Florida-Georgia game preps, parking, times to remember

DUVAL COUNTY, Fla. — The City of Jacksonville is getting ready for this weekend’s Florida-Georgia game!

The annual game is happening Saturday at 3:30 p.m. at TIAA Bank Field.

This showdown between the University of Georgia and the University of Florida has been hosted in Jacksonville since 1933, but the pandemic forced organizers to cancel it in 2020. This year, though, the game is going to look closer to normal.

While organizers are excited to see those crowds again, the Jacksonville Fire Rescue Department and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office will also be working to keep people safe.

”[The game has] been here except for those two years,” said Chief Brian Kee, who helps oversee special events at the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. ”Keeping this great tradition in the City of Jacksonville, where it belongs,” said Jacksonville Fire Chief Keith Powers.

CAUGHT ON CAMERA: Security video shows drive-by shooting on Westside that left woman hurt

TIAA Bank Field will be hosting 76,000 people and to keep them safe, JFRD and UF Health will have six medical zones set up across the area:

• VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena on the corner of Duval Street and A Philip Randolph Blvd. (300 A Philip Randolph Blvd)
• Daily’s Place South Lawn on Gator Bowl Blvd (1 Daily’s Place)
• The Shipyards on the corner of E Catherine Street and N Bay Street
• Lot E at TIAA Bank Field on East Adams Street off Talleyrand Avenue
• Veterans Memorial Wall (1145 E Adams St)
• Jacksonville Fire Museum on Gator Bowl Blvd. (1406 Gator Bowl Blvd)

SHOW US YOUR GATOR AND BULLDOG GEAR ⬇️

”Guests will be assisted with basic medical aid, transportation services, game day information, directions, and more,” Powers said.

JSO will also be stepping up patrols. ”We will have plain-clothes detectives as well as a large presence of uniformed officers,” Kee said.

In addition to these patrols, JSO said you can help things go smoothly by planning your parking ahead of time.

Parking in front of TIAA Bank Field is pre-sold, and if you are planning to park there, do not arrive before 8 a.m. or you will get towed. You must have your parking passes visible.

RELATED: Need a ride to the Florida/Georgia game?

Aside from this lot, there are five different lots where you can park and take a JTA Gameday Xpress shuttle right to the gates Gameday Xpress pick-up locations:

FSCJ Downtown Lot – 900 Laura St N - $8

Kings Avenue Garage – 1003 Kings Avenue - $8

JTB – 7020 Philips Highway - $13

Armsdale Park-n-Ride – 3191 Armsdale Road - $13

Beaches – 278 Penman Road South - $13

You can also find additional, day-of parking at the Ford on Bay – 288 E Bay St – for $25 (credit or debit only).

If you want to see kick-off, you should be parked by 10:30 a.m.. at least five hours before kick-off.

The box office opens at noon between Gates 2 and 3 and gates open at 1:30 p.m.

If you are in line between 1:30 and 2:30 p.m.., you should be ready to go for the main event.

”We want everyone to have a great and wonderful time at this special event,” Powers added.

Important Times to Remember

8:00 a.m. - TIAA Bank Field parking lot opens

10:30 a.m. - You should be parked

12 p.m. - Box office opens

1:30 p.m. Gates open

1:30 - 2:30 p.m. You should be in line

3:30 p.m. Kick-off

For more information, you can go to the event website here.

To buy a ticket to the game, click here.

WATCH: Florida-Georgia game traffic information

Florida-Georgia game traffic

©2021 Cox Media Group