Florida coach Billy Napier and Georgia coach Kirby Smart spent part of their appearances on Wednesday morning’s Southeastern Conference media teleconference discussing the 2026 and 2027 Florida-Georgia games.
The schools have reportedly reached a deal to move the annual rivalry game to Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium in 2026 and Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium in 2027 while EverBank Stadium undergoes significant renovations.
Action Network reported the agreement on Wednesday morning.
Florida-Georgia game moving to Atlanta’s @MBStadium in 2026 & Tampa’s @RJStadium in 2027, sources told @ActionNetworkHQ. The series takes a 2-year break from Jacksonville as EverBank Stadium undergoes renovations. It returns to Jax in 2028, source saidhttps://t.co/PsXlsWV8om
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) October 30, 2024
“We’re excited about the opportunity to play in both Atlanta and Tampa,” Napier said. “Both great venues. Both will be well-ran operations. We all understand the revenue this game generates for both athletic departments. It’s going to be unique, and certainly, we’re excited about that opportunity.”
The move from Jacksonville won’t be the first time the game has shifted location. While Jacksonville has hosted the game since 1933, when the old Gator Bowl was demolished in the 1990s and the city built a new stadium to house the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars, the schools met in Gainesville in 1994 and Athens in 1995.
The schools have never held the Florida-Georgia game in Atlanta and only once – 1919 – in Tampa.
The current contract with Jacksonville as the host city expires after the 2025 game and, according to reports, is set to be extended starting with the 2028 game.
“It’s been talked about and debated for a long time, for a while, since we’ve known the Jacksonville renovation was going to occur,” Smart said. “I think the parties involved did a great job managing it, and I think Jacksonville did a great job stepping up and making it worthwhile for both universities and I’m excited about the opportunity to play at two different locations. That’ll be unique and maybe we learn from those two experiences.”
Napier and Smart have discussed the positives of a home-and-home series regarding recruiting. Still, he understands the economics of college football, especially in the NIL era.
“Kirby and I would probably both agree that it…
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