Clemson and Georgia will meet in Charlotte, N.C., to open their 2021 seasons, the schools announced Tuesday.
Even at this stage, it’s easy to see the matchup being a key battle in that season’s playoff chase. Clemson played for the national championship in four of the past five seasons — winning two — while Georgia reached the title game in the 2017 season and has won the SEC East for three consecutive seasons.
“This is another great opportunity to schedule a national nonconference game with a top level opponent,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said in a news release.
“Playing a regular season game in Charlotte will give our fans the opportunity for a completely new experience in a great city and top level stadium. I know our coaches and players will be excited for the challenge to kick off the season in this kind of environment.”
The game will be played Saturday, Sept. 4 at Bank of America Stadium.
The regional rivals last met in 2013 and 2014, splitting a home-and-home series in which each team defended their home turf.
The teams are scheduled to meet five more times after the 2021 game — in the 2024 Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in Atlanta and in a pair of home-and-home sets in 2029-30 and 2032-33.
Georgia was originally scheduled to play host to San Jose State on Sept. 4, but the Spartans are expected to receive a buyout for that game. East Carolina and Appalachian State were originally scheduled to face each other at Charlotte on Sept. 4, but that game is expected to be moved to Sept. 2.
