FOLIO
Words by Lorelei Belanger
College football rivalries run deep, especially in the South. One of the biggest rivalries is between the University of Florida (UF) and the University of Georgia (UGA). Most people, even non-football fans, know about the annual game, held at EverBank Stadium, right here in Jacksonville. Many people, especially non-football fans may have a lot of questions about the game, why it’s held in Jacksonville, or why it’s such a big deal. Let’s break it all down:
THE BASICS
In order to understand the game, you have to know who’s playing it. The University of Florida, or UF, are the Gators. The team colors are orange and blue. UF is located in Gainesville, Florida.The University of Georgia, or UGA, are the Bulldogs (or the Dawgs). The team colors are red and black. UGA is located in Athens, Georgia. The game is held at EverBank Stadium, the home of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
THE NAME
The game goes by many names. Most Gators fans refer to the game as the “Florida-Georgia” game, while Bulldogs call it the “Georgia-Florida” game. Officially, the name alternates every year. On odd years, UF is the home team, and the game is called “Florida-Georgia”. On even years, like this year, UGA is the home team, therefore called “Georgia-Florida”.
The game and all of the events around it were informally called the “World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.” This name came from a reporter in the 1950s, who claimed to see a fan offer a police officer a drink and many fans openly drinking all over the streets surrounding the game. The City of Jacksonville stopped using this as the official name for the event after the games in 1984 and 1985 almost turned into riots. Some also know the game as the “War for the Oar,” since the winning team takes home the Okefenokee Oar, a 2-foot oar carved from a tree in the Okefenokee Swamp, which lies on the Florida-Georgia state border. In 2016, there were attempts to officially name the game the “River City Showdown”. Both sides very rarely agree, but most fans from both sides extremely disliked this.
THE RIVALRY
The rivalry dates back to the 1900s. The exact year depends on who you ask. In 1904, the Georgia Bulldogs beat a team called the University of Florida Blue and White by a score of 52-0. This university was one of the predecessors to the University of Florida. According to Florida’s University Athletic Association, this is not included in the series records, since University of Florida was officially established in 1905 and its first football team played in 1906. University of Georgia counts the 1904 game as their first victory and the first game in the rivalry’s history. The first game to be acknowledged by both schools was in 1915 and took place in Jacksonville.
WHY JACKSONVILLE?
Jacksonville wasn’t the official game location until 1933. Every game but two have been played here since. In the 1930s, the railroads running through the city made it easier for fans from both sides to travel to the game. It was also decided that it would be good for the game to be played in neutral territory. The game and all associated events bring millions of dollars to Jacksonville’s economy every year. There has been lots of discussion recently about where the game will be played in the next few years, during the Jaguars’ stadium renovations. The decision was made that the game will stay in Jacksonville for 2024 and 2025. The 2026 and further game locations are still undecided as major renovations will be occurring at EverBank Stadium during this time.
THE TAILGATES
Another very big aspect of the event are the tailgates. Fans attending the game, fans not attending the game, Jacksonville locals and college students all come together for the tailgates. The University of North Florida and Jacksonville University fraternities host large tailgates for their students. UF has a very large tailgate section with students who travel from Gainesville, local fans and fans who have traveled for the game. UGA also has their own section with their students, alumni and fans.
Then there’s RV City. RV City opens early —days before the game — across from Everbank Stadium. This year it opens on Tuesday, Oct. 29. This is where devoted fans bring their RVs and camp out for the days leading up to the big game. It turns into a sea of orange, blue, red and black with many fans decorating their sites very extravagantly.
HOW TO GET INVOLVED
Tickets for the game go fast, but if you can get your hands on some, the game is a great way to support your team or just enjoy the game. To get involved with tailgating…University of North Florida or Jacksonville University students can get in contact with a fraternity or organization for tickets to a tailgate. Another way is to find parking and set up your own tailgate.
To get tickets or learn about any of the other activities, visit gaflajax.com.
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