Clemson-Georgia Series Off, and Swinney Wishes It Wasn't
The short version
- Clemson and Georgia mutually canceled a four-game series set for 2029-2032, two games at each campus.
- The cancellation happened in March and became public via an open records request.
- Swinney said he hates losing the series but understands the scheduling math.
- The SEC and ACC have both moved to nine-game conference schedules.
- Indiana and Notre Dame also recently canceled a future series.
The Tigers coach said he understands the March cancellation of the four-game series but laments losing a marquee non-conference matchup.
Clemson and Georgia will no longer meet in the four-game series that was scheduled to run from 2029 through 2032, with two contests planned on each campus. The schools mutually canceled the arrangement in March, and the news surfaced this week through an open records request by the Athens Banner-Herald.
Tigers coach Dabo Swinney said he accepts the reasoning behind the decision, even if he dislikes the outcome. "I hate it," Swinney said, adding that few programs will take on 11 games against power-conference opponents and that he would prefer leagues play seven conference games to allow more non-league matchups across the sport.
The cancellation comes as conference schedules grow. The SEC is in its first season with a nine-game league slate, and the ACC has also moved toward nine conference games, though with 19 members someone must play a rematch under that format. Clemson is playing eight league games this season, and the ACC announced the Tigers are the only team that will do so in 2027.
Even without Georgia, Clemson retains a strong non-conference profile. The Tigers face Notre Dame and rival South Carolina annually, and in 2029 those matchups plus a ninth conference game give them 11 power-conference opponents.
The shift to standardized nine-game conference schedules may explain other recent cancellations of high-profile non-conference series, including Indiana and Notre Dame calling off a future matchup.
