The Georgia Bulldogs are staring down a scheduling conundrum for the 2030 season - one that could force some tough decisions in Athens. With the SEC expanding to a nine-game conference slate starting this fall, Georgia’s current setup of four non-conference matchups just doesn’t add up. Unless Kirby Smart’s crew plans on making a surprise trip to Hawaii (and getting the 13th game exemption that comes with it), someone’s getting cut from the party.
Right now, Georgia is slated to face Georgia Tech, Clemson, North Carolina A&T, and Ohio State in non-conference play that year. That’s a loaded lineup, and it’s got folks wondering which opponent gets the axe. Based on the way things are shaping up, the high-profile home-and-home with Ohio State might be the odd one out.
Here’s why: Georgia isn’t likely to cancel its annual rivalry game with Georgia Tech - “Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate” is too deeply ingrained in the program’s culture, regardless of how lopsided the series has been in recent years. That leaves Clemson, North Carolina A&T, and Ohio State on the chopping block.
Clemson offers a regional rivalry with recruiting implications, and North Carolina A&T, while not a powerhouse, likely provides a manageable win and a chance to rotate depth. Ohio State?
That’s a heavyweight bout - great for fans, but risky when you’re already navigating an SEC gauntlet.
According to reports, Ohio State intends to honor the series. But the ball is in Georgia’s court, and with the expanded conference schedule tightening the calendar, the Bulldogs may be forced to make a business decision. Canceling on the Buckeyes wouldn't be about ducking competition - it would be about survival in what’s quickly becoming the most unforgiving schedule in college football.
This isn’t just a Georgia problem, either. Around the SEC, there’s growing chatter about how the added conference game is reshaping long-term scheduling philosophies.
Alabama, for instance, is reportedly on the verge of pulling the plug on its own future showdown with Ohio State. According to Paul Finebaum, the Crimson Tide’s athletic department is already leaning toward backing out, citing internal instability and the logistical headache of fitting in marquee non-conference matchups under the new format.
“I sincerely doubt the Alabama game is going to happen,” Finebaum said during a recent radio appearance. “He’s got a shaky situation there anyway with a coach who is in trouble. Georgia might do it because they’re a little more in-tune and aligned, but I really don’t think we’re going to go too far and see those games.”
The reality? The ninth SEC game is a game-changer - and not in the way fans might’ve hoped.
It’s pushing programs to re-evaluate how much top-end competition they can realistically handle in a single season. That means fewer high-profile non-conference clashes, and more strategic scheduling to preserve postseason hopes.
It’s a tough pill to swallow. Fans crave the kind of matchups that pit SEC powerhouses against Big Ten juggernauts.
Georgia vs. Ohio State is the kind of series that moves the needle nationally.
But in today’s college football landscape - with NIL money flowing, conference realignment reshaping the map, and playoff expansion on the horizon - programs are thinking long-term. Every game is a calculation, every series a risk-reward equation.
If Georgia does end up walking away from the Ohio State game, it won’t be about fear. It’ll be about bandwidth.
The Bulldogs already play in a conference where even mid-tier opponents can ruin your season. Add in a trip to Columbus or a visit from the Buckeyes, and suddenly the margin for error shrinks even further.
Still, it’s hard to ignore the optics. When the sport’s premier programs start backing off from these heavyweight matchups, it signals a shift in priorities.
The playoff era was supposed to encourage more big-time games. But with the SEC’s new structure and the Big Ten’s own expansion, we may be heading in the opposite direction - where survival outweighs spectacle.
For now, the Georgia-Ohio State series is still on the books. But don’t be surprised if it quietly disappears in the coming years. Not because Georgia can’t compete - but because in the new world of college football, even the best have to pick their battles.