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Gators' Napier, Bulldogs' Smart Talk Florida-Georgia Contest

Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier addressed the tradition of Florida-Georgia at SEC Media Days on Wednesday.

ATLANTA. - An annual event, the Florida-Georgia contest is perhaps the most traditional matchup either football program has in its history. The Florida Gators and the Georgia Bulldogs have long played the game in Jacksonville (Fla), perhaps much to the chagrin of some within the industry.

On Wednesday, Georgia head coach Kirby Smart and Florida HC Billy Napier both addressed the game with different opinions.

Smart, who has been the head coach at Georgia since 2016, feels the game ought to be played at the respective colleges on a rotational basis, not in the neutral site it has been played at since 1933, aside from a couple of off years in 1994 and 1995, when the Jacksonville Jaguars became an NFL franchise.

Speaking at SEC Media Days on the SEC Network earlier today, Smart said frankly, he did not feel there was an advantage or disadvantage in playing the game in Jacksonville, the better team wins, regardless.

“Tell you what, y’all call the AD down at Florida and ask him to come to Atlanta and come play us, we’ll play in Atlanta any time they want to play,’” Smart said. “It’s not an advantage for anybody. You look at the history of it, the one with the better team and the better players usually wins that game.”

Florida-Georgia has historically been one of the biggest games played annually within the SEC. But, with the game not being in either Athens or Gainesville, there hasn't ever really been a recruiting advantage like Auburn-Alabama or LSU-Alabama, where recruits can enjoy the game on visits in the fall.

That's the sticking point for Smart. 

“I’m competing against (coaches) all across the SEC, who host recruits at their biggest game,” Smart said.

“When Auburn plays Alabama, guess where the recruits are? When LSU and Alabama play, that’s where the biggest recruits want to go. It’s an opportunity for us to bring these kids, who fly in from all over the country — what game do they want to come see Georgia play? They’d like to see Georgia play Florida, but they can’t do that."

For Napier, he took a more non-committal approach, stating that he wanted to actually participate in the contest before giving his thoughts on whether or not it should ultimately be moved. That experience, first, is important for the team's head coach.

"I got asked that question earlier. I think the big thing is I'm probably not -- I want to experience the game first, right? I'd like to see that game in Jacksonville, experience that game before I have an opinion on that," Napier said when asked whether or not he felt the game should be moved. 

"There's a lot of credibility to both, right? The home and home obviously would be fantastic. But there's also some tradition there. There's a rivalry there. Time will tell. I agree, that's above my pay grade. But I'm looking forward to the opportunity to participate in the game."

As of right now, the game will continue to be held at the neutral site in Jacksonville. The next time the two teams will face off against each other will come on Oct. 29 at 3:30 p.m. ET.

There will certainly be more questions asked of both of the coaches on their thoughts at that time.

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