No Jaguars in Jacksonville for an entire month — Here is why

Jacksonville Jaguars fans will have to wait more than a month to see their team play in Jacksonville again.

The Jaguars will not play a single game in their home city during October, beginning an unusual stretch that will take them from Cincinnati to London before a bye week closes out the month.

Jacksonville last played at EverBank Stadium on Sept. 27 against the New England Patriots. The team will not return to its home stadium until Nov. 1, when the Indianapolis Colts come to town.

That creates a 35-day gap between games in Jacksonville.

First stop: Cincinnati

The Jaguars begin their October journey Sunday, Oct. 4, on the road against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Both teams enter the matchup with 2-1 records, and recent meetings between Jacksonville and Cincinnati have been close. Each of their last four matchups has been decided by one score.

Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET.

Then it’s off to London — twice

After Cincinnati, the Jaguars will cross the Atlantic for two consecutive games in London.

On Oct. 11, Jacksonville will face the Philadelphia Eagles at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

One week later, on Oct. 18, the Jaguars will play AFC South rival Houston Texans at Wembley Stadium.

Both games will begin at 9:30 a.m. ET for fans watching back home in Florida.

The Jaguars will officially be the home team for both London games, an unusual arrangement that makes this stretch even more distinctive.

Why are the Jaguars away for so long?

There’s a major reason behind the unusual schedule: construction at EverBank Stadium.

The Jaguars requested an extended period away from Jacksonville to give construction crews more uninterrupted time to work on the stadium’s $1.4 billion renovation project, according to CBS Sports.

October therefore gives construction crews an entire month without having to prepare the stadium for an NFL game.

A bye before coming home

After playing Houston in London, Jacksonville will have its bye week on Oct. 25.

The Jaguars finally return to Jacksonville on Nov. 1, when they host the Indianapolis Colts at EverBank Stadium.