One of college football’s famed neutral site rivalries is leaving its traditional host stadium.
At least temporarily.
Florida confirmed Wednesday that its annual border showdown with Georgia will not be played in Jacksonville in 2026 and 2027 as EverBank Stadium undergoes renovations.
The game, traditionally but now unofficially known as the “World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party” will instead be played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta in 2026 and Raymond James Stadium in Tampa in 2027.
After 2027, the series will return to Jacksonville for at least the next few years, according to Action Network’s Brett McMurphy, who first reported the news.
There has been increased interest in permanently moving the game to campus sites for recruiting reasons in recent years, but nothing appears imminent.
Since 1926, the series has been played annually in Jacksonville, except in 1994 and 1995 when the games were moved to campus stadiums in Gainesville and Athens.
“We’re excited about the opportunity to play in both Atlanta and Tampa,” Gators coach Billy 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.”
Tampa previously hosted the game in 1919. Atlanta has never hosted the rivalry game. Georgia leads the series 56-44-2 and has won six of the last seven meetings.
“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,” Georgia coach Kirby 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.”
Kickoff between Florida (4-3) and No. 2 Georgia (6-1) is set for 3:30 p.m. The game can be seen on ABC.
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