Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium is the on-campus football home of the University of Georgia Bulldogs, located in Athens, Georgia. The stadium opened on October 12, 1929, built at a cost of $360,000, and has grown from an initial 30,000-seat bowl into one of college football’s grandest venues. With a current capacity of 93,033, it ranks among the ten largest stadiums in NCAA Division I football.
Games at Sanford Stadium are famously known as being played ‘between the hedges’ — a phrase rooted in the privet hedges that have lined the playing field since the stadium’s very first game. Beyond Southeastern Conference football, Sanford Stadium gained international recognition when it hosted the men’s football gold-medal match during the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics, one of the few American stadiums to serve as an Olympic venue.
Stats at a Glance
- Team(s): Georgia Bulldogs football (NCAA)
- Location: Athens, Georgia
- Opened: October 12, 1929
- Capacity: 93,033
- Attendance Record: 93,246 (vs. Notre Dame, September 21, 2019)
- Named For: Steadman Vincent Sanford, UGA president and athletics pioneer
- Olympic Host: 1996 Summer Olympics (men’s football gold-medal match)
- Playing Surface: Natural grass (Tifton 419 Bermuda)
Between the Hedges
The privet hedges surrounding the playing surface at Sanford Stadium gave rise to one of college football’s most enduring phrases. The tradition dates to the stadium’s 1929 opening, inspired by an early UGA athletics official who admired the hedged design of the Rose Bowl. Subsequent plantings have refreshed the hedges over the decades — including a new installation in 2024 — while preserving the iconic look that defines a home game in Athens.
The stadium was named for Steadman Vincent Sanford, a foundational figure in University of Georgia athletics who later served as university president. When it opened in 1929, Georgia was still competing in the Southern Conference; the Southeastern Conference would not be founded until December 1932. Nevertheless, Sanford Stadium immediately established Athens as a major college football destination, drawing a capacity crowd of 30,000 for its debut game against Yale University.
A Century of Growth and Milestones
Over nearly a century, Sanford Stadium has undergone expansions in 1949, 1967, 1981, 1991, 2003, and beyond, progressively enclosing the bowl and adding upper decks. The stadium grew from 30,000 seats to more than 93,000 by the early 2000s, cementing its place as one of college football’s most imposing venues and a consistent sellout destination.
The stadium’s all-time attendance record of 93,246 was set on September 21, 2019, when Georgia hosted Notre Dame in a nationally televised marquee matchup. Sanford Stadium also made history off the gridiron, serving as the venue for the men’s football gold-medal match at the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics — an event that brought global attention to a stadium already beloved throughout the American South.
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Sanford Stadium FAQs
Why are Georgia home games called ‘between the hedges’?
The phrase refers to the privet hedges that have encircled the playing field at Sanford Stadium since it opened in 1929. The hedges have become one of college football’s most iconic traditions, symbolizing the unique atmosphere of a Georgia home game in Athens.
What is the seating capacity of Sanford Stadium?
Sanford Stadium currently holds 93,033 fans, ranking it among the ten largest stadiums in NCAA Division I football. Its all-time attendance record is 93,246, set during a 2019 home game against Notre Dame.
Did Sanford Stadium host the Olympics?
Yes. In 1996, Sanford Stadium served as the venue for the men’s football gold-medal match during the Atlanta Summer Olympics, making it one of a select few American stadiums to have hosted Olympic competition.
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Photo: TarheelBornBred / CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.