College Football Saturday Early Reminder: Florida-Georgia Rivalry Game To Be Played In Atlanta This Year On Saturday, October 31, 2026, at 3:30 p.m. ET At Mercedes-Benz Stadium

One of college football’s most storied traditions is packing its bags for the Peach State. The 2026 Florida-Georgia game will officially be played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday, October 31, 2026. Kickoff for the highly anticipated Halloween showdown is locked in for 3:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast nationally on ABC.

The temporary relocation snaps a consecutive 30-year run in Jacksonville, Florida. The move is necessitated by a massive $1.4 billion renovation project at EverBank Stadium, home of the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars. While EverBank Stadium will continue to host the Jaguars with a reduced capacity during construction, both universities opted to move the neutral-site rivalry to premier venues capable of handling maximum crowds.

Following the 2026 game in Atlanta, the rivalry will head down to Raymond James Stadium in Tampa for the 2027 season. The historic matchup is legally locked into returning to its traditional home in Jacksonville from 2028 through 2031 once the stadium updates are finalized.

“It’s been talked about and debated for a long time,” Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said regarding the temporary relocation. “I think the parties involved did a great job of managing it… I’m excited about the opportunity to play at two different locations, so that’ll be unique.”

The standard 50/50 ticket split between the orange-and-blue and red-and-black faithful will remain intact at the neutral sites. Tickets are expected to be in incredibly high demand for the first iteration of the game played outside of Jacksonville since the mid-1990s.

An Over 100 Year Old Rivalry Comes To Atlanta In A Rare Visit

When the Florida Gators and Georgia Bulldogs meet at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Halloween afternoon, they will add another chapter to a bitter border war that has raged for over a century. Exactly how long that war has lasted, however, remains a matter of fierce debate.

According to the University of Georgia, the rivalry is 122 years old, dating back to a 52-0 Bulldog victory in Macon, Georgia, on October 15, 1904. Conversely, the University of Florida insists the rivalry is 111 years old, tracing its true origins to a November 6, 1915, meeting in Jacksonville.

The 11-year discrepancy stems from a battle over institutional identity. The 1904 squad that Georgia faced hailed from Florida Agricultural College in Lake City. Because the modern University of Florida was not officially established in Gainesville until 1905—fielding its first sanctioned football team in 1906—Florida’s athletic department refuses to recognize the 1904 blowout.

Regardless of when the clock officially started, the matchup has long since cemented itself as one of the most durable traditions in American sports. The border rivals have met every single consecutive season since 1926, with only a one-year hiatus in 1943 due to World War II.

The 2026 game in Atlanta represents a rare departure from tradition. Since 1933, the game has been played almost exclusively on neutral ground in Jacksonville. The upcoming two-year exile to Atlanta and Tampa marks only the second time since the Great Depression that the teams will play outside of Jacksonville, mirroring a temporary home-and-home shift in 1994 and 1995 when the old Gator Bowl was demolished.

Historic, Always Anticipated–But Pricey In Person

Entry-level tickets start around $195 to $225 (including fees) for the upper tiers but rocket up much higher for premium sections or front-row club access (such as Delta Club seats) and can go from $350 up to over $1,000 depending on the row and amenities.

How To Watch From Home Or On The Go

Over-the-Air & Cable

Local TV: Tune in to your local ABC affiliate using a standard TV antenna, cable provider, or satellite package.

Live Streaming Services:

If you don’t have cable, you can watch ABC live via major internet television packages, most of which offer free trials for new users:

YouTube TV: Includes local ABC networks and sports coverage.

Fubo: Features full sports tiers including ABC.

Hulu + Live TV: Grants live access to ABC network broadcasts.

DirecTV Stream: Carries local ABC feeds in most television markets.

Digital Streaming Apps:

ESPN App: You can stream the ABC broadcast natively via the ESPN app or ESPN.com by logging in with your cable, satellite, or live TV streaming platform credentials