ATLANTA — Atlanta’s claim to being the center of the college football universe happened because of a series of events — some that took years, some that took mere moments — combined with the city’s proven history as one of the top convention sites in the U.S.
On the sporting side, the claim is backed by annually hosting at least one important game to kick off the season, and ending with another important game, the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, in the College Football Playoff. This year, it will be the semifinal between No. 1 Georgia and No. 4 Ohio State at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. In between those games are at least one more Chick-fil-A Kickoff game, borne of a slight, the SEC Championship game and the Celebration Bowl, which crowns the champions of HBCU football programs. It will host the CFP Championship game in 2025. Atlanta will be the first city to repeat as host.
Spiritually holding everything together is the College Football Hall of Fame, which moved to Atlanta from South Bend, Ind., after someone felt a famous Alabama coach was underrepresented.
