Clemson HC Dabo Swinney Blames New College Football Rules That Forced To Cancel Georgia Series

Dabo Swinney understands why college football is moving toward more conference games. He just does not like what it is costing the sport. Clemson and Georgia have mutually agreed to cancel four previously scheduled home-and-home meetings between 2029 and 2033, removing a highly anticipated series from the future schedules of two historic programs. 

The Clemson coach’s frustration comes as both the ACC and SEC prepare for major changes to their conference schedules.

“I hate it. I just think it’s great for fans, but I get it,” Swinney said, per The Post and Courier’s Jackson Castellano on X. “How many people play 11 power-four games? We’ve been playing 10 forever around here, but going to nine conference games. … I wish it was less. I wish everybody played seven conference games, and then you had more crossover games all throughout college football.”

The SEC is moving to a nine-game conference schedule, while the ACC is also adopting a nine-plus-one model beginning in 2027, with Clemson becoming the lone team to play eight conference games that season while facing two quality nonconference opponents.

That leaves programs with fewer openings for games against teams from other major conferences.

Clemson and Georgia originally agreed to the four-game series, with the contract finalized across 2018 and 2019. The teams were scheduled to meet in Clemson on Sept. 15, 2029, before Clemson traveled to Athens on Aug. 31, 2030. They were then scheduled to meet again in Athens on Sept. 4, 2032, followed by another game at Clemson on Sept. 3, 2033. Those games are now off the books.

A document signed by Georgia athletic director Josh Brooks and Clemson athletic director Graham Neff in March confirmed that the schools had “mutually agreed to terminate” the contracts and their associated payment requirements.

The change is also part of a much larger scheduling problem for programs trying to balance conference obligations with traditional rivalries and high-profile nonconference games.

Georgia has already dealt with similar issues as it previously canceled future home-and-home series with Louisville and NC State after the SEC’s move to nine conference games. 

The Bulldogs have explored the possibility of replacing some of those campus games with neutral-site games. Brooks has also left the door open for Clemson and Georgia to meet at a neutral venue.

“Possibly,” Brooks said in May when asked about the future of the series. “Everything’s on the table right now with that.”

Neff, however, indicated in June that he did not expect a neutral-site game with Georgia to happen at the time. He also emphasized Clemson’s preference for playing major games on its own campus. The rivalry between Georgia and Clemson is 129 years old, and since then, they have battled 66 times (44-18-4).

However, the last time they played a series was in 2013 and 2014. Regardless, neutral-site games were on, like Georgia’s wins in Charlotte back in 2021 and in Atlanta in 2024.

Clemson is already making changes to fit the new schedule. The Tigers moved their 2027 game against Georgia State from Nov. 6 to Aug. 28, which will be the earliest they have ever opened a season. Wofford and Notre Dame are also on the schedule, along with the usual game against South Carolina.

That is the problem Swinney is looking at. There are only so many spots on the schedule, and adding another conference game means something else has to go. This time, it was Clemson’s series with Georgia.

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