1996 Georgia Bulldogs football team

1996 Georgia Bulldogs football
Conference	Southeastern Conference
Division	Eastern Division
Record	5–6 (3–5 SEC)
Head coach	Jim Donnan (1st season)
Offensive coordinator	Greg Briner (1st season)
Offensive scheme	Pro-style
Defensive coordinator	Joe Kines (2nd season)
Base defense	4–3
Home stadium	Sanford Stadium

1996 Southeastern Conference football standings

	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
Eastern Division
No. 1 Florida x$		8	–	0					12	–	1
No. 9 Tennessee		7	–	1					10	–	2
South Carolina		4	–	4					6	–	5
Kentucky		3	–	5					4	–	7
Georgia		3	–	5					5	–	6
Vanderbilt		0	–	8					2	–	9
Western Division
No. 11 Alabama xy		6	–	2					10	–	3
No. 12 LSU x		6	–	2					10	–	2
No. 24 Auburn		4	–	4					8	–	4
Mississippi State		3	–	5					5	–	6
Ole Miss		2	–	6					5	–	6
Arkansas		2	–	6					4	–	7
Championship: Florida 45, Alabama 30
$ – Conference champion x – Division champion/co-champions y – Championship game participant Rankings from AP Poll

The 1996 Georgia Bulldogs football team represented the University of Georgia as a member of the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the 1996 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by first-year head coach Jim Donnan, the Bulldogs compiled an overall record of 5–6, with a mark of 3–5 in conference play, and finished tied for fourth in the SEC Eastern Division.

As of 2024, this was the last time the Bulldogs did not qualify for a bowl game, and their last losing season until 2010.

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance	Source
August 31	4:00 p.m.	Southern Miss*	Sanford Stadium Athens, GA	SS	L 7–11	81,067
September 14	7:30 p.m.	at South Carolina	Williams–Brice Stadium Columbia, SC (rivalry)	ESPN	L 14–23	82,950
September 21	5:30 p.m.	Texas Tech*	Sanford Stadium Athens, GA	ESPN2	W 15–12	73,116
October 5	7:00 p.m.	at Mississippi State	Scott Field Starkville, MS	ESPN2	W 38–19	32,247
October 12	7:00 p.m.	No. 7 Tennessee	Sanford Stadium Athens, GA (rivalry)	ESPN	L 17–29	86,117
October 19	12:30 p.m.	Vanderbilt	Sanford Stadium Athens, GA (rivalry)	JPS	W 13–2	80,757
October 26	7:00 p.m.	at Kentucky	Commonwealth Stadium Lexington, KY		L 17–24	34,000
November 2	3:30 p.m.	vs. No. 1 Florida	Jacksonville Municipal Stadium Jacksonville, FL (rivalry)	CBS	L 7–47	84,103
November 16	3:30 p.m.	at No. 20 Auburn	Jordan-Hare Stadium Auburn, AL (Deep South's Oldest Rivalry)	CBS	W 56–49 4OT	85,214
November 23	12:30 p.m.	Ole Miss	Sanford Stadium Athens, GA	JPS	L 27–31	76,511
November 30	12:00 p.m.	Georgia Tech*	Sanford Stadium Athens, GA (Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate)	CBS	W 19–10	78,062
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game All times are in Eastern time

Roster

1996 Georgia Bulldogs football team roster
Players			Coaches
Offense Pos. # Name Class QB 14 Mike Bobo Jr OT 75 Jonas Jennings Fr WR 19 Hines Ward Jr OT 71 Adam Meadows Sr	Defense Pos. # Name Class FS 4 Kirby Smart So CB 42 Champ Bailey Fr	Special teams Pos. # Name Class K 41 Hap Hines Fr	Head coach Jim Donnan Coordinators/assistant coaches Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible Injured Redshirt Roster