Whether or not there will even be a 2020 season is uncertain right now. ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit actually said that he would be “shocked” if we had an NFL or college season at the rate things are going in regards to the coronavirus pandemic.
Right now, I think it’s way too early to throw such an idea out there. We still have 5+ months until college football is set to resume.
So, until there’s official word that college football will be played in the fall of 2020, we will all keep our fingers crossed, pray and hope for the best.
Related — 2020 Georgia football schedule: Game-by-game predictions
I mean, Georgia plays Alabama in week-three. Please do not take that away from not only Bulldog and Tide fans, but football fans across America.
Taking a look at Georgia’s 2020 schedule, there’s no doubt that that September 19th meeting between UGA and Bama in Tuscaloosa is the toughest game on Georgia’s schedule.
When the two powerhouses meet, it will likely be a top-five battle that will have huge implications on both the SEC and the NCAA.
We take a look at Georgia’s three toughest games on its 2020 schedule, with Alabama checking at No. 1.
1. Georgia at Alabama – September 19th
This will be the biggest regular season game of Kirby Smart’s career in Athens. Kirby will be back in Tuscaloosa playing in Nick Saban’s house, where Kirby’s coaching career really took off.
After spending nine years at Alabama, Kirby is yet to defeat the Tide as head coach of the Bulldogs. In two tries, he is 0-2, with both losses coming by a combined 10 points.
Both Alabama and Georgia will go into the 2020 season ranked in the top-five, and by the time they play each other, it’s expected that both will be undefeated.
Georgia’s first three games of 2020:
Virginia
East Tennessee State
Alabama
Alabama’s first three games of 2020:
Southern Cal
Georgia State
Georgia
Alabama will be tested opening week in Arlington, when it meets the Trojans. USC could very well open the season in the top-25, but I don’t think there’s anyone out there who believes the Trojans are going to take down the Tide.
Georgia and Alabama have not met since the 2018 SEC Championship Game, where UGA lost 35-28.
A lot has changed since then. Both teams have new quarterbacks, with Jake Fromm and Tua Tagovailoa leaving their schools for the NFL. There’s new coaching staffs, recruits, transfers, etc.
Players and coaches come and go, but the style remains the same. This will be a physical, defensive battle that will be won in the trenches.
If Georgia quarterback Jamie Newman can adjust to the atmosphere in Bryant-Denny Stadium, I like Georgia’s chances.
But honestly, it’s just way too early to make a prediction on this game, with both teams being so close in terms of talent level.
If there’s one thing I know for certain, though, it’s that Saban will want nothing more than to beat Kirby and the Bulldogs. This offseason, Kirby stole Saban’s longtime strength coach Scott Cochran by offering him the position of special teams coordinator in Athens.
This will be a thrilling fight between two of college football’s biggest names.
2. Georgia vs Florida (Jacksonville) – Oct. 31st
The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party will take place this year on Halloween in Jacksonville.
The Dawgs have taken the last three meetings by a combined score of 102-41.
All offseason, Kirby Smart has heard about how Dan Mullen is turning the Florida program around and how the Gators will take down the Dawgs this year.
But then again, he heard the same talk last season and then went on to beat Mullen and the Gators yet again, this time in a more exciting finish. Georgia won 24-17.
Florida is on the rise – there’s no denying that. I’m not going to sit here and say that Florida is a bad football team. That’s not the case by any means.
But what people have to remember is that Kirby is not slowing down at Georgia. Sure, Florida is getting better. But so is Georgia.
Georgia is recruiting better, snagging better transfer players and returning more talent from last year’s team than Florida is.
At the end of the day, Georgia is just the better team with better players and better coaches.
It’ll be a fight, but Florida still has some work to do. Who will quarterback the Gators this fall? Will it be Kyle Trask or Emory Jones? They’re both solid players, but do either of them really have what it takes to guide Florida to an SEC Championship Game?
3. Auburn at Georgia – Oct. 10th
For the first time since 1936, The Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry will be played in October instead of November.
Auburn will field a good team again, and will likely start the season somewhere between 10-15 in the preseason polls, but Georgia will still be viewed as one of the best teams in America regardless of what happens in Tuscaloosa just a few weeks prior.
Bo Nix returns as quarterback for the Tigers, but Auburn lost a ton of talent on both the offensive and defensive line.
This game, as always, will be won in the trenches, and despite the fact that UGA lost a lot of o-line production as well, the Dawgs will out-physical Gus Malzahn’s team.
Kirby hates Auburn. Malzahn hates Georgia.
This one will be fun.
Georgia, at home in front 93,000 fans, takes this one.
