JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — To the Florida fans who might be frustrated, even fed up, with the current state of their rivalry with Georgia, we offer a dose of context.
Rewind, say, 40 years.
The date was Nov. 8, 1980. No. 20 Florida led unbeaten and second-ranked Georgia by five points with just over a minute remaining. The Bulldogs, with their national championship hopes in the balance, faced a third-and-11 from their own 7. Half of the Gator Bowl was going nuts. The other half was 60-some seconds from drinking the world's largest poisonous cocktail.
Then, of course, came Buck Belue to Lindsay Scott. Ninety-three yards.
Run, Lindsay, run!
Twenty! Fifteen! Ten!
Lindsay Scott!
Lindsay Scott!
Lindsay Scott!
A case can be made that Georgia's stunning 26-21 victory was its greatest in the series' history, given the Bulldogs went on to capture the school's lone national championship. Feel free to consider it the most crushing loss on the Florida side of the rivalry that dates to 1915, for the fact UF was oh-so-close to ruining the Bulldogs' magical season. As it so happened, that unforgettable outcome made for one of 13 wins for Georgia over a 16-season span (1974-89). Talk about Florida frustration
So, what's a measly three-game skid in the grand scheme of things, right?
No?
Oh well. We tried.
In winning each of the last three meetings, the Bulldogs have outscored the Gators by a combined 102-41, despite the two foes being ranked in the top 10 the last two years. They'll make it three straight Saturday when No. 8 Florida (3-1, 3-1) and No. 5 Georgia (3-1, 3-1) clash for the inside track to the Southeastern Conference East Division title — and hopes for a College Football Playoff berth — in the 99th meeting between the programs at TIAA Bank Field. The Dogs lead the all-time series 54-43-2.
[Read senior writer Scott Carter's comprehensive "Opening Kickoff" preview here]
The most intriguing facet of the matchup will be when Florida, armed with record-setting quarterback
Kyle Trask, and its high-powered offense squares up against a Georgia defense that, although banged up, rates statistically tops in the league and second in the country.
UF will need another solid (if not spectacular) performance from red-hot quarterback Kyle Trask when the Gators go up against a Georgia defense that ranks first in the SEC and 13th nationally in yards allowed. (Photo: Courtney Culbreath/UAA Communications)
Trask, who last week became the first player in SEC history to throw 18 touchdown passes in his first four games, is leading a unit that is averaging 476.5 yards (15th nationally, third in SEC) and 42 points per game. If the Gators even come close to those numbers it'll be a surprise, what with the Bulldogs surrendering just 300.6 yards and 16.2 points after limiting Kentucky to 229 yards (only 91 passing) and 3.6 yards per play in a 14-3 road win last week.
Obviously, UF will offer more of a punch on offense, with Trask hitting 68.3 percent of his throws for 1,341 yards, those 18 TDs and just two interceptions. It might be worth noting that as stout as the Dogs have been they did get trampled for 564 yards — including 417 threw the air, with TD strikes of 40, 17 and 90 yards — in a 41-24 loss at Alabama three weeks ago. It's also worth noting that everybody has been trampled by No. 2 Alabama.
While the Georgia defense basically smothered Kentucky last week, injuries took their toll with the loss of a pair of defensive tackles, Jordan Davis (elbow) and Julian Rochester (knee), neither of who will play Saturday. Same with standout safety Richard LaCounte III, who was injured in a motor scooter accident last weekend.
Containing tailback Zamir White (3) and a UGA running game that ranks third in the SEC at 175.2 yards game, and thus forcing the Bulldogs to pass, would be a big key to success in the 99th meeting between the Gators and Bulldogs.
Offensively, the Dogs aren't wildly threatening, with a unit that is middle-of-the-pack in the SEC and 51st nationally at 404.0 yards per game, and scoring 29.2 points (tied-55th overall, tied-6th in league). Junior quarterback Stetson Bennett has made good on 58.4 percent of his throws for 1,089 yards, seven touchdowns and five interceptions. Tailback Zamir White (90 carries, 402 yards, 6 TD), keys a ground game that is averaging 175.2 yards per game, which rates third in the conference.
The UF defense has shown it can be quite accommodating when opponents have the ball. The Gators are 67th in the country (11th in the SEC) and giving up 433.2 yards and 29.3 points per game, but rolled out easily its best all-around game of the season in last week's 41-17 home win against Missouri, holding the Tigers to just 248 total yards; only 40 rushing. The Gators did so despite the absence of three starters in the secondary —
Marco Wilson,
Shawn Davis and
Donovan Stiner, all of whom are expected to be available this week — but got a boost from the return of 6-foot-4, 295-pound defensive tackle
Kyree Campbell. Florida will be without defensive lineman Zach Carter for the first half after Carter drew a suspension for his part in a melee that broke out at halftime of the Mizzou game.
Do the Dogs make it four straight? Or do the Gators make their first statement in the series under Coach
Dan Mullen?
Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. on CBS, with the crew of Brad Nesler on play-by-play, Gary Danielson providing analysis, and Jamie Erdahl working the sidelines. The game will be rebroadcast Wednesday at 11:30 a.m., Thursday at 1 a.m., and Friday at 4 a.m., all on the SEC Network. The list of Gator Radio Network affiliates can be found
here.
Finally, follow senior staff writer
Scott Carter on Twitter (
@GatorsScott) for commentary and analysis throughout the afternoon.
FloridaGators.com will have complete coverage from the game Saturday and fresh content Sunday, as well.
