MEMPHIS — Georgia and Ohio State have agreed to meet in football during the 2020 and 2021 seasons, UGA athletic director Greg McGarity said Tuesday.
McGarity said he and Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith signed a “memorandum of understanding” on the games, one of which will be played in Georgia’s Sanford Stadium and the other at Ohio State.
“I know that’s a long time away,” McGarity said, “but bottom line is you’ve got to have some of those things in place.”
He added: “Not all of the details are worked out as far as seats and things — just the memorandum that we would basically play each other, home and home, in ‘20 and ‘21.”
McGarity said it hasn’t been determined yet which year the game will be played at which site.
“We haven’t figured that out yet,” he said. “We know we’re going to play each other on campus, and we’ll figure all that stuff out in a year, two years. Who knows what the landscape will look like in 2020? But you’ve got to plan that far in advance to do things.”
McGarity said the games will come within “the first two weekends” of each season. “Before SEC play starts,” he said. “You don’t want to play Ohio State in the middle of your SEC season.”
A fuller contract will be drafted later.
McGarity said Georgia also reached out to Michigan, Notre Dame and Penn State about possible games. Michigan and Notre Dame were not interested, he said, and Penn State’s interest was not as strong as Ohio State’s.
McGarity’s scheduling philosophy generally is for Georgia to play seven home games per season, but he allows for an occasional — once a decade or so — exception to play a home-and-home series against a marquee opponent such as an Ohio State.
Georgia has never played the Buckeyes in a regular-season football game. The teams’ only meeting was in the Citrus Bowl in Orlando following the 1992 season. Georgia won that game 21-14.
“I think it will excite people to think of Ohio State between the hedges and for us to go up to Columbus,” McGarity said. “I think it’s something you can look forward to. All those 8-year-olds out there can look forward to playing in the game.”
Coach Mark Richt will look forward to the game, too.
“Yeah, man,” Richt said. “I hope I’m here to go to Columbus.”
Please follow @ajcuga on Twitter for the latest updates on the Bulldogs from Liberty Bowl practices in Memphis.
– Tim Tucker
251 comments Add your comment
D A Double U G
December 28th, 2010
5:36 pm
I am very excited to see how Auburn does without their pay-for QB and dirty DE next year.
Who is suppose to take those snaps at Auburn anyway??? Think he will graduate before Auburn is handed the Death Penalty??
Sleep easy, Auburn fans. Sleep easy.
Ken
December 28th, 2010
5:53 pm
Why make our schedule harder, the SEC schedule is hard enough. You never did this at Florida, they always began with two cup cakes and still make the championship game. Not only this, now we won’t be able to hold anything back in our arsenal for the South Carolina game. This is not even counting possible injuries.
Magnolia, Tx Dawg
December 28th, 2010
5:54 pm
Need to start winning SEC games before venturing out of the conference.
Delbert D.
December 28th, 2010
6:17 pm
Nice to think that McGarity has a 10-year plan. How about a 2-year plan?
D A Double U G
December 28th, 2010
6:21 pm
Will one of you pessimistic Dawg “fans” do me a favor…..
Tell me EXACTLY what you want to hear TODAY to get you over your grinch-like attitude when it comes to the program you “love” so much……..
And do NOT tell me it’s a headline that reads “Mark Richt fired”…. go ask the Vols how that scenario worked out for them……..
GO DAWGS!!!!
Dill Doe
December 28th, 2010
6:24 pm
Just breaking, UGA has signed a “memorandum of understanding” to play the Atlanta Falcons in 2070 and 2071 in a home and home game.
Time For A Change!
December 28th, 2010
6:39 pm
Well if he is around to go to Columbus then that means there are a couple of NC in there somewhere and I’m OK with him going to Columbus when its time. Anything short of that and he will be long gone by then!! Probably back to the ACC where he belongs!! Go DAWGS!!
UGA89
December 28th, 2010
6:43 pm
Ohio State is a traditional national power year in and year out. Let’s face it, U(6-6)GA is a second tier SEC East team that has fallen behind the likes of South Carolina, Arkansas and Mississippi State –on par with Kentucky and a reeling Tennessee program.
Seriously, U(6-6)GA should think twice about this type of scheduling. Now that the program has settled into mediocrity and 4-4 years in the SEC, playing teams like Ohio State will do nothing but lead U(6-6)GA down the road to .500 or sub-.500 seasons. Better stick with LA Lafayette, Tenn Tech and C Michigan.
You know it’s bad in Athens when the fanbase can’t find anything satisfying about the past season except for defeating a 6-7 Tech team. Program has slid backweards tremendously since 2008 –just like I said it would over two years ago.
