This won’t be your typical Georgia-Florida game, thank goodness
Aaron Murray should be a key playmaker for the Dogs against the Gators. (Associated Press)
Predictions of how the 2010 Georgia-Florida game will turn out seem to be falling into two categories.
On the one hand, you have those folks like the Vegas oddsmakers who look at how the teams have performed to date and figure the rebounding Dogs, who’ve been clicking offensively the past three weeks, have an edge over the stumbling Gators.
On the other hand, you have prognostications that basically boil down to this: The Dogs will choke and Florida will win because Florida usually wins. Typical of this school of thought is erstwhile AJC-er Terence Moore, who declared on WSB-TV’s “Sports Zone Sunday” that because of the fallout from the infamous end zone dance of 2007 the Dogs will never ever beat the Gators again as long as Urban Meyer is coach.
While Moore’s stance hardly ranks as reasoned analysis, there’s no question Florida has tended to feed off its dominance in the series over the past two decades while the Dogs often press too hard in this game.
But will that Jacksonville mojo really be a factor for the Gators this year? After all, this is sort of an unprecedented match-up of a pair of unranked teams that both have lost to Mississippi State and both count a win over Kentucky as their biggest victory to date. That’s uncharted territory for the Gators.
One thing seems clear: Mark Richt’s Dogs need to continue their recent trend of stopping their opponent from scoring on its first drive and getting the first points. When Georgia has scored first this year, it has won; when it hasn’t, it has lost. And the same applies to Georgia-Florida games in recent years. Fortunately for the Dogs, Florida has been extremely slow out of the gate this season.
The Gators have the best defense that the Dogs will have faced so far, but Florida hasn’t been very effective defending the run, and that’s been Georgia’s strong suit the past few weeks. Washaun Ealey’s “tweaked” knee could be a factor, though, as could some rust from two weeks off for Caleb King. But Georgia has the better quarterback in Aaron Murray and the best receiver in A.J. Green. The Gators do have a terrific secondary, but I don’t think Green will be denied in any one-on-one battle, and if he’s double-teamed, Georgia has other options.
On defense, the Dogs have given up a lot of yards through the air, though the Gator passing game hasn’t been very effective so far this season. And the Dogs have had trouble with mobile quarterbacks, which might make Florida backup Trey Burton in the Wildcat a potential problem. But barring a miracle transformation from Meyer’s bye-week “modifications,” Florida’s offense looks pretty ordinary, even with a gimpy Jeff Demps and stalker boy Chris Rainey returning.
Special teams appear pretty even. Both teams have fine punters; Georgia ought to have an edge in placekicking, since the Gators’ Caleb Sturgis won’t be able to play, but that depends on whether the Dogs’ Blair Walsh can shake off a few recent misses.
So, yeah, there are a lot of question marks hanging over this game. But Florida looks vulnerable for a change and the Dogs aren’t going to come into Jacksonville as intimidated as they have the past couple of years. Turnovers are always big in this series and Georgia has been looking good in that regard recently while the Gators have had problems holding on to the ball. And I think dual-threat Murray will be the big difference.
Bottom line is that Georgia has the momentum and the more dangerous offense this year, which should be enough to overcome any lingering Jacksonville jitters.
Go Dogs!
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198 comments Add your comment
Big Dawg
October 30th, 2010
2:22 pm
This is the Dumb and Dumber Bowl!
Pass The Ball
October 30th, 2010
5:09 pm
Well, I hope that they keep fighting. But it always looks like we are outcoached, out motivated, out lucked every Gator-Dawg game.
UOA1992
October 30th, 2010
5:20 pm
Will CMR resign, or will McGarity terminate his contract? This looks like every other UGA UF game. The Dogs are behind, and look like they are giving up, again. CMR waited too late to make coaching changes on both sides of the ball. His delay is probably going to cost him his job at the end of the season.
Let's Talk About UGA!
October 30th, 2010
5:20 pm
I’m back home. Go Dawgs!
