Georgia
Kirby Smart Reveals Decision Details, Personal Stories About Georgia vs Florida Game
Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart reveals details and shares personal stories about the historic Georgia vs Florida matchup.
The Georgia Bulldogs and Florida Gators annual rivalry game is set to move to new locations for the 2026 and 2027 seasons while the normal venue in Jacksonville, Florida undergoes renovations. Atlanta will be the location for next year’s game, while Tampa will host 2027’s matchup.
Given that the decision to keep the matchup a neutral site affair was so heavily followed. Many wondered what ultimately led to the decision to opt for neutral site matchups as opposed to a home-and-home series. Georgia head coach Kirby Smart provided some insight about the decision during an interview with SiriusXM.
“That was an AD decision that ultimately was made based on money.” Said Smart “And you know, Mercedes and Tampa both ponied up and made really good financial offers.”
The financial offers Smart referenced were the recent revelations that both universities would receive a $7.5 million payout for each of the matchups played in Atlanta and Tampa. The schools would also be provided with $500,000 in compensation for travel expenses for each game, as well as for lodging.
In addition to providing details on what went into the decision to ultimately keep the game a neutral site affair, Smart recalled the last time the two schools met in each other’s home stadium. The Bulldogs head coach and former player himself retold the 52-17 beating the Dawgs suffered in Athens at the hands of the Gators in 1995.
“Everybody forgets that was seven kickoffs.” Said Smart about Florida’s onslaught of points. “Guess who the kickoff return guy was for Georgia that year… You’re looking at him. Seven kickoff returns in one game, and I brought them all out.”
Though Smart may have taken a physical beating in Athens 30 years ago. The Bulldogs head coach has helped the Dawgs deliver beatings of their own in recent years. Since 2016, Georgia has defeated the Gators in seven of the last nine meetings, many of which were by two scores.
The Bulldogs will renew their annual rivalry with Florida on Saturday, November 1st in Jacksonville, Florida. Kickoff for this game is currently scheduled for 3:30 p.m. and will air on ABC/ESPN+.
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Baseball
June 1, 2026
Oklahoma WALKS OFF No. 2 overall seed Georgia Tech to win regional | Full 10th inning
June 1, 2026
Oklahoma baseball knocked out No. 2 overall national seed Georgia Tech to clinch a spot in super regionals, thanks to a towering walk-off home run to dead center in the bottom of the 10th inning from Dayton Tockey. Watch the full extra-inning finish here.
A Griffin, Georgia man is now under arrest, charged in connection with a cold case homicide investigation in New Jersey, prosecutors say.
It’s been nearly 37 years since 42-year-old Mauricio Cuadra was shot during an apparent home invasion; now, authorities say 62-year-old Joseph Quiros-Soto is charged with his murder.
Officials say on Aug. 9, 1989, the officers with the Bayonne Police Department responded to reports of a home invasion and shooting at an apartment on the 400 block of Avenue C. Inside the home, they found Cuadra suffering from a gunshot wound. Cuadra died shortly after.
The case remained a mystery until 2024, when Quiros-Soto confessed to the murder to police in Locust Grove, Georgia, saying that he had become a born-again Christian, NJ.com reports.
Police told the outlet that he gave the detectives details of the crime and allowed visiting Hudson County authorities to take a DNA sample, which matched a stain on the victim.
Authorities were eventually able to obtain a warrant for the Georgia man’s arrest. On May 27, 2026, deputies with the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office arrested Quiros-Soto at his home in Griffin, charging him with murder and murder during the commission of a burglary.
Quiros-Soto is being detained in Georgia, awaiting extradition to New Jersey.
STARKVILLE — Mississippi State baseball has made the super regionals in the NCAA Tournament and will face a team its already played four times.
The No. 14 national seed Bulldogs (43-17) are matched up with No. 3 Georgia (49-12). The best-of-three series will take place in Athens, Georgia, because Georgia is the higher seed.
The super regionals run from June 5-8, and the winner will make the College World Series.
MSU is 0-4 against Georgia this season, getting swept at Dudy Noble Field and then losing a fourth time in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals. Georgia won the SEC regular season and tournament championships.
Both teams made it through their regionals without a loss. Mississippi State blew out Louisiana 19-5 on May 31, while Georgia defeated Liberty.
MSU has played Georgia only once in postseason history, losing in the 1990 College World Series.
Mississippi State baseball history in super regionals
Mississippi State has played in 10 super regionals and won five of them. It has won three straight super regionals. MSU is 2-4 as the visiting team in super regionals.
New Mississippi State coach Brian O’Connor is 7-2 in super regionals.
NCAA baseball tournament schedule
- Super regionals: June 5-8
- College World Series: June 12-22
Sam Sklar is the Mississippi State beat reporter for The Clarion Ledger. Email him at ssklar@usatodayco.com and follow him on X @sklarsam_.
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