The Florida-Georgia football game will return to Jacksonville at least through 2025.
The Gators and Bulldogs have agreed to extend their agreement to play in Jacksonville for two more years, the city announced Wednesday. The two universities were already signed for 2023.
“The city of Jacksonville has been a historic host for one of the great rivalry games in all of college football,” Florida Athletics Director Scott Stricklin said in a news release. “We are excited to have the game in Jacksonville for another two seasons.”
UGA athletics director Josh Brooks said he expected the schools to explore "all the options for 2026 and beyond."
The Florida-Georgia game has been played in Jacksonville since 1933 with the exception of the 1994 and 1995 seasons, during the construction of TIAA Bank Field. The Gators and the Bulldogs are currently slated to meet Oct. 28 for this year’s matchup.
City officials estimate the game contributes $20 million annually to Jacksonville's economy, but the game's future came into question last year.
The universities issued a rare joint statement last year before the matchup took place. They said they were focused on the game and contract discussions would come later.
"When those discussions take place, we will consider a multitude of factors," the statement said. Those included "tradition, finances, future SEC scheduling models with the addition of Texas and Oklahoma, and what is best for both schools' football programs overall."
Mayor Lenny Curry said that he was not concerned and that the statements were typical of any negotiation.
Curry also created a stir this month when he suggested that football games might have to move out of TIAA Bank Field for two years — possibly 2025 and 2026 — while the stadium is renovated for the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jaguars said the discussion is premature.
The No. 1 ranked University of Georgia beat the University of Florida 42-20 last year on the way to a national championship.
