JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party has provided little drama in recent years.
Seven of the past eight football games between longtime Southeastern Conference rivals Florida and Georgia have been decided by at least two touchdowns. Even the relatively close matchup in that stretch, Georgia’s 24-17 win two years ago, was a 14-point contest before the Gators scored with a little more than three minutes remaining.
Most fans probably wouldn’t be shocked to see another lopsided affair Saturday.
The top-ranked Bulldogs (7-0, 5-0) are 14-point favorites, according to FanDuel Sportsbook, marking just the third time in 30 years they are favored by double digits against Florida (4-3, 2-3). Georgia split the first two, getting upset 38-20 in 2014 and winning 42-7 three years later.
The Bulldogs have even more to play for this time around. They are ranked No. 1 when facing Florida for the first time in nearly 80 years and can move a step closer to winning the SEC East Division for the fourth time in five years. That would lead to another trip to the SEC title game in Atlanta as Georgia pushes to reach the College Football Playoff for the first time since losing the national championship contest of the 2017 season to Alabama.
“We all know what’s at stake,” Florida defensive end Zach Carter said. “Right now, we’re playing to finish strong and end the year on a good note. Getting this win would mean a lot, especially knocking off the No. 1 team. I wouldn’t necessarily say ruining their season because I’m sure if we beat them, they still might end up in the playoff somehow. But just getting that win, it would mean a lot, for real.”
CBS will televise the 3:30 p.m. game
Georgia has won 11 games in a row since getting steamrolled in Jacksonville last year, which ended a three-game series winning streak for the Bulldogs. The Gators racked up 571 yards that day – the most in sixth-year coach Kirby Smart’s tenure leading the Bulldogs – against a defense that played without 6-foot-6, 340-pound, run-stuffing nose tackle Jordan Davis and two other starters.
“I don’t try and use those extrinsic things,” said Smart, whose defense leads the nation by a significant margin. “I have never had great experiences with that. You count on emotions to do that. I don’t want the players emotional the whole time. That’s what the fan wants, but I want them thinking about what they have to do to win this game, and last year’s game has nothing to do with this year’s game.”
Georgia will be the fifth team to carry the No. 1 ranking into the annual rivalry game in Jacksonville, and three of the previous four fared well. The top-ranked Bulldogs dominated Florida 75-0 in 1942, while No. 1 Florida won 47-7 in 1996 and 41-17 in 2009. The lone upset came in 1985, when No. 17 Georgia stunned the top-ranked Gators 24-3 and ended Florida’s 18-game unbeaten streak.
Now the Gators are trying to play spoilers.
“The intensity levels are going to be high and the emotions are going to be high,” Florida running back Malik Davis said. “I love it.”
Both teams should be rested coming off an open date, but as of Friday afternoon neither had revealed its starting quarterback. Georgia’s Stetson Bennett, who struggled against Florida a year ago, started the past three games with JT Daniels working to return from a strained lat muscle. Daniels, 7-0 as a starter for the Bulldogs, returned to practice last week and needed to show he could move and make accurate throws to get the nod.
Earlier in the week, Florida coach Dan Mullen wouldn’t definitively say whether Emory Jones or dynamic backup Anthony Richardson would be on the field first. Mullen insisted what matters more is who’s on the field last. Jones was benched in Florida’s 49-42 loss at LSU two weeks ago, and Richardson is bigger and faster and might give the Gators a better chance against Georgia’s vaunted defense.
Georgia’s running back depth took a hit when Kendall Milton, third on the team with 243 rushing yards, sustained what Smart described as a “slight” knee injury in practice last week. Milton is not expected to play Saturday.
“I don’t know how many weeks it will be,” Smart said.
The Bulldogs have scored at least 30 points every game since opening with a 10-3 win against Clemson, but their defense has been most impressive, and Davis – a 6-foot-6, 340-pounder who stuffs the run – is starting to show up on some Heisman Trophy lists and his teammates are promoting the idea.
No defensive player has won the award since Michigan cornerback Charles Woodson in 1997, and even then the Wolverines gave him opportunities to touch the ball as a receiver and a returner.
“It’s definitely cool, but at the end of the day, I’m more worried about the team awards and the team, if we win or not,” Davis said. “All the individual stuff comes and goes, but at the end of the day, we want to make something special of the season.”
Davis was asked if he’d like to attend the Heisman ceremony, an honor given to select finalists.
“Honestly, I haven’t stopped to think about it,” Davis said. “I don’t even know when the ceremony is, if that gives you any idea.”