Florida State and Georgia have called off their scheduled home-and-home series for the 2027 and 2028 seasons, a move driven by the tightening grip of conference schedules and the looming College Football Playoff implications.
Alford’s Vision for the Rivalry
Michael Alford, Florida State’s athletic director who assumed the role in January 2022, described the decision as mutually agreed upon and framed it as an opportunity to preserve the rivalry in a neutral‑site setting, ensuring the matchup remains on the national stage.
Georgia’s 2028 slate now features nine SEC contests, a matchup against Georgia Tech and a single non‑conference opener, while Florida State will navigate a similar nine‑conference schedule and a home game against Florida, leaving only one neutral‑site encounter with the Bulldogs.
The shift reflects a broader realignment across college football, where expanded conference calendars and playoff considerations are reshaping traditional non‑conference arrangements, prompting programs to seek centralized venues that can accommodate massive fan bases and broadcast interests.
Potential host cities for the 2028 neutral‑site game span the Southeast, with Atlanta, Charlotte, Miami, Nashville, New Orleans, Orlando, Tampa, as well as Dallas, Blacksburg and Winston‑Salem under consideration, though the final site has yet to be announced.