ATHENS — Georgia coach Kirby Smart said he is “excited” about the potential for Georgia-Florida to be played at different venues in 2026 and 2027.
No deal has been announced between the universities and potential venues, but Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan teased that an announcement could become official as early as this week.
“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 on the SEC coaches’ teleconference Wednesday. “I think the parties involved did a great job of managing it. I think Jacksonville did a great job stepping up and making it worthwhile for both universities. I’m excited about the opportunity to play at two different locations, so that’ll be unique. Maybe we learn from those two experiences.”
The AJC previously reported that Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta and Raymond James Stadium in Tampa were considered favorites to land the games in 2026 and ’27, and Brett McMurphy of The Action Network posted to X indicating that sources were confirming these venues, with Atlanta getting the 2026 game. McMurphy also indicated that the rivalry is expected to return to Jacksonville in 2028.
Renovations of the stadium in Jacksonville will begin before the 2026 season, and the $1.4 billion project is expected to be complete by the start of the 2028 season.
The current deal between the city of Jacksonville and the universities expires after the 2025 season.
Smart long has been a proponent of playing the game as a home-and-home, largely because of the extra recruiting weekend.
“I mean, I’m so engulfed in this — in the game,” Smart said. “I recognize why it’s a story for you guys, but I’m so consumed by, you know, our team. We’re trying to get our team better for Florida. That’s my focus. I mean, I really hadn’t been involved in those discussions.”
Financial incentives are a large component of the decision.
A home game puts the burden of operational costs on the host school. The current deal with Jacksonville pays each school $1.5 million, with the city also footing the bill for travel and lodging for both schools. In combination with ticket sales, Georgia makes about $6 million total from playing the game in Jacksonville.
“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. “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.”
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