Poisonous Nut Hater
December 28th, 2010
7:00 pm
I hate them both so now I can hope for the earth to open up and swallow them whole
D A Double U G
December 28th, 2010
7:02 pm
I feel really sorry for a lot of you Dawg “fans” who do not know how to handle a couple down years.
I am personally counting down the days til G-Day, April 16th.
NOTHING in this world is more beautiful than the UGA campus and downtown Athens in April.
Damien
December 28th, 2010
7:19 pm
maybe they can trade jersey and tats, how ironic seeing as how AJ Greens suspension should have been what keyed OSU players into the fact they can’t sell their stuff
Michael Vick kills dogs and our President "admires" him
December 28th, 2010
7:24 pm
Ohio State and Georgia….. two teams who can’t beat Florida!
YEAH C’MON
Can't wait to get my Liberty Bowl Champions T-Shirt at Wal-Mart
December 28th, 2010
7:26 pm
Next year is REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY going to be our year!!!
NoFKNdog
December 28th, 2010
7:32 pm
Does anyone on this blog realize the best trait of any so called dog fan and anything associated with fuga? Yep, you have it. They all SUCK!!
GOD BLESS AMERICA!!
dawgfan
December 28th, 2010
7:33 pm
To all Techies posing as Ohio State and Auburn fans, read it and weep punks:
42-34
9 outta 10
6 bowl losses in a row
6-7 losing season for your loser football program with loser whiny fans.
I’m glad it all hurts so badly. Feel the pain.
That is all. Thanks.
Austin Texas
December 28th, 2010
7:35 pm
Good thing Michigan didn’t accept. They are 8-1 against the SEC….
ryan
December 28th, 2010
7:44 pm
I am surprised Tech fans would even show up this blog after loosing to Air Force when was the last time GT has even won a bowl game Ohio State and UGA sounds good if that happens .
harold
December 28th, 2010
8:03 pm
Before McGarity Tennessee was the only other SEC school playing great out of conference talent. This is great. People never show for wimpy schedules or opponents.
Chris
December 28th, 2010
8:08 pm
First off its 0-9 in bowl games, I do believe in the regular season they have a winning record, so that looks good for OSU and not UGA. Secondly its 10 years away, so who cares, neither coach will probably be around or the AD’s. The players for that game probably don’t even play football yet. And OSU always schedules good non-conference games. Texas, USC, Miami (they were supposed to be), in the future Oklahoma, VT, Tennessee and Cal. Its nice to see the SEC finally scheduling a big name out of conference.
onegadawg
December 28th, 2010
8:12 pm
Did Paul Johnson ever lose to Air Force when he was at Navy? Just curious.
Auburn Rules
December 28th, 2010
8:28 pm
harold, are you on drugs? Before McGarity Tennessee was the only school scheduling great out of league talent’”…
You are an idiot, we played USC, WV( who spanked UGA) FSU, Clemson, , Alabama beat Clemson, and VT,
also played Penn St.
UGA played Colorado, who else?
Give us a break.
Ryan you are just as big of an idiot, we do not need to be Tech Fans to know a loser program like you have at UGA and Tech, but at least at Tech they become UGA graduates bosses.
Dawgfaninmichigan
December 28th, 2010
8:29 pm
Why is Michigan chickening out?
first tier program
December 28th, 2010
8:37 pm
Air Force has a better defense than UGA. GT ran over UGA but not AFA. I guess Air Force has either better personnel or coaching, maybe both.
LOL...
December 28th, 2010
8:52 pm
will anybody reading this blog still be alive then… LOL…
dawgfan
December 28th, 2010
9:25 pm
Auburn Rules, six bowl losses in a row Techie. One win in 10 years vs. UGA Techie.
I’d go in to hiding too if I were you Techie.
C
December 28th, 2010
9:25 pm
Wow, the bulldogs are growing some stones, little ones though, they are only playing a “marquee opponent” once a decade. Since Saban has taken over for Bama, we been playing a marquee team from out of conference every year. We have played FSU, Clemson, Virginia Tech, Penn State. Truthfully, GA will be better off playing the big teams every year instead of being scared of losing all of the time. Playing big games with out of conference schools every year will draw better recruits
NOBODYYOUKNOW
December 28th, 2010
9:43 pm
By that time the dogs will have a whole new staff and of course new ballplayers. They better be much improved. OSU is no pussover.
ryan
December 28th, 2010
9:45 pm
Auburn Rules just seemed to come on here and call people names like a immature child instead of a civilized conversation .
Dawg 1
December 28th, 2010
9:49 pm
Talking trash about about games that are planned 10 years from now?
Nice to see the games added. Awful lot of water will be under the bridge between now and then.
