ATLANTA—In the last week, UGA has been formally chosen for two Chick-fil-A Kickoff Games—one in 2022 and another in 2024.
The first encounter will include the Dawgs and a rarely seen opponent from the West Coast (Oregon).
The 2024 matchup, however, will have a traditional feel to it, with UGA and Clemson squaring off for likely the 65th time.
We say likely ... because the two powerhouse programs could easily meet over the next five or six incarnations of the College Football Playoff.
"We're thrilled to be able to renew a storied rivalry between two historic programs that are within such a close proximity to Atlanta," said Bob Somers, Peach Bowl, Inc. chairman, regarding the UGA-Clemson tilt at Mercedes-Benz Stadium (time/date to be announced soon).
"Both Georgia and Clemson are two of the most well-represented fan bases in our city (Atlanta), so we're expecting an electric atmosphere for this one."
Clemson and Georgia had a home-and-home series a few years ago, with the Tigers winning in 2013 (38-35 at home) and the Dawgs returning the favor in 2014 (45-21 at home).
The southern powers, roughly 78 miles apart, met on the field continuously from 1973-1987, with UGA owning an 8-6-1 record during that head-to-head stretch.
Famously, Georgia upended Clemson in September 1980 (20-16), en route to the national championship for that season.
A year later, the Bulldogs' only regular-season defeat came against the Tigers, who won at Clemson (13-3) and eventually claimed the national championship in 1981.
In 1982, both UGA and Clemson were ranked in the top 10 nationally, prompting some to refer to this clash (Herschel Walker's final season in Athens) as a southern-fried version of The Game Of The Century. (The Dawgs won, 13-7.)
