Steve Spurrier weighs in on the great debate about the future site of Florida-Georgia game

When Steve Spurrier was the head coach of the Florida Gators, he was happy to make the drive from Gainesville on the 301 up to Jacksonville for the annual rivalry game versus Georgia. Beginning in 1990, he went 11-1 versus the Bulldogs, so he didn’t mind much where the game took place.

However, Spurrier revealed to Paul Finebaum on Thursday that when he took over the team in the midst of a bad streak for the Gators, there was another great debate about whether to move the game back to the home campuses.

“I’ll tell you the truth, Paul, way back in 1990, if you remember, before 90, Georgia had won 15 of the last 20 and the Gators were wanting to move the game out of Jacksonville,” Spurrier said. “Some of them told me, ‘Coach, we can’t beat ’em over there, we’re cursed or there’s a jinx or something.’ I said, ‘No, they’re just kicking our butts over there, that’s the reason they’re winning and we’re going to try to do something about it.’

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Florida is on the unlucky side of the losing streak this time around and the debate over the future location of the game rages on.

“The team that wins is usually the best team, the best prepared, all that kind of stuff. As a Gator, I’d like to see it stay there, but who knows what’s going to happen three-four years down the road.”

In front of the Jacksonville crowd, the Bulldogs smacked the Gators 34-7 last season on the way to their first national title in 40 years. They’re undefeated and the No. 1 team in the nation once again coming into this Saturday’s game.

Florida, Georgia considering future of Jacksonville game after 2023

The two programs released a joint statement on the future of the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party on Monday.

“The annual game between our two universities is an important tradition,” the statement reads. “At this time, both programs are focused on our current seasons. Typically both schools begin conversations regarding future games in the series as the last contracted game nears. We anticipate following that timeline.

“When those discussions take place, we will consider a multitude of factors, including tradition, finances, future SEC scheduling models with the addition of Texas and Oklahoma, and what is best for both schools’ football programs overall.”

Florida and Georgia have played the rivalry game every season since 1926 except for a war-time interruption in 1943. The series moved to Jacksonville in 1933 and it remains one of the few traditional neutral-site series left in college football.

The current contract for the Florida-Georgia game keeps the game in Jacksonville through 2023, however, there is an option to extend it through 2025.

The game on Saturday has a 3:30 p.m. ET kickoff time and the game broadcast will be on CBS. Undefeated Georgia is a 22.5-point favorite, per the Vegas odds.