1979 Georgia Bulldogs football team

1979 Georgia Bulldogs football
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
Record6–5 (5–1 SEC)
Head coach
Defensive coordinatorErk Russell (16th season)
Base defense4–4
Home stadiumSanford Stadium
1979 Southeastern Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 1 Alabama $ 6 0 0 12 0 0
Georgia 5 1 0 6 5 0
No. 16 Auburn 4 2 0 8 3 0
LSU 4 2 0 7 5 0
Tennessee 3 3 0 7 5 0
Kentucky 3 3 0 5 6 0
Ole Miss 3 3 0 4 7 0
Mississippi State 2 4 0 3 8 0
Vanderbilt 0 6 0 1 10 0
Florida 0 6 0 0 10 1
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1979 Georgia Bulldogs football team represented the University of Georgia as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the 1979 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by 16th-year head coach Vince Dooley, the Bulldogs compiled an overall record of 6–5, with a mark of 5–1 in conference play, and finished second in the SEC.

The Bulldogs would have earned the SEC's automatic berth in the Sugar Bowl had Auburn defeated Alabama in the Iron Bowl despite Georgia's 6-5 overall record. An Auburn win would have created a three-way tie between the Bulldogs, Tigers and Crimson Tide for the conference championship, which meant the team which had gone the longest without appearing in the Sugar Bowl would go to New Orleans. Auburn had not been to the Sugar Bowl since after the 1971 season, compared to 1976 for Georgia and 1978 for Alabama, but since the Tigers were banned from bowl games due to NCAA probation, the Bulldogs would have received the nod in that situation. Alabama defeated Auburn 25-18 to win the SEC outright, then toppled Arkansas 24-9 in the Sugar Bowl for the consensus national championship.