Kirby Smart Pushes for Florida-Georgia Game To Be Moved Out of Jacksonville

The rivalry game has been played in Jacksonville since 1933; something Kirby Smart wants to see changed.

There are few events in Jacksonville as anticipated and treasured each year as the Florida-Georgia game, but that hasn't stopped Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart to push for the "World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party" to be moved out of TIAA Bank Field. 

The rivalry game has been played in Jacksonville every year since 1933 outside of a two-year period from 1994-95, but Smart has pushed for years for the venue to change for recruiting purposes. This was a stance Smart repeated during an interview on SEC Network at SEC media day on Wednesday, with the National Championship-winning head coach again stating he wants the game moved from Jacksonville.

"It's very important. Recruiting is very important. ... I just can't get a Florida coach to agree with me about [moving the game]," Smart said. 

"I'm competing against [coaches] all across the SEC who host recruits at their biggest games," Smart said. "When Auburn plays at Alabama, guess where the recruits are? When LSU and Alabama play, that's where the biggest recruits want to go. It's an opportunity for us to bring these kids, who fly in from all over the country -- what game do they want to come see Georgia play? They'd like to see Georgia play Florida, but they can't do that."

Smart's stance revolves around the fact that NCAA rules dictate that high school recruits aren't allowed to attend the neutral-site game as recruits. They can't speak to their potential new coaches, staff members or players

As such, Georgia is limited to just a handful of home games in Athens during years in which they are the designated home team for the Florida-Georgia game, a game the Bulldogs have won in four of the last five years, including a 34-7 blowout of the Gators in 2021.

"Tell you what, y’all call the AD down at Florida and ask him to come to Atlanta and come play us, we’ll play in Atlanta any time they want to play,’” Smart said. “It’s not an advantage for anybody. You look at the history of it, the one with the better team and the better players usually wins that game.”

Gators head coach Billy Napier, however, took a more on-the-fence approach when asked about the location of arguably the biggest game on each team's regular season schedule each year.

"I got asked that question earlier. I think the big thing is I'm probably not -- I want to experience the game first, right? I'd like to see that game in Jacksonville, experience that game before I have an opinion on that," Napier said.

"There's a lot of credibility to both, right? The home and home obviously would be fantastic. But there's also some tradition there. There's a rivalry there. Time will tell. I agree, that's above my pay grade. But I'm looking forward to the opportunity to participate in the game."

The Florida-Georgia game has been a key part of Jacksonville's identity and economy over the years, with the date of the game also frequently impacting how the Jaguars schedule their bye weeks and the annual trip to London.

Whether the game is moved out of Jacksonville in the near future remains to be seen. Until it is, though, it's date will continue to be a key part of the Jaguars' schedule each season.