Georgia and Clemson have been open about the possibility of renewing their rivalry in the not-too-distant future, and now it's going to happen. The programs will open the 2024 season on Aug. 31 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
This would be a titanic, game-of-the-year type clash had it happened in 2018, and chances are good it'll still be that way in 2024. (For the record, Kirby Smart will be 48 in 2024. Dabo Swinney will be 54.)
Athens and Clemson are just 75-ish miles from each other, and both schools are an easy drive to Atlanta, in what will surely be one of the biggest games in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff's history.
Smart has placed Atlanta at the highest priority in his scheduling philosophy, at once copying a page from Nick Saban's book while at the same time blocking Saban and Alabama out of the most important recruiting hub in the SEC. Georgia opened 2016, Smart's first season, in Atlanta against North Carolina, and the Bulldogs are set to return to Atlanta in 2020 (vs. Virginia) and 2022 (vs. Oregon).
Future Chick-fil-A Kickoff Matchups
2018: Auburn vs. Washington
2019: Alabama vs. Duke
2020: Florida State vs. West Virginia (Saturday), Georgia vs. Virginia (Monday)
2021: Alabama vs. Miami, Louisville vs. Ole Miss
2022: Georgia vs. Oregon
2023: TBD
2024: Georgia vs. Clemson
Georgia and Clemson have met 64 times in their history in a rivalry that dates back to 1897. The two met on a more-or-less annual basis from 1962 to the early 1990's, but have played only twice since 2003.
The Bulldogs and Tigers played a home-and-home in 2013-14. No. 8 Clemson knocked off No. 5 Georgia in Clemson to open the 2013 season, a milestone win in the rise of Clemson football under Swinney.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfUo2LlGe20
No. 12 Georgia returned the favor with a 45-21 blowout of No. 16 Clemson to open the 2014 season as Deshaun Watson made his Tigers debut.
Georgia owns a 42-18-4 all-time edge in the series.