Sanford Stadium
Nothing like being "Between the Hedges" at Georgia's Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium
Filled on Saturdays to its 93,033 capacity, Dooley Field at 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 more than two decades. Surrounded by its famous hedges, Georgia’s home field is one of the legendary facilities in college football.
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 ninth largest on-campus stadium in the country. A two-phase renovation in 2023-24 brought a slight capacity increase to 93,033.
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 enclosed the West end at a cost of $3.7 million. The price tag was rather hefty, considering that the original price to build the stadium was a mere $360,000.
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.
The Centennial Olympic Games of 1996 added an historic chapter to the 70-plus year history of Sanford Stadium. The home of the Bulldogs hosted the medal round of the men's and women's Olympic soccer in July, 1996. The largest crowd ever to witness a women's soccer game saw the United States defeat China, 2-1, to claim the first-ever women's Olympic gold medal in the sport.
2. Beaver Stadium, Penn State (106,572), natural
3. Ohio Stadium, Ohio State (102,780), natural
4. Kyle Field, Texas A&M, (102,733), natural
5. Tiger Stadium, LSU (102,321), natural
6. Neyland Stadium, Tennessee (101,915), natural
7. Bryant-Denny Stadium, Alabama (100,077), natural
8. Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, Texas, (100,119), field turf
9. SANFORD STADIUM, GEORGIA (93,033), natural
10. Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Florida (88,548), natural
2. Tiger Stadium, LSU (102,321), natural
3. Neyland Stadium, University of Tennessee (101,915), natural
4. Bryant-Denny Stadium, Alabama (100,077), natural
5. DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium, Texas, (100,119), field turf
6. SANFORD STADIUM, GEORGIA (93,033), natural
7. Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Florida (88,548), natural
8. Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn (88,043), natural
9. Gaylord-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, Oklahoma (80,126), natural
10. Williams-Brice Stadium, South Carolina (77,559), natural
11. Razorback Stadium, Arkansas (76,212), field turf
12. Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, Ole Miss (64,038), field turf
13. Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium, Missouri (61,621), field turf
14. Davis Wade Stadium, Mississippi State (61,337), natural
15. Kroger Field, Kentucky (61,000), UBU Sports Synthetic turf
16. FirstBank Stadium, Vanderbilt (40,350), artificial turf
Filled on Saturdays to its 93,033 capacity, Dooley Field at 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 more than two decades. Surrounded by its famous hedges, Georgia’s home field is one of the legendary facilities in college football.
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 ninth largest on-campus stadium in the country. A two-phase renovation in 2023-24 brought a slight capacity increase to 93,033.
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 enclosed the West end at a cost of $3.7 million. The price tag was rather hefty, considering that the original price to build the stadium was a mere $360,000.
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.
The Centennial Olympic Games of 1996 added an historic chapter to the 70-plus year history of Sanford Stadium. The home of the Bulldogs hosted the medal round of the men's and women's Olympic soccer in July, 1996. The largest crowd ever to witness a women's soccer game saw the United States defeat China, 2-1, to claim the first-ever women's Olympic gold medal in the sport.
Dooley Field
Prior to Georgia’s 2019 home opener, the playing field at Sanford Stadium was formally renamed in honor of Vince Dooley, the Bulldogs’ all-time winningest head coach. Dooley served as head football coach of the Bulldogs from 1964 through 1988 and director of athletics from 1979 to 2004. As head coach, he won 201 games, one national championship and six SEC championships. While Dooley was athletic director, UGA won 23 national championships and 78 SEC team championships.Top 10 Largest On-Campus Stadiums
1. Michigan Stadium, Michigan (107,601), field turf2. Beaver Stadium, Penn State (106,572), natural
3. Ohio Stadium, Ohio State (102,780), natural
4. Kyle Field, Texas A&M, (102,733), natural
5. Tiger Stadium, LSU (102,321), natural
6. Neyland Stadium, Tennessee (101,915), natural
7. Bryant-Denny Stadium, Alabama (100,077), natural
8. Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, Texas, (100,119), field turf
9. SANFORD STADIUM, GEORGIA (93,033), natural
10. Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Florida (88,548), natural
Capacity of SEC Stadiums
1. Kyle Field, Texas A&M (102,733), natural2. Tiger Stadium, LSU (102,321), natural
3. Neyland Stadium, University of Tennessee (101,915), natural
4. Bryant-Denny Stadium, Alabama (100,077), natural
5. DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium, Texas, (100,119), field turf
6. SANFORD STADIUM, GEORGIA (93,033), natural
7. Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Florida (88,548), natural
8. Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn (88,043), natural
9. Gaylord-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, Oklahoma (80,126), natural
10. Williams-Brice Stadium, South Carolina (77,559), natural
11. Razorback Stadium, Arkansas (76,212), field turf
12. Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, Ole Miss (64,038), field turf
13. Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium, Missouri (61,621), field turf
14. Davis Wade Stadium, Mississippi State (61,337), natural
15. Kroger Field, Kentucky (61,000), UBU Sports Synthetic turf
16. FirstBank Stadium, Vanderbilt (40,350), artificial turf