JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – One of the most memorable parts of the Florida vs. Georgia football tradition is the tailgating.
Pockets of Gators and ‘Dawgs fans mix together on neutral ground (semi-neutral if you ask some Georgia fans) and celebrate side-by-side.
The most clear-cut example of that unusual fan experience is the annual RV City, which opened at 8 a.m. Tuesday.
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The RV trip to Jacksonville is an annual affair for many fans, and spots are already sold out. That’s why a line of RVs has been waiting to get into the lot for days.
Bulldogs fans Randy Stone and Scott Wall, who first met at a Florida-Georgia game about 15 years ago, lined up for this year’s RV City on Friday.
“We plan weeks in advance when we’re gonna get here so we can all meet up and park together and have fun, cook and eat together all week,” Wall said.
Stone said he is known as the mayor of RV City around his house.
“Well, we got a Florida mayor and a Bulldawg mayor,” Stone said.
Florida fan Richard Dean is known as master chief.
“I’m a retired master chief from the Navy. I did 28 years and you can see we kind of have my master chief at the front of the coach,” Dean said.
Dean runs a tight ship.
“Then you got our bar, which we have the bar set up, and then at night, we put the lights up, and then for game day, you roll right into here, and you watch the TV,” Dean said.
Both of the mayors are diplomatic.
“We want to win of course, but we just love coming here for the weekend, having a good time,” Dean said.
But others, like Henry Hinojosa are more competitive.
“We came here to win,” Hinojosa said.
Entrance is on a first-come, first-served basis, and spots are assigned once campers enter the lot. That means a Georgia fan could end up parked between two Florida fans -- or vice versa.
That arrangement has made both RV City and the parking lots on gameday, an iconic experience as fans enjoy their tailgating time next to their rivals -- and often try to outdo each other with decorations, cooking and more.
The close quarters have also led to some unlikely friendships.
Florida Gators fans Nancy Hayes, Andrea Guzman and Carrie Sessions -- and Sessions’ bulldog “Meatloaf” -- have been friends with Bulldogs fans Stone and Wall for years. In fact, their friendship has grown so strong they see each other between games, too.
“They invited us over. We hang out with them every year. It’s become a tradition for us. We just love it -- even though they’re Georgia fans,” Sessions said. “It’s just amazing that they were so welcoming to us.”
Hayes said Stone is always ready with a quick, “Who let the ‘Dawgs out?” -- but it’s all in good fun. Until game time, that is.
If you’re camping out in RV City this week, here are a few rules to keep in mind:
- There are no electric or water hook-ups
- All camping vehicles, trailers, and RVs must be self-contained
- Saving spaces is not allowed
- All campers must exit RV City by noon Sunday
City leaders say they’re expecting big crowds for the game and are preparing accordingly.
“The biggest request that we can ask is that any fans attending the game, please be at the gates, ready to go, either shortly after the team walks at 1:30 or at 1:30 when gates do open,” said Mike Kenny, general manager of ASM Global, which manages EverBank Stadium. “There is a clear bag policy in effect, and we will also have metal detection screenings at the gate.”
We want everyone coming to the @FLvsGA game and the events all week to have a safe and fun time while you are here.@MayorDeegan and members from @ASMGlobalLive, @JSOPIO, @THEJFRD, and @JTAFLA briefed the media on safety, traffic, and gameday information today from City Hall: pic.twitter.com/QRT4L2xBQJ
— City of Jacksonville (@CityofJax) October 23, 2023
History
This is Jacksonville’s 89th year hosting the rivalry game, which is one of the greatest traditions in college football.
This time around, the Gators are the home team, making it the “Florida-Georgia” game.
Georgia has won five of the last six meetings, including last year, and this year’s matchup is a bit uneven. The undefeated ‘Dawgs have had a remarkable run at No. 1 this season while Florida is unranked at 5-2.
“The last two years have just been awesome for us. We’ve just had a great team. I hope it holds on this Saturday,” Stone said.
The Gators are 22-11 vs. Georgia dating back to 1990, but the overall record between the teams depends on who you ask.
Georgia claims 55 total wins, counting one against Florida Agricultural College back in 1904.
Kickoff is at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at EverBank Stadium.
For more information about the 2023 Florida-Georgia week and football game, visit FLGAjax.com.