Florida-Georgia game location: Why football rivalry is played in Jacksonville

The latest rendition of the Florida-Georgia football rivalry returns at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday. But it won't take place in Sanford Stadium or in The Swamp.

Outside of a few seasons, the rivalry informally known by many as the “World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party” has been played in Jacksonville, Florida, each season since 1933. The No. 1-ranked Bulldogs (7-0, 4-0 SEC) and Florida (5-2, 3-1) will continue that neutral-site tradition when they face off at EverBank Stadium — the home of the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars — on Saturday.

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It will be the teams' in the programs’ 102nd meeting and 91st in the city of Jacksonville. Here’s everything you need to know about the neutral nature of the rivalry, and why the game is played annually in Jacksonville:

Florida-Georgia game location in 2023

The Florida-Georgia game — as has been the case for all but two contests since 1933 — will take place in Jacksonville. The current stadium in which the Gators and Bulldogs play is EverBank Stadium, home of the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars.

Why is Florida-Georgia game played in Jacksonville?

In a 2016 interview with Florida’s football program, historian Norm Carlson clamed it’s because fans from both sides of the rivalry could get to the game easier by train.

“They moved that game to Jacksonville in 1933 because fans of both schools could easily get there by train,” Carlson said. “And it turned out right. The stadium sold out first year and from there on.”

EverBank Stadium is a 345-mile drive from Georgia’s Sanford Stadium, and a 74-mile drive from Florida’s Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

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How long has Florida-Georgia game been in Jacksonville?

Since 1933, Georgia and Florida have played all but two games in Jacksonville, though it's worth noting they had already played in the city three times prior to that season (including in the teams' second overall meeting in 1915).

The only games since 1933 that weren't played in Jacksonville occurred in 1994 and 1995. That was because the Gator Bowl Stadium had been demolished and the construction of EverBank Stadium (then called Jacksonville Municipal Stadium) was still ongoing. Since its opening on Aug. 18, 1995, every game in the series has been played in Jacksonville.

Georgia and Florida also announced in May the series will stay in Jacksonville through at least 2025.

"We are pleased with the decision to exercise the option that will keep the game in Jacksonville for 2024 and 2025," said Georgia athletics director Josh Brooks. "We look forward to discussions that I'm sure will continue over the next couple years exploring all the options for 2026 and beyond. We continue to be appreciative of the working relationship we have with the University of Florida and the City of Jacksonville."

Added Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin:

"The city of Jacksonville has been an historic host for one of the great rivalry games in all of college football. We are excited to have the game in Jacksonville for another two seasons."

The rivalry may move away from EverBank Stadium in 2026-27, however, as the Jaguars' home field is set to undergo major renovations.

Florida-Georgia games outside of Jacksonville

Though the vast majority of games have been played in the city of Jacksonville, a select few have been played in cities in Florida (Gainesville, Tampa) and Georgia (Athens, Macon and Savannah).

Here's a look at when those games were played, and their final scores:

• 1904 (Macon): Georgia 52, Florida 0

• 1916 (Athens): Georgia 21, Florida 0

• 1919 (Tampa): Georgia 16, Florida 0

• 1920 (Athens): Georgia 56, Florida 0

• 1926 (Athens): Georgia 32-9

• 1928 (Savannah): Florida 26, Georgia 6

• 1930 (Savannah): Florida 0, Georgia 0

• 1931 (Gainesville): Georgia 33, Florida 6

• 1932 (Athens): Georgia 33, Florida 12

• 1994 (Gainesville): Florida 52, Georgia 14

• 1995 (Athens): Florida 52, Georgia 17

In all, Georgia holds a 7-3-1 advantage in games played outside the city of Jacksonville, including a 4-1 advantage in Athens; 1-0 advantage in Macon; and 1-0 advantage in Tampa. The series is tied in games played in Gainesville (1-1) while Florida leads 1-0-1 in Savannah.

Georgia vs. Florida football record

Depending on which team you ask, Georgia holds either a 55-44-2 advantage in the series, or a 54-44-2 advantage. At issue is the 1904 game, when Florida was still known as the Florida Agricultural College and based in Lake City.

Georgia's official records of the rivalry count the game as a 52-0 Bulldogs victory (naturally). But the Gators do not count the loss, as the state legislature did not formally found the University of Florida until a year later. Florida's football team wasn't established until 1906.

The teams' first (or second) meeting occurred in 1915 in Jacksonville, where the Bulldogs hold a 48-42-1 advantage. Indeed, Georgia did not surrender any points to Florida until the teams' fifth (or sixth) meeting in 1926, and didn't lose a game to the Gators until their seventh (or eighth) game in 1928.

In more recent history, the Bulldogs have won the two matchups prior to 2023, five of the last six games and six of the last 10.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Florida-Georgia location: Why football game is played in Jacksonville