Georgia has a history of excellence in the Kirby Smart era. Smart’s team hasn’t lost more than three college football games in a season since 2016. However, every run of dominance eventually runs out of juice. Will 2026 be that year?
Here’s a look at the schedule, starting with the biggest opponents and toughest matchups for Gunner Stockton and Smart.
Top 3 Biggest Opponents On Georgia’s Schedule
The first game of the season is always one of the biggest games. It sets the tone for the season, and a loss can take a month to erase. The Bulldogs shouldn’t have much trouble with Tennessee State, but even a semi-close game could raise anxiety heading into the rest of the season.
If the Bulldogs implode at any point, fingers could point back to this game as the first hint that something was broken.
The Vanderbilt Commodores are coming off a season in which the team produced the runner-up Heisman trophy winner, Diego Pavia. The Oct. 3 matchup will have plenty of eyes on it, and expect the Commodores to put the team’s best foot forward in an attempt to remind fans that programs make players.
The Georgia Bulldogs struggled against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in 2025, winning a slugfest 16-9. Gunner Stockton will have every reason to view the game as a measuring stick of his progress. If he struggles against the team again, it could undercut his draft stock and leave a sickening feeling for fans heading into the playoffs.
3 Games Where Kirby Smart’s Squad Will Fall Short
Georgia’s season came to an end against the Ole Miss Rebels in the Sugar Bowl last season. Unless Kirby Smart comes up with a winning game plan, all signs point to a similar result on Nov .7. The contest will take place in Trinidad Chambliss’ building, so things will be that much more difficult for the Bulldogs.
Georgia lost to the Alabama Crimson Tide in 2025 by a score of 21-24 when the two teams duked it out on Sept. 27. Ty Simpson is gone, but he wasn’t on the map heading into the 2025 season either. Smart could be blindsided once again if he’s not careful.
If the Bulldogs coast to a 3-0 start, the Oklahoma Sooners could be a sneaky difficult game if Smart lets his foot off the gas. The Sooners earned double-digit wins in two of the last three seasons, so don’t expect Oklahoma to roll over even if it has already lost at least one game heading into the contest.
Overview
The Bulldogs are in great shape for another breakout season. Gunner Stockton took a big step forward in 2025, and 2026 will be his chance to make an NFL case. As such, almost like an NFL player in a contract year, expect Stockton to pull out every stop. Georgia might be able to make a run at the national championship in 2026.
Here’s a look at the regular season road to get there, courtesy of ESPN.
| Date | Opponent | Time (EST) |
| Sat, Sept 5 | vs Tennessee State | 3:00 PM |
| Sat, Sept 12 | vs Western Kentucky | 12:45:00 PM |
| Sat, Sept 19 | @ Arkansas | 12:00 PM |
| Sat, Sept 26 | vs Oklahoma | TBD |
| Sat, Oct 3 | vs Vanderbilt | TBD |
| Sat, Oct 10 | @ Alabama | TBD |
| Sat, Oct 17 | vs Auburn | TBD |
| Sat, Oct 31 | vs Florida * | 3:30 PM |
| Sat, Nov 7 | @ Ole Miss | TBD |
| Sat, Nov 14 | vs Missouri | TBD |
| Sat, Nov 21 | @ South Carolina | TBD |
| Sat, Nov 28 | vs Georgia Tech | TBD |
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