If you walk into a bar in Athens, Georgia, on a Saturday night, you'll hear plenty of talk about "the record." Usually, they're talking about Kirby Smart’s latest win count or how many years it took to break the 1980 curse. But if you actually sit down and look at the georgia record by year, you start to see a much weirder, more complex story than just "we win a lot now."
Georgia football didn’t just wake up one day as a juggernaut. It’s been a slow, often painful, 134-year climb.
Honestly, the program has been through it all. From the early days of 1892 when they only played two games, to the 15-0 perfection of the 2022 season, the numbers tell a story of a team that spent decades being "almost" great before finally kicking the door down. Most people think the Bulldogs were always a top-tier power, but if you look back at the mid-1900s, there were some lean years that would make a modern fan’s head spin.
Breaking Down the Georgia Record by Year
The early era of Georgia football was basically the Wild West. Between 1892 and 1910, the team frequently changed coaches and played schedules that looked more like a random collection of local athletic clubs than a college conference. They had a winless season in 1901 (1-5-2) and another rough patch in 1904-1905 where they went a combined 2-10.
Things finally stabilized when the program joined the SEC as a charter member in 1932. But the real "modern" era—the one fans actually care about—doesn't start until Wally Butts took over in 1939.
The Wally Butts and Vince Dooley Eras
Wally Butts gave Georgia its first real taste of national glory. In 1942, the Bulldogs went 11-1 and won the Rose Bowl. That year is officially claimed as a national championship, even though the AP poll had them at number two behind Ohio State. Butts also led the team to an undefeated 11-0 season in 1946, though they didn't get the "official" title that year.
Then came Vince Dooley.
Dooley is the reason Sanford Stadium looks the way it does. He coached from 1964 to 1988, and his georgia record by year during that span is the bedrock of the program.
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- 1966: 10-1 (SEC Champions)
- 1968: 8-1-2 (SEC Champions)
- 1976: 10-2 (SEC Champions)
- 1980: 12-0 (Consensus National Champions)
- 1981: 10-2 (SEC Champions)
- 1982: 11-1 (SEC Champions)
The 1980-1982 run was probably the most "dominant" stretch in school history until Kirby Smart arrived. With Herschel Walker in the backfield, Georgia went 33-3 over three seasons. It felt like they’d never stop winning. Then, they did.
The Long "Drought" (1983–2016)
For over 30 years, Georgia fans lived in a weird state of "good but not great." Ray Goff and Jim Donnan had moments, but the record by year throughout the 90s was a roller coaster of 6-win and 10-win seasons.
Mark Richt changed the floor of the program. He arrived in 2001 and immediately made Georgia a 10-win-per-year team. Between 2002 and 2005, Richt went 42-10. He won the SEC in 2002 (ending a 20-year drought) and again in 2005. But as the years went on, the fan base got restless. The record was good—8-5 in 2009, 6-7 in 2010—but it wasn't championship-level.
The Kirby Smart Revolution
When Kirby Smart took over in 2016, the georgia record by year shifted from "consistently good" to "historically elite."
It’s actually kind of ridiculous when you look at the raw numbers. After a 8-5 "transition" year in 2016, Smart has basically lived in the Top 5 of the AP Poll.
- 2017: 13-2 (SEC Champs, National Finalist)
- 2018: 11-3 (Sugar Bowl loss)
- 2019: 12-2 (Sugar Bowl win)
- 2020: 8-2 (COVID-shortened season, Peach Bowl win)
- 2021: 14-1 (National Champions)
- 2022: 15-0 (National Champions)
- 2023: 13-1 (Orange Bowl win, 63-3 blowout)
- 2024: 11-3 (SEC Champions, Sugar Bowl appearance)
- 2025: 12-2 (Sugar Bowl appearance)
The 2021 and 2022 seasons represent the first time a program has gone back-to-back in the College Football Playoff era. That 15-0 record in 2022 is the gold standard for any school in the country. They didn't just win; they embarrassed people, like the 65-7 drubbing of TCU in the championship game.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Numbers
A lot of people think Georgia "choked" for 40 years between titles. While it’s true they didn't win the big one, the georgia record by year shows they were actually one of the most consistent teams in the country. Since 1997, Georgia has only had one losing season (2010). That’s a level of stability that almost no other program—besides maybe Ohio State or Alabama—can claim.
Another misconception is that the SEC has always been this tough. In the 1940s and 50s, the conference was much smaller and more top-heavy. Georgia’s 10-1 record in 1959 meant something very different than a 10-1 record in 2023 because of the sheer depth of the modern SEC.
Historical Win-Loss Stats (As of Jan 2026)
As we sit here in 2026, the all-time totals are staggering:
- Total Wins: Over 900 (9th all-time in FBS)
- Winning Percentage: Approximately .669
- Bowl Record: 38-23-3 (Second-most appearances all-time)
- SEC Titles: 16 (Second-most in conference history, trailing only Alabama)
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you’re tracking the georgia record by year for betting, historical research, or just to win an argument at a tailgate, keep these three things in mind:
First, look at the "Point Differential." In recent years, Georgia hasn't just been winning; they've been winning by an average of 20+ points per game. That’s a better indicator of future success than just the W-L column.
Second, the "Smart Era" is a statistical outlier. Comparing Kirby Smart's .840+ winning percentage to the rest of school history is almost unfair. He has effectively recalibrated what a "successful" season looks like in Athens.
Third, bowl games matter less than they used to in the record books. With the expanded playoffs, the "bowl record" is becoming a "playoff record." Georgia currently has one of the highest winning percentages in the College Football Playoff at 5-2 (through the 2025 season).
To truly understand where this program is going, you have to appreciate the 1990s grind that built the foundation for the current era of dominance. The records aren't just numbers; they are the scars and trophies of a program that finally figured out how to stay at the top.
Check the official University of Georgia archives or Sports-Reference CFB for a game-by-game breakdown of specific years, especially the early 20th-century seasons which are often updated as more historical newspaper records are digitized. For modern stats, the SEC's official media guide remains the most accurate source for conference standings and tie-breaker records.