Georgia drops Louisville, NC State series as SEC prepares 2026 schedule
Georgia live mascot UGA XI, also known as Boom during the second half of SEC Championship college football game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday December 6, 2025 at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. (Photo
ATHENS, Ga. - Georgia confirmed Wednesday that it has canceled future football home and home series with Louisville and N.C. State as the Southeastern Conference prepares to unveil its 2026 schedule. The announcement aligns Georgia with SEC and ACC plans to play nine league games beginning in 2026, a shift FOX Sports reports is prompting widespread scheduling changes.
What we know:
Georgia said Louisville agreed to cancel the series that was set to begin in 2026. The Bulldogs also said N.C. State agreed to cancel its home and home series for the 2033 and 2034 seasons. According to Georgia, the teams "will look to play each other in a neutral site game on a later date."
Louisville athletic director Josh Heird said Georgia informed the Cardinals of its need to withdraw from the 2026 meeting. Without a mutual agreement, Heird said Georgia would have owed Louisville a one million dollar penalty and Louisville could have required the Bulldogs to host the return game in 2027 or pay another buyout.
What they're saying:
"Recent changes to our home and home series with Georgia are another example of the scheduling adjustments that come with today’s evolving college football landscape," Heird said.
Heird said Louisville also faced buying out another non-conference opponent because of the ACC’s expanded schedule. As a result, the schools will attempt to secure a neutral site game in the early 2030s. "This approach preserves a high-profile game for our fans, avoids unnecessary financial impact for both universities, and positions us well as the postseason landscape continues to evolve," Heird said.
"Jeff Brohm has never shied away from playing a challenging non-conference schedule and is always willing to face anyone in the country," Heird said.
What's next:
Louisville later announced it will open the 2026 season against Mississippi on either Sept. 5 or 6 in Nashville at Nissan Stadium. Ole Miss beat Louisville in 2021 in Atlanta in the programs’ only other meeting.
FOX Sports first reported that Georgia canceled the two series ahead of Thursday’s release of the SEC’s 2026 schedule.
The Source: The details in this article come from the University of Georgia. FOX Sports and the Associated Press contributed to this report.