After Disappointing End to Season, Georgia Looks Forward to 2026 Shifts
The Georgia Bulldogs kick off their 2026 football season against Tennessee State on Sept. 5. This campaign follows a loss to Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl.
Georgia’s Gunner Stockton against the Ole Miss Rebels during the 2025 College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl at Caesars Superdome on January 1, 2026.
Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty ImagesThe Georgia Bulldogs kick off their 2026 football season against Tennessee State on Sept. 5. This campaign follows a loss to Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl, which marked the second consecutive year the program stumbled in that matchup.
Head coach Kirby Smart confronts a massive rebuild this offseason. The transfer portal has opened. NFL draft decisions from players will arrive in the coming weeks. Smart must replace a significant chunk of the roster before kickoff.
The 2026 schedule brings a shift in conference play. Georgia will tackle a nine-game SEC schedule for the first time. The Bulldogs won't face Tennessee for the first time in decades.
Three playoff teams from 2025 show up on the schedule. Oklahoma, Alabama, and the Rebels. The Sooners visit Athens on Sept. 26. The Crimson Tide hosts on Oct. 10.
A return trip to Oxford awaits on Nov. 7. That showdown arrives after a neutral-site meeting with Florida in Atlanta on Oct. 31.
Other conference opponents include Arkansas, Vanderbilt, Auburn, Missouri, and South Carolina. The Razorbacks' game on Sept. 19 serves as the first road test. The Tigers visit on Oct. 17, while the Gamecocks host on Nov. 21.
Two non-conference opponents round out the early slate. Western Kentucky travels to Athens on Sept. 12 after the season opener. The Hilltoppers join Tennessee State as warm-up contests before SEC action starts.
The regular season wraps with Georgia Tech at home on Nov. 28. A bye week lands on Oct. 24, giving the squad a breather before the final push. The SEC championship game is slated for Dec. 5 in Atlanta.
