The SEC is not known for playing the most difficult nonconference schedules. Georgia usually plays a respectable nonconference slate, but it does not pack the same punch when the Bulldogs play ACC cellar dweller Georgia Tech as it once used to.
CBS Sports recently ranked the SEC strength of schedules for all 14 teams in the league and Georgia checked in at No. 11 on the list.
In our rankings of the most navigable SEC schedules we ranked Georgia’s 2022 slate as the easiest in the league, with its hardest games coming against Oregon (Atlanta), Auburn, Florida (Jacksonville), and Tennessee.
Via Barrett Sallee of CBS Sports:
The Bulldogs will have a relatively easy path back to national contention as long as they can overcome Oregon in Atlanta in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in the opener. They get rival Auburn at home, Florida after the traditional bye week and draw Mississippi State on the road as their rotating SEC West opponent. Rival Georgia Tech is in chaos, which should make rivalry weekend a breeze for coach Kirby Smart as well. You have to dig really deep to find the one problem, which is the fact that the neutral-site game vs. Florida will count as one of Georgia’s home games. That gives them a disproportionate amount of true conference road games.
Conference schedules are set years in advance. Programs have more control over their nonconference schedules, so it is interesting to see which ones aren’t afraid to schedule strong opponents. Last year, Texas-Arkansas, Miami-Alabama, Clemson-Georgia, Pittsburgh-Tennessee, and Penn State-Auburn were among the conference’s most intriguing nonconference games.
In 2022, there are several interesting matchups, including Alabama-Texas, Georgia-Oregon, Texas A&M-Miami, Florida-Utah, and Auburn-Penn State.
Georgia should be double digits favorites in every game it plays this season. Oregon is a solid season opener, but the Ducks have a lot of question marks to figure out. The Bulldogs always beat Auburn, and Florida should not be too much to handle.