Big D Dawg
December 28th, 2010
9:54 pm
In 2020, I’ll be celebrating 55 years attending UGA football games and 40 years being a season ticket holder.
ryan
December 28th, 2010
10:06 pm
The Ray Drew and LeMay Face Book thing has been interesting today i guess Drew means he does not care if LeMay is a red shirt is what he meant buy i hate red .
James Nichols
December 28th, 2010
10:10 pm
Sounds like a whole lot of people on this blog still resent us up here for the Cival War. Rest assured when the Big O gets to your town to play you, your bulldogs will leave the field looking like Chihuahua’s. Get over the war already
randy
December 28th, 2010
10:19 pm
The buckeyes are giving the bulldog 9 to 10 years to get there sh*t straight. Maybe by then bulldogs won’t be the bottom feeder of the SEC.
Auburn Rules
December 28th, 2010
10:46 pm
Absolutely not a Techie Hiding here.
As for RYAN….I have read your ignorant post all year, the excuses, after the Colorado game you were calling for every coach at UGA to be fired, you said you “were through with the dawgs” and yet you come on here making excuses and following the lead of the others dawg fans who have blinders on to the failings of a pitiful program that is getting pelted week in and week out, and has only 1 national title in 30 years and thinks the conference is built around UGA. Well Ryan YOU LITTLE MORON….UGA is probably the 8th best program in the conference now under your big boy MARK Richt. The program when he took over had stockpiles of talent left by Donnan and he has ruined it with a free run of athletes who have zero moral values. Go ahead and bring up Cam, but Cam is still playing and winning and now playing for the BCS title and the ring to go with it. There is not a coach on the UGA staff that would be hired anywhere else in the SEC but Vanderbilt. A laughing stock of a program. We have had 2 undefeated seasons in 10 years , how many have you guys had?
Auburn Rules
December 28th, 2010
10:48 pm
BIG D DAWG …and 40 years of losing and 1 national title in all those years….LMAO
WDE
Auburn Rules
December 28th, 2010
10:49 pm
JAMES NICHOLS…
How many TATS did you get for free? And I GUESS the signed jerseys were worth the money you paid your Boys.
Auburn Rules
December 28th, 2010
10:51 pm
McGarity and those big ears looks like Kurt and Kyle Bush’s long lost DADDY! I bet he gets great reception with those things.
Auburn Rules
December 28th, 2010
10:53 pm
Your Liberty Bowl Champions T-Shirts are not being sold at Walmart,
They are being sold at Dollar General and handed out as prizes in CRACKER JACK Boxes.
ryan
December 28th, 2010
10:55 pm
Ok yes i have been frustrated with UGA program the past couple years but things go in cycles Auburn has been very good i admit that but Auburn rules there is no need for name calling you better enjoy Newton one game because he is NFL bound like AJ is .
Auburn Rules
December 28th, 2010
10:55 pm
The SEC is 10 x > Big Ten>Big 12> PAC 10>ACC>Big East…
When you are in the SEC everyone else wants to be YOU!
Norm's Panties in a KNOT
December 28th, 2010
11:54 pm
WEEEE WHO it is the convict bowl.
Norm's Panties in a KNOT
December 28th, 2010
11:55 pm
AUBURN Rules who wants to be U? The Bad students of Ga. that can’t get in a Ga school on HOPE?
yo mama
December 29th, 2010
12:14 am
GT coach paul johnson sucks, has no concept of offense, and cant recruit bigtime players on offense. has anyone noticed their steady decline since he came there. he sucks! tech sucks, cant be a powerhouse if you cant win in your state. georgia st will pass gt in less than 6 yrs. book it, and i am a panther baby!
al.com
December 29th, 2010
12:26 am
10 years give me a break!
al.com
December 29th, 2010
12:27 am
I bet the game will be canceled . About half of them are.
chickenman
December 29th, 2010
12:54 am
by then uga should have 2 titles. AARON MURRAYYY for the win
Mr. Tony Geinzer
December 29th, 2010
1:46 am
I really think these North-South or East-West Games do a lot of good for College Football, and maybe, let’s get Georgia in the Rose Bowl versus UCLA.
Oak Island
December 29th, 2010
4:34 am
Coach Richt, the real Columbus is in Georgia and I wish you and your staff would spend more time there recruiting and you don’t have to wait 10 years..
Stinger2
December 29th, 2010
5:08 am
Suggestion: UGA should go ahead and sign a contract with GSU to immediately become their in state rival replacing GT. I am sure the 9-1 disparity vs GT has become so boring to the Bulldog Nation that most of you would like a change in order to brag about always beating a different team. Obviously. you would still “run this state”.
Larry
December 29th, 2010
6:13 am
Maybe the Dogs will learn how to tackle in 10 years !!!