Oh Atlanta

Later this month on December 30th, Georgia will be playing against Virginia Tech in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl. We all know that and we all know the game will be played in Atlanta. The Dawgs are no stranger to football in Atlanta. Their 2nd game ever was played in Atlanta and in 2005 they played 3 straight games there. Here are some other games that Georgia has played in Atlanta that you may not know.

Obviously the team that Georgia has faced the most in Atlanta has been Georgia Tech. What you might not know is that the two teams played in Athens the first 4 meetings. The first meeting in Atlanta happened in 1900 and Georgia won 12-0. The Dawgs hold a 29-24-4 record in Atlanta.

Here is a great stat I looked up. Georgia has not lost to Georgia Tech in back-to-back trips to Atlanta since 1961 and 1963.

Auburn is probably the next team you think of when you think Georgia vs somebody in Atlanta. Yes, the Dawgs 2nd game ever was against Auburn in 1892 at Piedmont Park. The Dawgs lost that game, but won in 1894, the next game between the two. The first 10 meetings were played in Atlanta. They played a few more times and when it was said and done the Tigers hold a 4-5-3 advantage. All 3 ties were by the score of 0-0.

You know if Auburn does something, the University of Alabama has to do it, too. Georgia holds the advantage 3-2 against the Tide in Atlanta. The last matchup coming in 1942. The next game after that Georgia defeated Florida 75-0. Maybe instead of an off-week, Georgia should play Bama in Atlanta the week before. Maybe that's the key.

The state west of Alabama is Mississippi. In 1955, the Dawgs lost to Ole Miss, but then defeated Mississippi State twice in 1959 and 1961. That's 0-1 and 2-0 .

Here is one that surprised me. Georgia played Vanderbilt in Atlanta. In 1898 Georgia won, but in 1912 Georgia lost. The score in 1898 was 4-0... explain that one? 1-1

Here are two that are not surprising. LSU twice... both in the SEC Championship... one good, one bad 1-1 and Arkansas in the 2002 SEC Championship. Georgia won that one pretty easily 1-0 . A strange fact is that the Dawgs and the Hogs have faced 11 times in 7 different cities.

Georgia played former SEC team Sewanee 4 times in Atlanta, but neither was part of the SEC back then. The Dawgs won the first time 22-0 in 1895, but then lost the other 3. 1-3 .

Some other strange ones are Oglethorpe. 2-0 in those two meetings. Also Georgia defeated Virginia Military Institute in their one meeting 1-0 .
Some big opponents include Texas... yes Texas, back in 1957, the two teams played in Atlanta and the Longhorns won... luckily I have never heard a Texas fan ask me what time is it in Atlanta?.. 0-1

Another big school is North Carolina. Georgia faced them 6 times in Atlanta including twice in 1895. What is up with that? Anyway the Heels lead the series in Atlanta 1-5.

The other schools that Georgia faced in Atlanta were all tied to bowl games.

A win against Maryland in the 1973 Peach Bowl. 1-0

A loss against Syracuse in the 1989 Peach Bowl. 0-1

And the two Peach Bowls that Georgia faced Virginia in the 1990's. The two split the series, but the Dawgs also faced the Cavs in Atlanta in 1897 and 1913 and lost them both. 1-3

And then there was last season, where the Dawgs lost to West Virginia in the Sugar Bowl which of course was played in Atlanta. 0-1 Now, the Mountaineers get to play in another bowl, this time against Georgia Tech, a team that plays there home game in Atlanta.

Added together I got a 49-48-7 record for the Bulldogs. Now you know why the upcoming Chick-Fil-A Bowl is a very big game. Georgia has to keep their record above .500 in a city mere 70 miles away.