History of Georgia Bulldogs football in Timeline

The Georgia Bulldogs football program represents the University of Georgia in American football. Competing in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the NCAA and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC), the Bulldogs play their home games at the historic Sanford Stadium located on the university's campus in Athens, Georgia.

November 28, 1901: First mention of 'Bulldogs'

The first mention of 'Bulldogs' in association with Georgia athletics occurred on November 28, 1901, at the Georgia-Auburn football game played in Atlanta.

1904: Disputed game against Florida

In 1904, Georgia played against one of the predecessor institutions of the modern University of Florida. This game is included in Georgia's records but not in Florida's, leading to a dispute.

November 3, 1920: Nickname 'Bulldog' proposed

On November 3, 1920, Morgan Blake of the Atlanta Journal wrote a story about school nicknames and proposed the nickname 'Bulldog' for the University of Georgia athletic teams.

1920: Nickname 'Bulldogs' used in news story

After a 0–0 tie with Virginia in Charlottesville on November 6, 1920, Atlanta Constitution writer Cliff Wheatley used the name 'Bulldogs' in his story five times, establishing the nickname.

1920: Georgia co-champion in SIAA

In 1920, Georgia was named the co-champion of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA), highlighting their success in the conference before leaving the following year.

1921: Georgia leaves SIAA

In 1921, Georgia, along with 12 other teams, left the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) and formed the Southern Conference. This marked the end of Georgia's participation in the SIAA since its establishment in 1895.

1932: Georgia joins SEC

In 1932, the Georgia Bulldogs left the Southern Conference to form and join the Southeastern Conference (SEC), where Georgia has since won 14 SEC football championships.

1933: Georgia-Florida Rivalry

Since 1933, the Georgia-Florida rivalry has been played annually (with two exceptions) at the neutral site of Jacksonville, Florida. The event is known nationwide for its tailgating and pageantry.

1939: Introduction of 'silver britches'

Wally Butts first introduced the 'silver britches' in 1939. The uniform was later changed back to silver pants prior to the 1980 season.

1942: Georgia wins national championship

In 1942, Georgia claimed a national championship, marking one of the four national titles in the program's history.

1943: Rivalry game against Georgia Tech not counted

In 1943, Georgia played against Georgia Tech, but does not include this game in their series record due to Georgia's players being in World War II, while Georgia Tech's players were not.

1944: Annual games against Alabama

From 1944 to 1965, Georgia played each season against the Alabama Crimson Tide. This rivalry was revived with matchups in SEC Championship Games and College Football Playoff National Championships since 2010.

1944: Rivalry game against Georgia Tech not counted

In 1944, Georgia again played Georgia Tech and does not count this game in their series record for the same reasons as the previous year.

1961: Introduction of red block 'G' logo

In 1961, Georgia's earliest helmet, which was grey leather, was updated to include a red block 'G' logo. This marked a significant change in the team's uniform history.

1961: Approval of 'G' logo design

In 1961, the Green Bay Packers' 'G' logo, which Georgia's design closely resembles, was approved for use by the Packers. This allowed Georgia to use a similar logo on their helmets starting in 1964.

1962: Georgia-Clemson Rivalry

In 1962, Georgia and Clemson began playing annually, a tradition that continued until 1987. The rivalry is one of the oldest, dating to 1897.

1964: Introduction of oval 'G' on helmet

Vince Dooley introduced the oval 'G' onto the helmet in 1964 as part of uniform changes that included a red helmet and white pants. Anne Donaldson designed the new helmet logo, which was approved by the Green Bay Packers due to its similarity to their 'G' logo.

1965: End of annual games against Alabama

The regular annual games between Georgia and Alabama ended in 1965, although the rivalry would later be revived in major championship games.

1980: Georgia wins national championship

In 1980, Georgia claimed a national championship from the major wire-service: AP Poll and/or Coaches' Poll. This marked one of the four national championships in Georgia Bulldogs football history.

1980: Return of 'silver britches' in uniform

Prior to the 1980 season, Georgia reintroduced the 'silver britches' to their uniform, featuring a red-white-black stripe down the side. This uniform concept has remained since.

1980: Return of the 'silver britches'

Prior to the 1980 season, Georgia's uniform was changed back to include silver pants, a tradition that has continued since.

1980: Georgia's home uniform consistency

Since 1980, Georgia's standard home uniform has remained largely unchanged, featuring a red helmet with the trademarked oval 'G', red jerseys, and famous silver britches.

1987: Georgia-Clemson Rivalry

The last annual game in the Georgia-Clemson series took place in 1987, ending a continuous stretch of games that started in 1962.

1992: SEC Eastern Division

From 1992 to 2023, Georgia played in the East Division of the SEC, playing each opponent in the division annually along with several teams from the West Division.

