Sanford Stadium

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Sanford Stadium is widely known as the greatest spectator stadium in the South and surrounded by its famous hedges, Georgia's home field is one of the legendary facilities in college football.

Capacity: 92,746
Opened: 1929
Location: Athens, Ga.
Field Surface: Natural
First Game: UGA vs. Yale

With a $25 million expansion completed in 2003 and another $8 million in 2004, Sanford Stadium added a second upper deck on the north side and 27 new north side SkySuites bringing the new stadium capacity to 92,746, the fifth largest on-campus stadium in the country.

Named for the late Dr. S. V. Sanford, former president of the University and Chancellor of the University system, Georgia's Sanford Stadium celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2004. An overflow crowd of 30,000 saw the stadium's first game on October 12, 1929, when Yale University made its only trip South. Georgia won the now famous game when a young sophomore end from Macon, Vernon "Catfish" Smith, scored all 15 of the Bulldogs' points. Final score, Georgia 15, Yale 0.

Through the years, the stadium has experienced various expansion projects. In 1940, lights were added to the field level paving the way to the first Sanford Stadium night game, a 7-7 tie between Georgia and Kentucky on October 26, 1940.

Eventually, the East end of the stadium was enclosed, more lights added, and the capacity increased to 82,122. The 1991 project cost the University Athletic Association $3.7 million and enclosed the West end. The price tag was rather hefty, considering that the original price to build the stadium was a mere $360,000.

Legendary Sanford Stadium added yet another chapter to its history by hosting the medal round of the 1996 Olympic men's and women's soccer competition watched via television by over 3 billion people around the world.

Filled on Saturdays to its 92,746 capacity, Sanford Stadium has long been one of the country's most beautiful and electrifying arenas for college football. Georgia's average home attendance has ranked among the nation's top 10 for 23 consecutive seasons and among the top seven for 21 of the past 24 years.