoming in Athens. To see a former assistant face off against his mentor always makes for a great headline.

1. Ohio State Buckeyes

Georgia and Ohio State fans will never forget the 2022 Peach Bowl, for better or for worse. As it stands, these two programs stand as the teams to beat in their respective conference. Any time these two play, fireworks are bound to happen.

Ryan Day and Smart are two of the best coaches in the sport, and Ohio State and Georgia are two programs built on tradition and being elite. Georgia playing in Columbus or the Buckeyes traveling to Athens would be the best game of the season no matter who else plays that year. Nothing would beat the excitement and anticipation of a matchup like that, making it the easy no. 1 on this list.

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