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File photo: Florida coach Jon Sumrall celebrates with players in the locker room after the Oct. 17, 2026, win at Texas. Photo courtesy UAA and Hannah White.

Florida-Georgia week: Atlanta kickoff, quarterback watch and fan plans

3 hours ago
2 min read

Florida and Georgia return from open dates Saturday, Oct. 31, with their annual rivalry moving to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC, giving Gators fans a week to follow the quarterback story and plan for a different game-day destination.

Florida is 5-2 overall and 3-2 in the SEC. Georgia is 6-1 and 4-1. Both last played Oct. 17: Florida won 27-24 at Texas, while Kirby Smart's Bulldogs lost 27-24 at home to Auburn.

Monday's first public stop is Gator Talk. Florida coach Jon Sumrall joins broadcaster Sean Kelley from 7-8 p.m. at The Swamp Restaurant, 1104 SW Second Ave. in Gainesville. Fans can attend or listen through Gator Sports Network affiliates, the Florida Gators app or the Varsity Network app.

Tramell Jones Jr. supplies the backdrop for this week's quarterback coverage. In his first college start at Texas, Jones completed 22 of 35 passes for 155 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 41 yards. UF's Oct. 21 account said Jones started after Aaron Philo was sidelined by a shoulder injury.

"I'm proud of him for staying resilient," Sumrall said after the Texas win.

UF's Oct. 21 feature described Florida's quarterback outlook as unsettled entering the bye week. It did not name a starter for Georgia. The Texas performance gives Jones a full game of starting experience to build on.

For the broader injury and scheduling discussion, Buddy Martin examines the physical toll of the SEC's nine-game schedule in his latest column.

The scene shifts to International Plaza in Atlanta on Friday, Oct. 30. The Paul Finebaum Show is scheduled there from 3-7 p.m. ET, according to UF's game-week programming announcement.

On Saturday, SEC Nation runs from 9 a.m. to noon ET on SEC Network from the same location. Former Florida quarterback Tim Tebow is part of the show's lineup. Marty & McGee follows live from International Plaza from noon to 12:45 p.m.

The game is in Atlanta while Jacksonville's EverBank Stadium undergoes construction. Georgia is the designated home team. Fans traveling to the game should use the stadium's current event guide for parking and bag policies. The venue lists gates opening at 2 p.m., 90 minutes before kickoff.

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File photo: Jon Sumrall celebrates with Florida players in the locker room after the Oct. 17 win at Texas. Photo courtesy UAA and Hannah White.

Schedule, records and programming from FloridaGators.com and Georgia Athletics; venue information from Mercedes-Benz Stadium and the City of Jacksonville.

 
 
 

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