Sanford Stadium Sanford Stadium is the on - campus playing venue for football at the University of Georgia in Athens , Georgia , United States . The 92 , 746 - seat stadium is the seventh largest stadium in the NCAA . Architecturally , the stadium is known for the fact that its numerous expansions over the years have been carefully planned to fit with the existing " look " of the stadium . Games played there are said to be played " Between the Hedges " due to the privet hedges , which have stood around the field , originally in 1929 , but removed in the summer of 1996 ; new , albeit considerably shorter , hedges were restored in the fall of 1996 . The stadium is the 8th largest non - racing stadium in the United States and the 14th largest such stadium in the world . History . The stadium is named for Dr . Steadman Vincent Sanford , an early major force behind UGA athletics . Sanford arrived at the University of Georgia as an English instructor in 1903 . He later became the faculty representative to the athletics committee and would eventually become of the University and Chancellor of the entire University System of Georgia . In 1911 , he moved the university ' s football venue from its first location , Herty Field , to a location at the center of campus which was named Sanford Field in his honor . In those early years of football , Georgia played a series of controversial games against in - state rival Georgia Tech . Tech ' s Grant Field in Atlanta held thousands of spectators , and Georgia was forced to play those match - ups almost exclusively at Tech ' s stadium . Sanford wanted Georgia to have a venue that would equal Tech ' s , and the " final straw " came in 1927 when UGA ' s undefeated ( 9 – 0 ) team traveled to Tech and lost 12 – 0 . It was alleged that Tech watered the field all night to slow UGA ' s running backs . Afterwards , Sanford vowed to " build a stadium bigger than Tech , " and play the game at Athens every other year . Notably , Tech still uses Grant Field for its football games . To fund his vision , Sanford had an idea that members of the athletic association would sign notes guaranteeing a bank loan to fund the stadium construction . Those guarantors would be granted lifetime seats . The response was overwhelming , and in 1928 a loan of $ 150 , 000 supported by fans and alumni allowed construction to begin on a stadium whose total cost was $ 360 , 000 . Near the existing Sanford Field was a low area between the Old Campus ( to the north ) and the Ag Campus ( to the south ) with a small creek ( Tanyard Creek ) running through it , creating a clearly preferable choice for the location of the new stadium . This natural valley containing Tanyard Creek would result in reduced costs , as stands could be built on the rising sides of the hill , while the creek could be enclosed in a concrete culvert , on top of which the field would be constructed . The architect for the stadium was TC Atwood of Chapel Hill , North Carolina , where North Carolina ' s Kenan Memorial Stadium had just been completed with a similar design . The 30 , 000 seat stadium was built in large part with convict labor , as were many public works projects of that era . While the location may be preferable for construction , the result is an uphill walk in any direction leaving the stadium . The stadium was completed on time , and UGA convinced perennial powerhouse Yale , with whom the University had historically maintained close ties , to be their first opponent in the new stadium . ( This also was Yale ' s first ever football game played in the South . ) On October 12 , 1929 , a capacity crowd of 30 , 000 + paid $ 3 . 00 per ticket to watch the Georgia Bulldogs , under coach Harry Mehre , beat Yale 15 – 0 in Sanford Stadium ' s dedication game . Writer and historian John D . Lukacs , in a 2009 feature story for ESPN . com , wrote that the crowd was at the time the largest " to witness a southern college football game " and that " Governors from all nine southern states also were in attendance . " Yale donated its half of the game receipts to UGA to help pay off the construction loans , which would subsequently be completely repaid in just five years . Dr . Sanford also was at this game , and attended many Georgia games at the stadium named in his honor until his death on September 15 , 1945 . Sanford Stadium ' s famous hedges have encircled the field since the stadium ' s very first game against Yale in 1929 . The idea to put hedges around the field came from the Business Manager of the UGA Athletic Department , Charlie Martin . Martin claimed to have received inspiration for the idea during a visit to the Rose Bowl , where he saw the hedge of roses in that stadium . Roses were not a suitable choice for the climate in Athens , so privet hedges were used instead . 6 other SEC Stadiums have copied UGA and now boast hedges , making this feature no longer unique to UGA , even though Georgia has the only one that completely surrounds the playing field . There is a disagreement as to the exact type of hedge planted at Sanford Stadium . The UGA Media Guide claims that the hedge is an " English privet hedge . " A county extension agent in Athens , however , claims online that the hedge is composed of " Chinese " privet , " Ligustrum sinense " . In addition to being a cosmetic touch , the hedges have proven to be an effective ( though perhaps unintended ) measure of crowd control as well . Even though a major traffic path to exit the stadium from both stands runs directly alongside the hedges , fans have only stormed the field and torn down the goalposts once in the entire history of Sanford Stadium . Stadium expansions . In 1940 , field - level lights were added , and Georgia played its first night game against Kentucky to a 7 – 7 tie . Six thousand seats were also added to the south side of the stadium in 1949 , bringing total capacity to 36 , 000 During the 1960s , many universities in the South were significantly expanding their stadiums , and Georgia was no different . Soon after the arrival of head coach Vince Dooley in 1964 , UGA began updating Sanford Stadium , removing the field - level lighting ( which obstructed views from the stands ) and adding 7 , 621 temporary end - zone seats , which brought total capacity to 43 , 621 . Architects Heery and Heery of Atlanta were then hired to plan a major expansion . This expansion planning was very tricky , since by that time the stadium was closely enclosed on both north and south sides by academic buildings . The plans went forward , however , and an " upper deck " of seats was added to each side of the stadium in 1967 without the need to demolish or alter any of the surrounding buildings . In addition to the new upper decks , this first major addition included a new pressbox and club seating . In total , 19 , 640 seats were added to the stadium ( bringing total capacity to 59 , 000 ) , at a cost of $ 3 , 000 , 000 . The new addition was christened with a victory over Mississippi State in 1967 . In 1981 , the east endzone stands were enclosed for a cost of $ 11 . 5 million , creating a " horseshoe - shaped " stadium and eliminating the free view enjoyed by the " Track People " . This addition added 19 , 000 seats , bringing total stadium capacity to 82 , 122 . The first game in the newly - expanded stadium was on September 5 , 1981 , against Tennessee , with Georgia delivering a 44 – 0 drubbing . Lights were re - installed in the stadium in 1981 . This time , the lights were not located at field level , but attached to the top of the upper level , thus not obscuring fans ' views of the field . The first game under the " new lights " was a 13 – 7 victory against Clemson on September 6 , 1982 . In 1991 , a portion of the west endzone stands was enclosed , creating a " partial bowl " around the lower level of Sanford Stadium . The west stands could not be completely enclosed due to the proximity of Gillis Bridge ( usually called " Sanford Bridge " ) , a major campus transportation artery , to the stadium . This expansion cost $ 3 . 7 million and added 4 , 205 new seats , bringing total capacity to 85 , 434 . Thirty luxury suites were added above the south stands in 1994 , and were expanded to 50 suites in 2000 . These expansions cost a total of $ 18 million , and raised total capacity to 86 , 520 . In 2003 , another upper deck was added to the north side of the stadium . This added 5 , 500 new seats to the stadium at a cost of $ 25 million , bringing total stadium capacity to 92 , 058 . Currently , most of these " upper - upper deck " seats are reserved for the fans of the visiting team . In 2005 , installation of a new video display on the West End zone was completed . Ribbon boards were also added along the sides of the stadium . These additions , constructed and maintained by Daktronics , establish Sanford Stadium as one of the most visually media intensive venues in the SEC . The stadium reached its current capacity of 92 , 746 in 2004 , when 27 SkySuites were added to the North side of the stadium at a cost of $ 8 million . As of September 2008 Sanford Stadium could grow by more than 9 , 000 seats if a plan from University architects is approved . The seating expansion would wrap around the east side of the stadium and would bring the stadium ' s capacity to 101 , 766 . University architect Danny Sniff said he considered filling in the endzone by the Sanford Drive bridge , but decided it was important to preserve the view of the Miller Learning Center and Tate Student Center . One alternative considered is to have a raised seating area which connects the upper deck area with the Sky Box section , maintaining the view from the bridge . There are other proposed additions which include increasing the number of concession stands and restrooms , as well as installing a Jumbotron outside the east end of the stadium to provide for the viewing of the game from outside the stadium . The video board installed from 2005 underwent a $ 1 . 4 million overhaul before the 2011 season . The screen ' s size expanded from 25x46 feet to the full size of the scoreboard which is 52x76 feet . The new video board has full HD capability . 1996 Summer Olympics . The stadium played host to the Olympic medal competition of men ' s and women ' s Olympic football ( soccer ) at the 1996 Summer Olympics . Because the required dimensions of a soccer field are wider than those of an American football field , the hedges surrounding the field needed to be removed . This proved to be a controversial measure , as it had not been general public knowledge that the hedges would have to be removed to accommodate the Olympic football competition . In preparation for this necessity , cuttings were taken from the original hedges , 3 years prior to the Olympics , and cultivated at a secret , off - campus site . It was later discovered that this ' secret site ' was 70 miles away at R . A . Dudley Nurseries in Thomson , Georgia . During the Olympics , Nigeria and the United States would win the men ' s and women ' s football gold medals , respectively , at the hedge - less stadium . Once the Olympics were over , the newly - grown hedges were transplanted from Dudley Nursery to the stadium . Sanford Stadium told the United States Soccer Federation it would not be interested in holding a possible World Cup match if the US gets the nod .