Georgia in acquainted setting after Georgia Tech shifted recreation for large bucks – On-line Athens

Georgia football beneath coach Kirby Sensible has performed at Mercedes-Benz Stadium greater than some other venue apart from residence video games in Sanford Stadium.
A dozen instances whole — seven SEC championship video games, two Peach Bowls, two season kickoff video games and one nationwide championship recreation.
On Friday, it will be as the visiting team for the first time for what is considered a Georgia Tech home game after the college moved the rivalry recreation from Bobby Dodd Stadium to the house of the Atlanta Falcons for a $10 million assure.
So for the primary time because the Bulldogs and Yellow Jackets performed at Atlanta’s Ponce de Leon Park in 1912, the groups will meet someplace apart from on one of many two campuses.
Georgia ought to really feel proper at residence. Whereas the Bulldogs are 7-5 in Mercedes-Benz Stadium, they’re 5-1 because the begin of the 2022 season within the venue.
“It’s virtually like a house recreation feeling in the way you’re simply conversant in the stadium and it’s so simple as getting off the buses and strolling by means of the tunnels to the locker room,” stated huge receiver London Humphries, who caught a 40-yard landing in a 34-3 win over Clemson final yr in his first recreation with Georgia to open final season and performed within the SEC championship win over Texas there final December. “These issues. One much less factor to consider, in order that’s useful.”
Georgia is 0-4 in opposition to Alabama in Mercedes-Benz and 7-1 in opposition to different opponents.
Georgia Tech is 1-4 there together with losses the final 3 times in opposition to Notre Dame in 2024, Louisville in 2023 and Clemson in 2022.
Georgia Tech introduced in 2019 that, for 5 seasons, it might yearly transfer a house recreation to Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which is positioned about two miles from campus.
It nonetheless has one residence recreation left to play, in line with the college, however all seven of its residence video games subsequent season will probably be on campus.
“Georgia Tech followers spoke. We listened,” athletic director Ryan Alpert posted on X on Oct. 31, “All 7 residence video games — together with premium non-conference matchups vs Colorado and Tennessee — will probably be performed at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Area in 2026.”
Alpert was employed in July from Tennessee, the place he was senior deputy athletics director.
Shifting the Georgia recreation to Georgia Tech was annunced by then athletic director J Batt in October of 2024. Batt now could be athletic director at Michigan State.
This yr’s recreation is a high 25 matchup, with the 10-1 Bulldogs at No. 4 within the CFP rankings and 9-2 Georgia Tech at No. 23.
“Whereas the choice to play this yr’s UGA recreation at Mercedes-Benz Stadium was made earlier than I turned the AD at Georgia Tech, it was actually the correct determination, because the income elevate that it offered was important,” Alpert stated in an announcement to the Athens Banner-Herald offered by Georgia Tech. “As we evaluated the chance to play subsequent season’s residence recreation versus Tennessee at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, we decided that the very best determination for Georgia Tech, our soccer program and our followers was to play that recreation on campus. We’re very grateful for our partnership with AMB Sports activities and Leisure, who has been totally supportive of us as we consider future scheduling choices. We’re trying ahead to enjoying a minimum of yet one more future residence recreation at Mercedes-Benz Stadium as a part of our unique settlement with AMBSE, and persevering with to discover future alternatives collectively.”
AMB Sports activities and Leisure has branded the sport this yr because the Invesco QQQ Atlanta Gridiron Basic identical to the 2026 Georgia-Florida recreation there being performed as a result of stadium renovations in Jacksonville. The Georgia Tech recreation was introduced as a sell-out final Friday.
When Georgia Tech introduced an settlement to play video games at Mercedes-Benz in 2019, athletic director Todd Stansbury stated the college didn’t contemplate shifting the Georgia recreation.
“The Georgia Tech-Georga sequence is a historic recreation that I imagine needs to be performed at home-and-home,” Stansbury stated then.
Georgia Tech introduced final yr that the the 2027 Georgia recreation in opposition to Georgia Tech will return to the Yellow Jackets’ campus.
Georgia has dominated the Yellow Jackets in video games at Bobby Dodd Stadium, successful 12 straight there.
Bulldogs followers have confirmed up in massive numbers for video games at Georgia Tech and will have a giant presence Friday, even with only a 5,000 ticket allotment. Georgia Tech has stated its season ticket holders bought seating precedence that they didn’t have in earlier video games there.
Sophomore linebacker Chris Cole performed his first recreation in Mercedes-Benz in opposition to Clemson final season.
“I simply bear in mind the Dawg followers being so loud,” he stated. “It was a terrific expertise. I really like enjoying within the stadium.”
That is the second yr in a row “Clear Outdated Common Hate” will probably be performed on the Friday after Thanksgiving and that might proceed.
“It’s thrilling to have the chance to showcase the Georgia Tech-Georgia rivalry to the nation on Black Friday,” Alpert stated. “Very like the NFL, we have now to be artistic and progressive in figuring out scheduling home windows that give us the very best platforms to showcase our applications. Final yr’s recreation was one of many most-viewed video games of faculty soccer’s common season, with 11-and-a-half million folks tuning in for the conclusion of the sport, which was after midnight ET. Shifting ahead, like all alternatives, we’ll consider, search suggestions and collaborate with all events – together with Georgia, the ACC, SEC and ESPN – to make the very best choices for everybody concerned.”

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