The Georgia Bulldogs will play the Virginia Cavaliers in the 2020 Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game, the two schools officially announced on Wednesday.
The game will be played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia on Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 7, 2020. ESPN will broadcast the game in prime-time.
News of the Georgia-Virginia matchup was first reported last September by Jason Butt of The Telegraph.
Georgia-Virginia will be the second of two CFA games that season. Florida State and West Virginia will square off on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2020.
“This game will provide another great opportunity to kick off a season in the sports capital of the South on national television and against an opponent with long-standing tradition,” said Georgia Head Coach Kirby Smart. “Like Georgia, Virginia has been playing football for well over 100 years and I’m sure this will be a popular matchup with both fan bases, as well as football fans in general. We are appreciative of the opportunity and look forward to returning to Atlanta for the 2020 Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game.”
“This will be a great chance to play a Power 5 ACC opponent in a world-class venue,” said Greg McGarity, University of Georgia’s J. Reid Parker Director of Athletics. “We actually have a history with Virginia that goes back to the first meeting in 1897, a game coincidentally played in Atlanta. The game will be a popular event with both Georgia and Virginia fans. We look forward to our return to the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in Atlanta and starting the 2020 season against UVA.”
Georgia and Virginia first met on the gridiron in 1897 and have met 19 times overall. The Bulldogs lead the series 9-7-3, but the two schools haven’t squared off since the 2000 Jeep Oahu Bowl.
“Having the chance to open the college football season in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game is a fantastic opportunity for our program,” said Virginia Head Coach Bronco Mendenhall. “Players love to compete on the largest stage and Atlanta is a great location for our fans to spend the Labor Day weekend. I cannot imagine a better setting to open the season than to face Georgia in what I’m told will be one the nation’s finest stadiums. The Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game has a reputation of being an amazing experience for both teams and we are appreciative of this invitation.”
“We look forward to returning to Atlanta to be part of what’s becoming a great college football tradition to kick off the season in 2020,” Virginia Athletics Director Craig Littlepage said. “Gary Stokan and his staff are truly committed to delivering first-class experiences to both the participating teams and their fans. It’s an honor to represent the ACC in this game and our expectation is we will bring an improved team to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in 2020 to take on a strong SEC opponent in Georgia.”
Future Chick-fil-A Kickoff Games
- 2017 – Alabama vs. Florida State (Sat., Sept. 2)
- 2017 – Georgia Tech vs. Tennessee (Mon., Sept. 4)
- 2018 – Auburn vs. Washington (Sat., Sept. 1)
- 2019 – Alabama vs. Duke (Sat., Aug. 31)
- 2020 – Florida State vs. West Virginia (Sat., Sept. 5)
- 2020 – Georgia vs. Virginia (Mon., Sept. 7)
Football Schedules