The Georgia Bulldogs will return to Atlanta’s Chick-fil-A Kickoff game to open the 2020 college football season against Virginia, it was announced Wednesday.
The game is scheduled for Sept. 7, 2020 — a Monday night — in Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
It will be the second of two Chick-fil-A Kickoff games that year. Florida State is scheduled to play West Virginia on Sept. 5, 2020, a Saturday.
Georgia has played in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff game twice previously, losing to Boise State in 2011 and defeating North Carolina in 2016. Virginia will be playing in the season-opening event for the first time.
“This will be a great chance to play a Power 5 ACC opponent in a world-class venue,” Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity said in a statement. “We actually have a history with Virginia that goes back to the first meeting in 1897, a game coincidentally played in Atlanta.”
Georgia leads the all-time series against Virginia 9-7-3. The teams have met twice in the postseason Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, with Virginia winning 34-27 in 1995 and Georgia winning 35-33 in 1998.
Georgia coach Kirby Smart called the 2020 game “another great opportunity to kick off a season in the sports capital of the South on national television.”
The game will be televised by ESPN. Kickoff time hasn’t been determined. All tickets will be sold through the two universities.
“Players love to compete on the largest stage, and Atlanta is a great location for our fans to spend the Labor Day weekend,” Virginia coach Bronco Mendenhall said in a statement. “I cannot imagine a better setting to open the season than to face Georgia in what I’m told will be one of the nation’s finest stadiums.”
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, under construction next to the destined-for-demolition Georgia Dome, is scheduled to open July 30 with an Atlanta United soccer match.
KICKOFF GAMES
These matchups are lined up for the season-opening Chick-fil-A Kickoff game in Mercedes-Benz Stadium
2017: Alabama vs. Florida State and Georgia Tech vs. Tennessee
2018: Auburn vs. Washington
2019: Alabama vs. Duke
2020: Florida State vs. West Virginia and Georgia vs. Virginia
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