BS Report: The Georgia-Florida Game

It will undoubtedly be a little bit different down in South Georgia this week, as the Georgia Florida game will not be in Jacksonville because of the revamped stadium that they are working on down there on the river. They are having to move the Georgia Florida game to Atlanta this year and to Tampa next year. So it’s going to be different not having the trip down to Jacksonville to enjoy a weekend full of football and other things, of course, that people usually partake in when they go to Jacksonville for Georgia, Florida, it’ll be particularly odd for the people down in South Georgia.

Of course, I’m from Waycross, and the folks there and in Brunswick and Saint Simons, Camden County, those areas down there, it’ll be kind of different as they are very used to having people come and stay a while down in the last week of October as they get ready for Georgia, Florida, but they won’t be able to do it.

Do it this year. I can’t tell you the memories I have as many of them, about watching the fans come in through Waycross on U.S. one to head to the game with their campers and with everything that goes, along with it. Cars just lit up with tags and stickers and posters and flags of everything, of course.

So it’s going to be weird to not have that in Waycross for so many of the people down there this week. This Georgia Florida game obviously is very important. It’s a border war, which most border wars are, right. South Carolina and Tennessee, as we found out this past weekend. And it’s always a lot of fun because just of the history that’s gone into this series.

I mean, when I was growing up, it was mainly Georgia just dominating the series. And, and to me, it really wasn’t even looked like a rivalry. The rivalry was when you had a team win occasionally. And then, of course, Spurrier came to Gainesville and things changed in 1990 when he arrived there. And the Gators had that long run of success, of course, and Georgia would have a victory here and there, like in 1997.

And then things started just starting to change, I guess about 15 years ago. Georgia’s won five in a row in this series. They’ve won eight of nine and 11 of the last 15. And this is the first time this game has ever been in Atlanta. It’s been in Athens five times, in Savannah twice, and even here in Macon one time in 1904.

And no, I was not there to cover the game. I’m sure Tucker was trying to make that crack there. So this is the ninth game in Georgia. It’s been in Jacksonville 93 times, and in Gainesville twice, back in 1931 and in 1994, and Tampa once in 1990. And then they’ll be back in Tampa again next year. So it’s going to be different.

But look, whether you’re in Atlanta or Jacksonville, I’m sure the is going to be near 5050. Florida fans are not going to give up their chance to take a road trip and to enjoy this game, just like Georgia fans have going down to North Florida for all these years. So I guess it’s okay to ask the Florida fans to go to North Georgia for a change.

So I don’t think it’s going to be any different. The environment will be a little bit different. It’s going to be an Mercedes-Benz Stadium, so it’s not going to be the same as it is in Jacksonville, where it’s usually great tailgate weather. Usually just a tremendous environment with all the tailgating. The tailgating is not the same in Atlanta around Mercedes-Benz Stadium, I can tell you that, but I don’t think the fans are going to let that bother them.

This is just one of those games that makes college football special, and that’s why I am very adamant about keeping it in Jacksonville, which it will. It’s never going to leave Jacksonville. It’s never going to go home and home to Gainesville and Athens. It’s not going to go to Atlanta and Tampa or trade off and have it in Jacksonville one year and the other spots and the other years.

Jacksonville is the spot. And there’s nothing wrong with tradition. There’s nothing wrong with doing something that’s been done for many, many years. And that Jacksonville location is just very special. And we’ll be back there in a couple of years for sure. But it should be a great game, great environment. And you know, the red and black and the blue and orange will be in full force this week in Atlanta.