1992: Georgia co-champion of SEC Eastern Division

In 1992, Georgia was the co-champion of the SEC Eastern Division but lost a tiebreaker for the right to appear in the championship game.

1992: Emerging rivalries in SEC Eastern Division

Since the formation of the SEC Eastern Division in 1992, Georgia has developed emerging rivalries with the Tennessee Volunteers and South Carolina Gamecocks.

1992: Georgia-Tennessee Rivalry

The annual rivalry between Georgia and Tennessee began in 1992 with the creation of the SEC Eastern Division. This rivalry plays an important role in deciding the division champion.

1992: Georgia-South Carolina Rivalry

The border rivalry between Georgia and South Carolina gained importance in 1992 when South Carolina joined the SEC. Georgia leads the series with a record of 55–19–2 through the 2023 season.

2000: Georgia-Georgia Tech Rivalry

Since 2000, Georgia has dominated the series against Georgia Tech, winning 18 out of 21 matchups. This has lessened the importance of what was once Georgia's most important and fierce rivalry.

2004: Introduction of matte gray pants

Since 2004, Georgia has used matte gray pants instead of 'true' silver at times, mainly due to the lighter material of the matte gray pants.

2005: Jersey redesign with solid cuffs

In 2005, Georgia's home jersey was redesigned to feature solid black cuffs, while the away jersey received solid red cuffs. This marked the most recent redesign of the trim.

2006: Georgia-South Carolina Rivalry

The rivalry between Georgia and South Carolina intensified when Steve Spurrier, former Florida coach, started coaching the Gamecocks in 2006.

2007: Georgia co-champion of SEC Eastern Division

In 2007, Georgia again became the co-champion of the SEC Eastern Division but lost another tiebreaker for the right to appear in the championship game.

2010: Rivalry with Alabama revived

Since 2010, Georgia and Alabama have faced off in three SEC Championship Games and two College Football Playoff National Championships, reviving their once dormant rivalry.

2014: Deep South's Oldest Rivalry

The 2014 matchup between Georgia and Auburn marked a historic tie in their series, which dates back to 1892. Known as the 'Deep South's Oldest Rivalry,' this contest is the oldest rivalry still contested between teams in the South.

2015: Georgia-South Carolina Rivalry

Steve Spurrier's tenure as the coach of the South Carolina Gamecocks ended in 2015, adding another chapter to the rivalry with Georgia.

2018: Georgia appears in College Football Playoff National Championship

In 2018, Georgia appeared in the College Football Playoff National Championship, demonstrating their competitive prowess on a national stage.

2019: Georgia All-America Selections

By the 2019 season, 84 players from the Georgia Bulldogs had been selected to the All-America team.

2021: Georgia wins consensus national championship

In 2021, Georgia received consensus national champion recognition from selectors including AP, FWAA/NFF, and USAT/AMWAY (Coaches).

2021: Georgia-Clemson Rivalry

Through the 2021 season, Georgia leads the series against Clemson with a record of 43–18–4. The rivalry has been historically significant, especially in the early 1980s when both teams were highly ranked and won national titles.

2022: Georgia wins back-to-back national championships

Georgia clinched their third national championship from the AP Poll and/or Coaches' Poll in 2022, marking back-to-back titles following their 2021 victory.

June 14, 2023: SEC Conference Expansion

On June 14, 2023, it was announced that the SEC will expand the conference to 16 teams and will eliminate its two divisions starting in 2024, resulting in a new scheduling format for Georgia.

2023: Georgia-Alabama Rivalry

As of the 2023 season, Alabama leads the series against Georgia with a record of 43–26–4. The rivalry dates back to 1895.

2023: Deep South's Oldest Rivalry

By the 2023 season, Georgia led the series against Auburn with a record of 64–56–8. Georgia had won 16 out of the last 19 matchups, including the last seven games in a row.

2023: Georgia makes SEC Championship Game appearance

In 2023, Georgia made their 11th appearance in the SEC Championship Game. The Bulldogs have a record of 4–7 in these games.

2023: Georgia appears in College Football Playoff National Championship

In 2023, Georgia once again appeared in the College Football Playoff National Championship, showcasing their continued dominance in college football.

2023: Georgia All-America Selections

Through the 2023 season, Georgia had 41 consensus selections to the All-America team, of which 16 were unanimous.

April 13, 2024: Announced Schedules

The announced schedules for Georgia Bulldogs football as of April 13, 2024.

2024: Georgia-Clemson Rivalry

The Georgia-Clemson rivalry is set to be renewed with a matchup scheduled in 2024. The rivalry, which dates back to 1897, is renewed on an intermittent basis.