For the first time since 1995, the Georgia-Florida football game will be played outside of Jacksonville.
The rivalry, which has been played for the last 82 years and dates back to 1904, is set to kickoff from Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
Georgia head coach Kirby Smart will be coaching in his 11th World’s Biggest Cocktail Party, as the series has been dubbed for years. He’s 8-2 against the Gators.
“This is always a great tradition, great game,” Smart said Monday. “Obviously the venue's changed. I don't think that matters much to the teams playing in it. Fan bases, probably a unique experience for sure to have it in the Benz in Atlanta.”
The game was moved due to renovations to EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville. It’s being played in Atlanta this year, in Tampa in 2027 and will return to Jacksonville in 2028.
The Bulldogs are 11.5-point favorites with both teams coming off a bye week. Georgia lost its last game against Auburn and is now 6-1 on the season.
They’ll be playing against a couple players Smart and Georgia are familiar with. Florida quarterback Aaron Philo and receiver Bailey Stockton transferred from Georgia Tech in the offseason after playing their high school ball at Prince Avenue in Bogart.
“You look across the college football landscape, every time I turn the games on, there's a kid from the state of Georgia performing really well,” Smart said. “That's no different in the case of Philo and Bailey and all those guys doing well.”
The game Saturday will be broadcast on ABC.
