The 2026 college football schedule marks a rare absence: for the first time in more than three decades, the University of Georgia and the University of Tennessee will not play each other. The Bulldogs hold a 30‑23‑2 edge in the all‑time series and have strung together nine straight victories, a streak that dates back to the early 2000s.
At the SEC media days in Tampa, Florida, Georgia head coach Kirby Smart addressed the omission, emphasizing his respect for the Volunteers’ program and coaching staff. He noted that preparing for Tennessee is always a challenge, describing the team as tough to scheme against.
Future Encounters
Smart also took the opportunity to explain the new scheduling model that will rotate in fresh opponents for the Bulldogs, while confirming that the series will resume in 2027 when Tennessee travels to Athens, and again in 2029 when the game returns to Neyland Stadium.
The upcoming meetings will give both programs a chance to reset the narrative, but for now the focus remains on how the Bulldogs will navigate a season without their traditional SEC East rival.