Why Did Georgia Play 13 Games?
The 2019 Georgia Bulldogs football team played 13 games during their college football season; however, this was much higher than the average of 12 games played by most teams. So why did the team partake in this unusual number of games?
1. Scheduling
Scheduling was one of the primary reasons why the Georgia Bulldogs played 13 games. The team finished out the regular season with the SEC Championship game against LSU. The win secured the Bulldogs a place in the College Football Playoffs (CFP) semi-final game against Oklahoma. It was the first time since 2002 that the Bulldogs made it to CFP.
2. Close Rivalry
The close rivalry between Georgia and Auburn was another big factor when it came to scheduling this unusual number of games. The Georgia-Auburn rivalry dates back to 1892 and is one of the oldest rivalries in college football. Both teams had a long history of playing each other, and the anticipation of their annual games had fans on the edge of their seats. Therefore, when the two teams faced off at the SEC Championship game, the Bulldogs felt compelled to make it the 13th game of the season.
3. Increased Media Attention
When it was announced that the Georgia Bulldogs would be playing 13 games in 2019, it generated a great deal of media attention not just in college football, but in sports as a whole. Thus, playing 13 games proved to be a great opportunity for the team to increase its media exposure.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the 2019 Georgia Bulldogs football team played 13 games instead of 12 due to a number of factors, including scheduling, their rivalry with the Auburn Tigers, and the increased media attention that playing 13 games brought. It paid off, as the team ended up making it to the College Football Playoffs for the first time since 2002.
