Florida and Georgia bring annual college football rivalry game to Atlanta

The annual college football rivalry game between the Florida Gators and the Georgia Bulldogs is being played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. CBS Sports reported that the two teams are facing each other outside of Jacksonville for the first time since 1995. Fox News reported that Arthur Blank is paying each university $7.5 million to host the matchup at the indoor venue. [1][4]

The change of venue comes as EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville undergoes ongoing renovations, according to Fox News and CBS Sports. CBS Sports reported that the stadium upgrades will keep the venue under renovation until August 2028. Jacksonville is the most populous city proper in the state of Florida, while Atlanta serves as the capital and largest city of Georgia [9, 10]. [1][4][9][10]

Despite the move indoors, Fox News reported that some fans feel underwhelmed by the traditional tailgating scene in Atlanta compared to Jacksonville. CBS Sports reported that both teams are entering the matchup following bye weeks, with No. 3 Georgia coming off a loss to Auburn and No. 17 Florida coming off a road victory against Texas. [1][2]

CBS Sports also reported that junior quarterback Aaron Philo is returning to start for Florida after missing the previous game against Texas due to a shoulder injury. Philo originally suffered the injury during Florida's game against South Carolina on Oct. 10. [3]