A switch to 10 conference games for the 2020 season seems more likely for the Southeast Conference. The League’s athletic directors and presidents meet virtually on Thursday, so no final decisions have been made, but there is an idea that this is a likely development.
That will mean different things for different SEC programs, but how much will it really change for Georgia? Not much in my estimation if the first projections turn out to be true. To understand how much things change, you must first know the exact changes that will be made.
Georgia Tech is likely to stay on the calendar as the ACC left that option on the table and it will be obvious that the SEC withdrew if that game is canceled. Kentucky (Louisville), South Carolina (Clemson) and Florida (Florida state) are in the same boat. The Bulldogs lose Virginia, a team that was supposed to be defensively strong but in transition on the other side of the ball. That’s a game that UGA was going to be favored by at least two scores. UGA would also presumably lose the state of eastern Tennessee and Louisiana-Monroe.
The first screenings have UGA adding Arkansas and Mississippi State as the two opponents that would move the conference board up to 10 games. This is where rubber meets the road in my theory that things just won’t change much. UGA loses Virginia, ETSU and ULM while adding a couple of third party third party SEC programs. Virginia is probably better than any of those programs, so the list gets a little easier. So both Arkansas and MSU are better than ETSU or ULM, which makes it a little more difficult, but how much?
The Razorbacks come from a 2-10 season while MSU was 6-7. Both fired their coaches and both will be seriously outclassed against any team in the upper third of the conference. If UGA has to travel to Starkville, Miss., Which seems likely, that could add a degree of difficulty, but keep in mind that attendance will surely be limited. UGA last made that trip in 2010 and fell by a score of 24-12, but this is a very different Bulldog team with a very different culture. Considering the massive rebuilding that needs to take place in Arkansas, a trip to Fayetteville shouldn’t be much of a challenge.
So if you keep score at home, UGA would play Alabama and Mississippi State from SEC West on the road and Auburn and Arkansas from SEC West at home. He would also have his six SEC East games plus Georgia Tech while eliminating Virginia, ETSU, and ULM.
Considering how Florida is projected to add Texas A&M and Alabama, while South Carolina will add Auburn and Tennessee to add LSU, UGA comes out smelling of pink.
