Florida vs. Georgia. The Gators and Bulldogs. They meet again on Saturday in Jacksonville. (File photo)
Game Day: Florida vs Georgia (CBS, 3:30 pm)
Saturday, October 28, 2023 | Football, Chris Harry
Share:
By: Chris Harry, Senior Writer
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – It's been two weeks since the Florida Gators staged their feel-good road comeback at South Carolina, a victory that – both for the team and its fanbase – provided an invigorating jolt of optimism and enthusiasm relative to the direction of the program under second-year coach Billy Napier. Not that the Gamecocks are world-beaters, mind you. It was all about circumstance. Erasing a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter. Making clutch plays on the road. Staring down adversity.
Now come the world-beaters.
Whether on paper or in reality, the chasm between the Gators (5-2, 3-1) and the No. 1-ranked, two-time reigning national-champion Georgia Bulldogs (7-0, 4-0), with their 24-game win streak dating to 2021, is massive. There may not be an area on either side of the ball or any phase of the game where UF has an advantage, hence UGA's 14½-point favorite line in Las Vegas. Florida has lost five of the previous six meetings of the storied rivalry by an average margin of 22 points, including last year's 42-20 blowout loss.
That said, UF will go to EverBank Stadium on Saturday with its Southeastern Conference fate in its hands. The winner assumes control of the East Division and path to the SEC Championship Game, though both teams have rugged roads ahead (read on).
[Read senior writer Scott Carter's comprehensive "Opening Kickoff" setup here]
To beat a team as good as the Bulldogs, obviously all the normal football factors (don't turn the ball over, take advantage of red-zone opportunities, stay on schedule with down and distance) must apply. But even checking all those boxes won't do it.
The Gators will have to play an exceptional game across the board. On offense, quarterback Graham Mertz (1,897 yards, 12 TD, 2 INT), the SEC leader in passing percentage (76.2) has enjoyed back-to-back performances against two of the worst pass defenses in the league (Vanderbilt and South Carolina). This will be a different task. Georgia ranks fifth nationally in pass efficiency defense (a 100.4 opposing QB rating and just 171.1 yards per game) and also first in the country on stopping third down (just 23.6 percent conversions). The Gators likely will need some help from Montrell Johnson Jr. (438 yards, 4 TD), Trevor Etienne (407 yards, 3 TD) and a running game that was utterly stonewalled by the two best defenses it has faced to date, Utah and Kentucky, when they combined for just 82 yards on 60 carries. That's 1.7 per attempt. If that's the going rate against Georgia, imagine the pressure Mertz will be facing on third and long. Wideout Ricky Pearsall (44 catches, 619 yards, 3 TD) can only bail his QB out so much.
Bulldogs quarterback Carson Beck starred at Mandarin High School, just a half-hour drive from EverBank Stadium, site of the annual Florida-Georgia game.
Defensively, Florida must shore up its interior play by limiting the Bulldogs' running game, led by Daijun Edwards (460 yards, 6 TD) and putting some pressure on quarterback Carson Beck (2,147 yards, 12 TD, 4 INT), the Jacksonville native making a triumphant homecoming. A couple short-field favors would help the UF offense, but the Gators have forced only four turnovers this season. That's tied for 129th nationally and last in the league.
It's worth noting, of course, that Georgia will be without one of the preeminent playmakers in the country in tight end Brock Bowers, who underwent ankle surgery two weeks ago and is expected to be out for the remainder of the regular season, at least. That means the Bulldogs, who have yet to face a ranked opponent, will be Bowers-less when it takes on No. 16 Missouri and No. 12 Ole Miss at home the next two weeks, followed by a date at No. 21 Tennessee before wrapping the regular-season slate at cross-state rival Georgia Tech on the road. That's a pretty backloaded schedule, but Coach Kirby Smart and his troops will not be overlooking the Gators; not even a middling version.
UF has had a fairly challenging schedule to date (those road losses at Utah and Kentucky, plus a big home victory against Tennessee), but still has trips to ranked Missouri and No. 15 LSU and wraps at home with fourth-ranked Florida State.
With such a conga line of ranked foes down the home stretch, might as well start with the biggest heavyweight of 'em all, right?
Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. on CBS, with the network's A-team crew of Brad Nessler on play-by-play, Gary Danielson providing analysis and Jenny Dell working the sidelines. The Gators Sports Network from Learfield will air with pregame coverage beginning at 1 p.m. and eventually give way to the team of Sean Kelley, former UF quarterback and two-time SEC Player of the Year Shane Matthews with color and sideline reporter Tate Casey for kickoff. For stations, click here.
The game will be replayed Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. and again Thursday at 1 a.m., both on SEC Network.
Finally, follow senior writer Scott Carter (@GatorsScott) for commentary and analysis throughout the game. FloridaGators.com will have complete post-game coverage from the game Saturday.
