The Florida-Georgia football game is being played at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Oct. 31 (3:30 p.m., ABC), the first of a two-year rotation outside of Jacksonville while the Stadium of the Future is under construction.
The game moves to Tampa next year and returns to Jacksonville in 2028.
The game has never been played in Atlanta, although it was played on the Georgia campus in Athens five times in the past (the last in 1995), in Savannah twice and Macon once (the first-ever meeting in 1904).
What can fans of either school used to the game being in Jacksonville expect from an Atlanta experience?
Here are the main differences in the Florida-Georgia game in Atlanta as opposed to Jacksonville:
Tickets: Of course they're hard to get
This is Florida-Georgia and no matter where it's played, tickets are scarce.
Tickets on direct sale by the universities have long been sold out. According to spot checks on secondary markets such as StubHub, tickets are still available for under $250 for upper deck.
Tickets can be sold on game day through brokers (a nice word for scalpers) but according to Georgia law, they have to be at least 2,700 feet, or more than a half-mile, from the stadium.
Traffic: Will it be better or worse?
A number of factors go into this. Mercedes-Benz Stadium is closer to a major interstate (I-75) than Jacksonville's EverBank Stadium (I-95), and there is public transportation available with a MARTA station at the stadium. There are also far fewer tailgating spots and smaller parking lots around the stadium in Atlanta, hence fewer cars driving to the stadium.
However, Atlanta being Atlanta, it will be a chore getting close on I-75, I-85, and I-20, so plan accordingly. The difference in traffic and getting to the stadium looks like a push here and fans might be far better off using MARTA, which has 38 rail stations around Atlanta. Visit itsmarta.com for information.
Tailgating: Jacksonville wins by two touchdowns
As noted, there simply isn't the number of public and private parking lots around the Atlanta Stadium to offer the kind of tailgating experience that made Florida-Georgia "The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party," as noted by Florida Times-Union columnist Bill Kastelz.
Discover Atlanta is recommending the "Home Depot Backyard" as a pregame experience, but adding that public transportation is the way to go. So much for bringing a truckload of food, the Blackstone and a big-screen TV.
According to MARTA rules, food and beverages can be brought onboard the trains but must remain sealed. Drinking alcohol on the trains is prohibited, so no getting a head start.
Where to go before and after the game
Atlanta wins this over Jacksonville. There are far more restaurants and bars within walking distance of Mercedes-Benz Stadium, but that issue is a work in progress in Jacksonville.
Discover Atlanta lists several possibilities, such as the Park Bar, Hudson Grille and STATS Brewpub.
The Florida Alumni Association has established Wild Leap as its Gator Nation headquarters. It's blocks from the stadium at 125 Ted Turner Drive SW.
The Atlanta Chapter of the UGA Alumni Association will set up its game-day gathering place at Monday Night Brewing at 670 Trabert Ave. NW.
One constant: Hall of Fame luncheon
The city of Jacksonville will continue to sponsor the Florida-Georgia Hall of Fame Luncheon at Atlanta this year and Tampa next year. The luncheon will be at the College Football Hall of Fame (250 Marietta Drive NW) on Oct. 30 at noon, with Gators Emmitt Smith and Maurkice Pouncey and Bulldogs Andre Hastings and Brandon Boykin inducted.
For fans who have never been there, the College Football Hall of Fame is a must-see.
Tickets are available by visiting gafljax.com/hall_of_fame.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Florida-Georgia 2026 and what fans can expect of the experience in Atlanta