Georgia-Clemson game among ‘most impactful,’ nothing new to busy Bulldogs

ATHENS — Big games are synonymous when it comes to SEC football, and that’s certainly no different when it comes to the Georgia Bulldogs.

UGA played at Alabama in Tuscaloosa last season in a key showdown that played a role in national standings and perceptions.

The year before, Bulldogs’ fans were treated to a rare marquee game in Sanford Stadium when Notre Dame played the second half of a home-and-home that originated in South Bend in 2017.

Georgia, in fact, has league rivalries at each turn, from Florida, to Tennessee, Auburn and even South Carolina consider the Bulldogs its top in-conference rival.

The level of competition in the SEC is such that there are questions as to whether the four best teams are making the playoffs, or the four best-looking teams.

Teams like Clemson, Ohio State and Oklahoma do not face the depth of competition that exists in the SEC.

NFL draft numbers reflect more talent drafted out of the SEC than any other conference the past 15 years, including record-breaking numbers in the 2021 NFL Draft.

The SEC’s prominence in the recent national championship game is unrivaled by any other league.

Seven different SEC teams (from three different schools) have appeared in the last 7 College Football Playoff Championship Games, compared with four from the ACC (Clemson), two from the Big Ten (Ohio State) and one from the Pac-12 (Oregon).

Going back deeper into the BCS era (1998-2013), the SEC has had 16 teams appear in the last 15 championship games.

It’s worth noting the Big 12 — regarded as a Power Five conference — has not had a team advanced to the national championship game since Texas, in 2009.

With that background in mind, it’s not surprising to see SEC teams scattered widely across the “Top 15 Most Impactful Games On CFP Race.

Georgia is involved in three of them, including its season-opening game at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 4 against Clemson in Charlotte, N.C.

The Bulldogs’ renewed rivalry showdown with the Tigers is ranked No. 2 on the most impactful games list.

The Bulldogs’ Week 9 date on the road in Jacksonville against Florida is ranked as the No. 3 most impactful game, while Georgia’s road trip to Auburn in Week 6 is ranked No. 12 on the list.

Other SEC teams involved in the most impactful games, per ESPN:

• Alabama-Texas A&M, Week 6

• Alabama-Florida, Week 3

• Alabama-Miami, Week 1