Georgia and Florida State to play single neutral site game in 2028
FSU athletics director Michael Alford confirmed the arrangement, narrowing potential host cities to seven locations across the Southeast.
Following the recent cancellation of a planned home-and-home series, Georgia and Florida State have reached an agreement to play a single neutral site football game in 2028. The decision marks a structural adjustment to the scheduling relationship between the two institutions, replacing the intended round-robin format with a solitary fixture.
FSU athletics director Michael Alford confirmed the matchup on Tuesday, stating that the Seminoles and Bulldogs will square off in 2028 at a location that remains undetermined. This arrangement ensures the two programs will still meet on the gridiron, albeit without the reciprocal home-and-home structure originally proposed. The contest will serve as the 13th all-time meeting between the Georgia Bulldogs and Florida State Seminoles.
While the specific date and venue have not been announced, Alford indicated that the search for a host is focused on seven cities. The potential locations under consideration include Atlanta, Charlotte, Miami, Nashville, New Orleans, Orlando, and Tampa. The final decision on the host city is expected to be made closer to the event, leaving the precise logistics of the 2028 contest open for negotiation.
If the game is ultimately hosted in Miami, the fixture would function as a rematch of the 2023 Orange Bowl. In that previous encounter, Georgia defeated a depleted Florida State squad. However, the current agreement does not mandate Miami as the venue, leaving open the possibility of the match taking place in one of the other six candidate cities.
The agreement comes after the two schools recently announced the cancellation of their home-and-home series. This shift in scheduling reflects the ongoing complexities of arranging high-profile college football matchups. The news was reported by On3's Brett McMurphy, who noted the confirmation provided by the Seminoles' administration regarding the new neutral site arrangement.
Historical context suggests a significant gap in regular-season competition between the rivals. The last time the two teams met in a regular-season game was in Tallahassee in 1965. Prior to that, their most recent meeting occurred in the Sugar Bowl following the 2002 season, highlighting the rarity of their direct confrontations outside of bowl games.
