Upcoming renovations to EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville have put the future of the Florida-Georgia rivalry in a state of limbo for the past few years, but now the universities are narrowing down their options to keep the annual matchup at a neutral site.
On Tuesday, Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan teased an announcement that could come “very soon,” according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. On Wednesday, Seth Emerson of The Athletic reported that Atlanta and Tampa will host the game in 2026 and 2027, respectively, presumable at Mercedez-Benz Stadium and Raymond James Stadium.
Brett McMurphy of Action Network confirmed the report, citing his own sources. Neither school nor the SEC has made an announcement yet, but this was the expected outcome from the beginning. Orlando was another city under consideration, using Camping World Stadium.
There was some talk of moving the game on campus in a home-and-home format, but considering the operational costs, the neutral site game brings in far more money for both schools. It’s also an opportunity for both teams to bring in recruits, regardless of who the home team is.
“Kirby and I both agree that it would be awesome to play a home-and-home but we also know that there’s a tremendous amount of revenue created by having this game at a neutral site,” Florida coach Billy Napier said Wednesday on the SEC teleconference. “Money makes the world go round and certainly, the amount of revenue, there’s a significant difference in the revenue that’s generated.
“We play in Jacksonville, there’s a historical context to that but there’s also a revenue component as well. I think the neutral site will present the same revenue opportunities and ultimately why the decision was made.”
Smart echoed that sentiment on the teleconference, adding that he’s “excited about the opportunity to play at two different locations,” and calling them potential learning experiences.
The rivalry is expected to return to Jacksonville in 2028, assuming a new deal with the city is negotiated and agreed upon. The current contract ends after the 2025 season.
How to watch Florida-Georgia
Florida and Georgia face off for a Week 10 rivalry battle in Jacksonville on Saturday, Nov. 2 with kickoff slated for 3:30 p.m. ET. The pregame festivities will be featured on SEC Nation and the game will be broadcast on ABC.
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