No. 5 Georgia plays Florida in their annual rivalry game in Jacksonville on Saturday. The Bulldogs are winners of three straight, including a 43-35 upset win over No. 5 Ole Miss. Quarterback Gunner Stockton has emerged as a dynamic playmaker, completing 70.5% of his passes with 17 total touchdowns to only one interception.
Florida fired coach Billy Napier after its 23-21 win over Mississippi State, only the second FBS win of the season for the Gators. Wide receivers coach Billy Gonzalez is serving as interim coach, with quarterbacks coach Ryan O’Hara promoted to playcaller to replace Napier. The Gators have not won an FBS game away from Gainesville.
Georgia has won four straight matchups against Florida, and seven of the last eight under coach Kirby Smart. Last year, Georgia won 34-20 after knocking quarterback DJ Lagway out of the game.
Georgia vs. Florida: Need to know
Return of the run game: Georgia’s rushing offense has quietly regressed over the past few years, dropping all the way to No. 102 and 4.06 yards per carry in 2024. Through seven games, the unit is back with a vengeance. Georgia averages more than 190 yards of rushing per game, which is top 40 nationally. The Bulldogs also rank No. 7 in Expected Points Added per Rush. Florida’s defense is strong, but Georgia is starting to get back to bullying people in the trenches.
Rising wide receivers: Florida’s resurgence under Napier — however brief — was spearheaded by the emergence of a pair of true freshmen. Dallas Wilson and Vernell Brown III have exploded over the past three games since Wilson returned to the lineup. The duo have combined for 25 catches for 399 yards over the past three games, including three touchdown grabs. If the players were healthy early in the year,…
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