SEC scheduling is starting to reshape Georgia, HBCU and FAMU football futures.
Georgia has canceled its scheduled 2028 home game against Florida A&M as the SEC moves into a nine-game conference schedule era. The Bulldogs were set to host FAMU on Sept. 9, 2028, in Athens. The matchup had been agreed to in December 2020, but it is now off the board.
According to documents obtained by the Athens Banner-Herald through an open records request, Georgia athletic director Josh Brooks and FAMU athletic director John Davis signed a Jan. 13 letter mutually agreeing to terminate the contract.
FAMU loses a major SEC opportunity
For FAMU, this was more than just another non-conference game. Matchups against SEC programs can bring visibility, recruiting exposure and a major stage for HBCU football.
They also often bring a check.
In this case, however, FAMU will not be compensated for losing the game. The cancellation terms state that there will be no “payment requirements” tied to ending the agreement. That is a key detail because these games often help support athletic department budgets at the FCS and HBCU level.
Georgia had agreed to pay Florida A&M a $650,000 guarantee for the game, according to FBSchedules. But because the schools mutually agreed to cancel, the payout will not be made. That leaves FAMU without the game and without the revenue that would have come with playing it.
Georgia trims future schedules
Georgia’s decision fits into a broader scheduling shift. The SEC is moving to a nine-game conference schedule beginning in 2026, forcing programs to take a harder look at their non-conference calendars.
Georgia has already canceled other future games as the schedule tightens. UGA and Florida State also mutually agreed to cancel a future home-and-home series, with both the SEC and ACC moving toward nine-game league schedules.
That context matters. Power programs are not just building schedules to fill dates anymore. They are building schedules with the College Football Playoff in mind. Every game carries risk and each opponent affects perception. Every win, loss and strength-of-schedule argument can matter.
Could HBCU games be at risk?
That raises a bigger question for HBCU programs.
Games against SEC schools have long been part of the football ecosystem. They can be difficult competitively, but they can also provide exposure and revenue. If SEC programs now have fewer non-conference openings, HBCU opponents could be among the first games squeezed out.
Georgia canceling FAMU may end up being a one-off scheduling adjustment. Or it could be a sign of what is coming. UGA is scheduled to play North Carolina A&T in 2030, a game it scheduled in 2021.
Will this become a trend of SEC programs cutting games against HBCU programs as they attempt to better position themselves for the College Football Playoff?