A Look Back: Dogs Vs. Division I-AA

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The Bulldogs will host the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles this Saturday at Sanford Stadium--the 11th time Georgia has played a Division I-AA or, as it is now considered, FCS foe.

In 1978, the NCAA divided Division I college football teams into subclassifications: I-A, I-AA, and I-AAA. The differences between the subdivisions are based on a number of things, primarily the "sponsorship" and the number of scholarships allotted for each individual football program. Two years ago, Divisions I-A and I-AA were respectively renamed the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).

Leading up to the reclassification more than 30 years ago, the Bulldogs had just played future I-AA opponents--Richmond in 1977 and VMI in 1978; however, these schools, like Georgia, were still considered undividedly "Division I" teams. The Dogs would not face their first I-AA opponent until 1986. More than two decades later, Georgiahas faced a full slate of FCS opposition with, as one would expect, tremendous success:

1986: Richmond, Won 28-13
1988: William & Mary, Won 59-24
1991: Western Carolina, Won 48-0
1992: Georgia Southern, Won 34-7
2000: Georgia Southern, Won 29-7
2002: Northwestern State, Won 45-7
2004: Georgia Southern, Won 48-28
2006: Western Kentucky, Won 48-12
2007: Western Carolina, Won 45-16
2008: Georgia Southern, Won 45-21

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