Man, looking back at the uga 2024 football schedule, it feels like we lived through a decade’s worth of stress in about four months. If you’re a Georgia fan, your blood pressure probably still hasn’t fully recovered.
It was a weird year. Honestly, it was arguably the most "un-Kirby" season we’ve seen in a long time, even though they ended up with a trophy in the case.
We all saw the preseason rankings. Georgia was the "consensus" number one. They had Carson Beck returning, a supposedly reloaded defense, and a schedule that looked like a literal minefield. Seriously, whoever at the SEC office drew up this slate must have had a personal vendetta against Athens.
The Brutal Reality of the 2024 Slate
Let's be real: no one in the country played a harder schedule than Georgia in 2024. They didn't just play good teams; they played them in the worst possible places.
✨ Don't miss: Red Sox vs Yankees: What Most People Get Wrong About Baseball's Biggest Feud
Think about it. They had to go to Tuscaloosa. They had to go to Austin. They had to go to Oxford. In a year where the SEC expanded and the 12-team playoff changed everything, the Bulldogs were essentially the guinea pigs for "how much can one team actually take?"
A Season of Highs and Lows
- The Clemson Statement: It started so well. That 34-3 blowout in Atlanta made everyone think the Dawgs were invincible. Clemson isn't what they used to be, but they aren't scrubs either. Georgia just physically overwhelmed them.
- The Kentucky Scare: Then came Lexington. A 13-12 win that felt like a loss. The offense looked stagnant, and the "slow start" trend that would plague them all year officially began.
- The Bama Heartbreak: That game in Tuscaloosa was a fever dream. Down 28-0 in the first half? Absolute disaster. Then Beck leads an insane comeback to take the lead, only for Ryan Williams to do... well, what Ryan Williams does. A 41-34 loss that felt like a punch to the gut.
- The Texas Masterclass: If you want to know how good this team could be, look at the road trip to Austin. They walked into Darrell K Royal Stadium and absolutely bullied the #1 Longhorns. 30-15. The defense looked like the 2021 unit for a night.
Why the uga 2024 football schedule Was a "Beautiful Mess"
Kirby Smart himself called this the toughest year of his tenure. And he wasn't just talking about the opponents.
Off the field, the program was a bit of a circus. Arrests, speeding tickets, and suspensions were a constant background noise. It felt like every Monday morning we were checking the Athens-Clarke County police blotter instead of the injury report. Trevor Etienne missed the opener. Smael Mondon had his issues. Rodarius "Rara" Thomas was dismissed.
🔗 Read more: OU Football Depth Chart 2025: Why Most Fans Are Getting the Roster Wrong
It was a lot.
And then there was the run game. Or the lack of one. For the first time since Kirby arrived in 2016, Georgia was actually outrushed by its opponents over the course of the season. They averaged just 124.4 yards per game on the ground. That’s not Georgia football. That’s... well, it’s not what we’re used to.
The Complete 2024 Results
| Date | Opponent | Result | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 31 | vs. Clemson (Atlanta) | W | 34-3 |
| Sept 7 | Tennessee Tech | W | 48-3 |
| Sept 14 | at Kentucky | W | 13-12 |
| Sept 28 | at Alabama | L | 34-41 |
| Oct 5 | Auburn | W | 31-13 |
| Oct 12 | Mississippi State | W | 41-31 |
| Oct 19 | at Texas | W | 30-15 |
| Nov 2 | vs. Florida (Jacksonville) | W | 34-20 |
| Nov 9 | at Ole Miss | L | 10-28 |
| Nov 16 | Tennessee | W | 31-17 |
| Nov 23 | UMass | W | 59-21 |
| Nov 29 | Georgia Tech | W | 44-42 (8OT) |
| Dec 7 | vs. Texas (SEC Championship) | W | 22-19 (OT) |
| Jan 2 | vs. Notre Dame (Sugar Bowl) | L | 10-23 |
The SEC Title and the Playoff Heartbreak
Winning the SEC Championship was a massive achievement. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. They beat Texas again, this time in an overtime thriller in Atlanta (22-19). They finished 11-3. Most programs would kill for that "down" year.
💡 You might also like: NL Rookie of the Year 2025: Why Drake Baldwin Actually Deserved the Hardware
But the Sugar Bowl was a different story.
Facing Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff Quarterfinal, the wheels just sort of fell off. The slow starts finally caught up to them for good. They trailed at halftime, couldn't run the ball, and turned it over too much. A 23-10 loss meant the quest for a third title in four years ended in New Orleans.
It was a bittersweet ending. You've got the SEC trophy, but you're watching the semifinals from the couch.
Actionable Takeaways for the Future
If you're looking ahead to 2025 and 2026, here is what actually matters based on what we learned from the uga 2024 football schedule:
- The Schedule is the New Normal: The SEC isn't getting easier. Expect "brutal" schedules to be the standard. Depth is more important than ever.
- Fixing the Identity: Georgia has to find its "identity" again. They became a pass-heavy team out of necessity, but without a dominant run game, they lacked the "closability" they had in 2021 and 2022.
- Discipline Matters: Kirby has been vocal about the off-field issues. To get back to the mountaintop, the "self-inflicted wounds" (penalties and legal trouble) have to stop.
- The 12-Team Margin: 2024 proved you can lose two or even three games and still be in the hunt. The "perfect season" pressure is gone, replaced by the "survive and advance" pressure.
To really get a feel for what’s next, keep an eye on how Kirby uses the transfer portal this spring. The roster is flipping fast, and the scars from 2024 are going to be the motivation for the next run.