ATHENS — As Georgia and Florida prepare for their annual jaunt to Jacksonville, Florida, to rumble by the river Nov. 2, their fan bases know they will heading somewhere else to see this game in a couple of years.
Where that might be, nobody seems to know — or at least is not willing to say.
Earlier this week, Georgia coach Kirby Smart was asked if he knew what the Bulldogs and Gators were going to do with their game in 2026 and ‘27.
“I do know what’s going to happen with it, but it’s not my place to talk about,” Smart said Wednesday on the SEC coaches’ call. “It’s going to go somewhere else, for sure. But I don’t worry about things I don’t control.”
In all but two years since 1933, the Bulldogs and Gators have met close to the banks of the St. Johns River near downtown Jacksonville. But that won’t be possible in 2026-27.
NFL owners Oct. 15 voted 32-0 to approve the Jacksonville Jaguars’ deal with the city to renovate EverBank Stadium. That long-discussed $1.4 billion construction project will render the stadium unusable for 2026-27 for the purpose of hosting the Georgia-Florida game.
So, what will they do in the meantime? As we’re learning, for the schools this is more of an opportunity than a problem.
UGA declined comment for this article, but Georgia Athletic Director Josh Brooks addressed the situation in May.
“We’ve got to look at other options, whether that’s home-and-home, whether it’s neutral sites,” Brooks said. “So, we’re looking. We’re working with Florida to look at the options for those two years. Beyond that, once that construction’s complete, we’re excited to go back.”
The contract between the universities of Florida and Georgia and the city of Jacksonville conveniently ends after the 2025 season. The schools extended their agreement in May 2023 to include this season and next.
As Florida and Georgia have proved before, they can play their game on their campuses. That’s what they did the last time Jacksonville’s stadium underwent a major renovation. They played in Gainesville in 1994 and Athens in 1995.
However, such a scenario seems unlikely this time. Simply stated, the revenue-generating opportunities — and needs — are too great in this day and age.
“The schools can do whatever they want,” said former Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity, who as president and CEO of the Gator Bowl also is seeking alternate venues for 2026-27. “I know some people would love to see the game on campus. But in today’s world of basically professional athletes who are being compensated, schools have to find ways to generate revenue.”
UGA rarely makes more than $3 million for an SEC home game because of operation costs. When the Bulldogs play in Jacksonville, they clear about $6 million between ticket sales and the $1.5 million guarantee from the city of Jacksonville, which also takes care of travel and lodging expenses.
The schools might make more than that in 2026 and ‘27. Major neutral-site games, such as Georgia and Clemson in the Aflac Kickoff game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Aug. 31, typically pay out about $5 million per team. Meanwhile, Georgia Tech recently announced a deal to play Georgia at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in 2025 that will fetch $10 million for the Yellow Jackets.
Working in tandem, Georgia and Florida are in the process of soliciting bids from potential host sites in their respective states. NFL.com reported last week that Mercedes-Benz Stadium appears to be the likely destination for 2026. Jason Kirksey of AMB Entertainment, which manages the stadium, did not respond to requests for comment.
Meanwhile, Tampa, Orlando and Miami are being considered for 2027. Because of the combination of seating capacity, suite availability and location, Raymond James Stadium — home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — appears to be the most likely alternative.
As for 2028 and beyond, both schools have stated a desire to return to Jacksonville. The Jaguars certainly will have done their part to make it a better venue.
EverBank still will be an open-air stadium, but among the improvements will be a translucent covering over the seats that reportedly will lower the temperature by 15 degrees, according to Jaguars president Mark Lamping. The stadium will seat only 71,500 for the Georgia-Florida game, but premium-seating additions were a big part of the renovation efforts.
Meanwhile, schools can charge whatever they want for tickets. They certainly won’t return to Jacksonville to make less money.
“It’s a great game, it’s got great history, but the revenue opportunities both schools will have in ‘28 and beyond will be off the chart,” McGarity said. “The numbers will dwarf what they are now. You just can’t leave that amount of money on the table.”
