Remembering Every Time Georgia Has Hosted ESPN's 'College GameDay'

When Georgia takes the field against Clemson on August 31, it will be national affair because ESPN’s College GameDay will be at the Clemson campus to get the college football nation ready for that game and the rest of the college football season.

This is not the first time the Bulldogs have been part of College GameDay, and if the Bulldogs win against the Tigers, College GameDay could make their way to Athens next week for the game against South Carolina.

It’s a rare occasion for College GameDay to come to Athens, as they have only been there twice since the show started hosting broadcasts at college campuses in 1993. But as it was mentioned, Georgia has been involved in College GameDay for events such as the Georgia-Florida game and the SEC Championship game.

Here’s a look back at the time Georgia has been a part of ESPN's College GameDay.

October 10, 1998 vs. Tennessee

The first time ESPN’s College GameDay was in Athens was in 1998 as Georgia faced Tennessee.

The Bulldogs, who came into the game ranked No. 7, were coming off a huge win against LSU and were looking to knock off the No. 5 Vols.

Everyone in Athens was in a buzz and Bill Goldberg, a former UGA standout player and WCW Champion at the time, made an appearance to get the fans pumped up.

But once the game started, the Bulldogs were physically dominated by the Vols and ended up losing 22-3.

The Bulldogs ended the season with a 9-3 record and won the Chick-fil-A Bowl. Tennessee went on to go undefeated and win the national title.

September 27, 2008 vs. Alabama

College GameDay made its way back to Athens for the second time in 2008, and this time, the Bulldogs were facing Alabama.

This was another emotional game because the Bulldogs announced to the fans that there would be another blackout, just like the Auburn game in 2007.

That would be the only highlight for the Bulldogs because the Crimson Tide would take care of the Bulldogs 41-30.

The Bulldogs went on to compile a 10-3 record and defeat Michigan State in the Capital One Bowl.

Alabama would finish with a 12-2 mark. Their two loses would come against Florida in the SEC title game and Utah in the Sugar Bowl.

Hanging out in Jacksonville

There have been a few times where College GameDay made their way to Jacksonville, Florida for the annual Georgia-Florida contest.

The first time College GameDay was in Jacksonville was in 1999 and the Bulldogs lost to the Gators 30-14.

The second time was in 2002 and the Bulldogs lost 20-13. That game would ultimately cost the Bulldogs a shot at the national title.

The third time was in 2005 and it was another loss for the Bulldogs, 14-10. It was a game where the Bulldogs did not have quarterback D.J. Shockley and it was also the first loss for the Bulldogs that season.

It’s safe to say that when ESPN comes to Jacksonville, the Bulldogs tend to not play their best football.

Home at the Dome

The Georgia Dome is always a hotbed in December because that is the home of the SEC Championship game.

College GameDay has been there three of the five times when the Bulldogs were there, and it has not been a pretty outcome.

In 2003, College GameDay was there for Georgia and LSU and the Tigers blew past the Bulldogs 34-13.

It was the same result back in 2011 when the Bulldogs faced the Tigers again for the SEC title. Kirk Herbstreit and company got to witness the Bulldogs get run over by the Tigers 42-10.

College GameDay was back for the SEC title last year featuring the Bulldogs and Alabama. The Bulldogs lost 32-28, but ESPN and the rest of the country got to witness one of the best college games in recent memory.

Final Analysis

So it’s clear that Georgia and ESPN’s College GameDay don’t mix.

The Bulldogs are 0-2 when College GameDay is in Athens. The Bulldogs are 0-3 when College GameDay is at Jacksonville. And the Bulldogs are 0-3 when College GameDay is at the Georgia Dome for the SEC Championship.

But that doesn't mean the Bulldogs always lose when College GameDay is involved with one of their games. The Bulldogs were able to win in 2002 at Alabama, 2004 at South Carolina and the beat the Crimson Tide again at Tuscaloosa in 2007.

So with the game on August 31 at Clemson, the Bulldogs have a shot of winning. But they can’t let the propaganda get to them like it has in the past.