Georgia Bulldogs UGA logoThe Chick-fil-A Kickoff Classic announced Thursday that Georgia and North Carolina will meet inside the Georgia Dome on Sept. 3, 2016.
Georgia and North Carolina have not met in football since the 1971 Gator Bowl, when Vince Dooley’s Bulldogs topped brother Bill Dooley’s Tar Heels 7-3. The Bulldogs hold a 16-12-2 series edge, seven of the meetings occurring from 1895 to 1901.
“This will undoubtedly be one of the best games of the 2016 opening weekend and a long-overdue renewal of an old ACC versus SEC rivalry,” said Gary Stokan, the president and CEO of Peach Bowl, Inc. “Both programs have a rich tradition, devoted fan base, top-notch players and elite coaches — all elements of a blockbuster-type game that we can’t wait to host.”
North Carolina went 6-7 this past season, and coach Larry Fedora turned to former Auburn coach Gene Chizik as his new defensive coordinator.
Kickoff time has not been set for the game, which will have some company in the showdown department. Alabama and Southern California are vying in the Cowboys Classic on Sept. 3, 2016, and Auburn-Clemson, LSU-Wisconsin and Texas A&M-UCLA matchups also are scheduled that day.