The Georgia Bulldogs have more rivals than the average college football program. Georgia’s rivalries tend to be close in proximity and high in hatred.
Georgia has a long history of completion against regional opposition, plus divisional and conference foes aplenty along with regular meetings in the postseason.
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Over the years, there are ebbs and flows of rivalries. Recently, Georgia has dominated many of its rivals under head coach Kirby Smart with a notable exception of Alabama. The Bulldogs still have (as of the start of the 2025 season) won a pair national championships more recently than any of their rivals have won a national title. That gives Georgia fans a bit ease when it comes to rivalries.
Conversations about Georgia’s biggest rivalries renewed after the SEC announced that it would be switching to a nine-game conference schedule with three permanent rivals. Fans all have different opinions what three SEC teams they’d like for Georgia to play against.
“I do think traditional rivalries are important,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. “I enjoy those, having been a traditionalist and growing up in the state of Georgia.”
Ranking Georgia’s biggest rivalries from worst to first
7. Clemson Tigers
Tyler Brown of the Clemson Tigers is tackled by KJ Bolden of the Georgia Bulldogs
The Clemson Tigers are Georgia’s closest geographic rivalry, but Georgia and Clemson don’t play each other quite as regularly as the rest of Georgia’s rivals. Clemson is a bit closer to Georgia than Georgia Tech and battles Georgia often on the recruiting trail for top Peach State talents.
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Through the end of the 2024 season, Georgia has played Clemson 66 times with UGA winning the majority of those games. Both schools have won a pair of national championships since 2010 and are among college football’s elite. Georgia and Clemson used to play almost every year, but have only played six times from 2000 to 2024.
South Carolina Gamecocks after defeating the Georgia Bulldogs in 2019
The Georgia Bulldogs and South Carolina Gamecocks rivalry peaked during the Steve Spurrier years. Spurrier, who hates Georgia, was in the pain in the you-know-what to Mark Richt and the Georgia Bulldogs for a full decade. Georgia and South Carolina are no longer in the SEC East, so that diminishes the rivalry a bit.
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5. Alabama Crimson Tide
Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver Ryan Williams breaks a tackle by Georgia Bulldogs defensive back KJ Bolden
Georgia and Alabama are not considered traditional or historic rivals, but since 2012, when Bama derailed UGA’s national championship hopes in the SEC championship, the rivalry with the Crimson Tide has ramped up.
Georgia and Alabama have have combined to win five of 11 national championships during the College Football Playoff era and 10 of the last 11 SEC championships. The two schools even met in the 2017 and 2021 national championship games. You’re crazy if you don’t consider this a rivalry now.
4. Tennessee Volunteers
Georgia LB Raylen Wilson makes a tackle against Tennessee
Georgia and Tennessee have met every season since 1992. The Dawgs and Volunteers are traditional SEC East rivals. Will the Georgia-Tennessee rivalry continue in 2026? It will be interesting to see if Georgia is one of Tennessee’s three permanent SEC rivals.
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Georgia leads the all-time series against Tennessee 29-23-2 and has dominated the Volunteers recently. Entering 2025, Georgia has won eight straight games over Tennessee.
3. Auburn Tigers
Georgia Bulldogs quarterback #14 David Greene fires a second half pass against the Auburn Tigers.
Georgia and Auburn play annually in the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry. Auburn could easily be Georgia’s second-biggest rival ahead of Georgia Tech. The Tigers should be one of Georgia’s three permanent SEC opponents as the league moves to a nine game conference schedule.
The Georgia-Auburn rivalry is a strange one. The road team tends to have success in the series although that has stopped (for Auburn) recently. Entering 2025, Georgia has played Auburn 129 times and leads the series 65-56-8. The Bulldogs have won eight straight over Auburn ahead of the 2025 game.
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Georgia Bulldogs defensive back Dan Jackson sacks Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King
Georgia Tech has emerged as a bigger rival for Georgia recently. Georgia Tech head coach Brent Key makes it clear that Tech hates losing to Georgia in Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate. Georgia’s eight overtime victory over Georgia Tech in 2024 is the most memorable game in recent series history.
1. Florida Gators
DJ Lagway of the Florida Gators runs against the Georgia Bulldogs and CJ Allen
Georgia’s biggest rival is Florida. The Gators ruined quite a few seasons for Georgia during the 1990s and 2000s, but the tide has turned and now Georgia is controlling the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. Georgia leads the all-time series 57-44-2. The two schools traditionally meet in Jacksonville, Florida, and dominated the SEC East from 1992-2023.
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Georgia has dominated Florida in the Kirby Smart era, but the Gators still represent a formidable test for the Dawgs. Florida has had some coaches and players that Georgia fans love to hate over the years like Urban Meyer, Dan Mullen, Tim Tebow and Steve Spurrier.
This article originally appeared on UGA Wire: Ranking Georgia football’s rivalries from worst to first