Mama had to bail me out. Looks like I’ll be wearin’ orange next weekend (not cause I’m a Vols fan but because I’m lookin’ at community service). Go Dawgs!
The boys in jail got a kick out of my red panties. Go Dawgs!
Why is it that every man that Mama works for has the name ‘John.’
What channel is the game on?
I bet we’re whippin’ them gAytors.
Go Dawgs! Sic ‘em!
We’ve got more NCs than any college known to man.
Go Dawgs!
Let's Talk About UGA!
October 30th, 2010
5:23 pm
The good news is that I’m gettin’ drunk twice on the same day!
Go Dawgs!
Let's Talk About UGA!
October 30th, 2010
6:58 pm
I’ve i’ve i’ve thrown-up twice today..-. and sharted.
me and dawgs hangin inthere gooooooo dddddwgs@!
Let's Talk About UGA!
October 30th, 2010
7:00 pm
i peed onn myslf GO DAGGs!
Let's Talk About UGA!
October 30th, 2010
7:03 pm
Enter your comments here
Johnnyboy says
October 30th, 2010
7:46 pm
Wish we hadn’t played so dirty, that made them mad. Glad we didn’t get called for it. I thought this was the year. Oh well, will get em next year:)
CMR
October 30th, 2010
7:47 pm
I know we lost but how did I look on TV? Was my tan too dark?
Johnnyboy says
October 30th, 2010
7:48 pm
Let Rambo go pro, we don’t need his new last name or his crap
Pass The Ball
October 30th, 2010
7:48 pm
Well, I guess we tried to pass the ball. 3 Interceptions. Wow.
THE (G) ON THE MUTTS HELMET STANDS 4 GATOR
October 30th, 2010
7:49 pm
SUFFER REDNECKS FOR CHASING ALL THE IN STATE TALENT,TO OTHER SEC TEAMS!
HOW WOULD CAM NEWTON DONE AGAINST FLORIDA?
THANK YOU GATORS FOR MAKING THESE HILLBILLIES SUFFER!
Pass The Ball
October 30th, 2010
7:50 pm
It is a little frustrating when our D doesn’t know just to get down on the ball. Everyone is trying to pick it up. Just fall on it.
It was a good effort. But I think we are long past making “good efforts” against Florida. 2-8 is a rough record for a coach to have against a rival.
Perhaps I am a younger fan but the Florida-Georgia game always meant a lot more to me than Georgia-Tech.
Alabama Jack
October 30th, 2010
7:51 pm
Of course its typical. dumb dawgs lose, as usual..
Joe
October 30th, 2010
7:56 pm
CMR is a sucky football coach and an orange traffic cone look-alike contest winner.
Joe
October 30th, 2010
7:58 pm
Fire Richt-orino, release all the felonious players (not like they gonna graduated anyway) and let us return to mediocrity with a MAN as head coach.
Joe
October 30th, 2010
7:59 pm
I was for firing Richt for not winning a NC, he can’t even get bowl eligible?! GA is a great high school football state and deserves better.
Pass The Ball
October 30th, 2010
8:02 pm
Where do we go from here? Does anyone know if we can even qualify with 6 wins (2 being from Louisiana-Lafayette and possibly Idaho State) for a bowl?
M H
October 30th, 2010
8:04 pm
Would someone please teach Ga players how to fall on a fumble instead of trying to run with it. Twice, we had it and gave it back….and FL scored 2 touchdowns after we gave it back. Pitiful.
d-man
October 30th, 2010
8:11 pm
This Florida loss hurts even more than usual, because by all accounts the Dawgs should have won this game going away. But as usual against the Gators, Ga found several ways to lose. A choke job of the highest order and plenty of blame to go around. First half, the offense in general and Murray in particular was horrible. Then in the second half the offense gets on track, and the defense chokes like Willie Martinez!!! A MAJOR opportunity to finally beat FLA goes by the wayside and another mediocre season in the books. Even if GA lucks up and beats both Auburn and Tech, which is not at all likely, this will have to rate as the most disappointing season in Richt’s era. I can hardly wait for the quotes from the players and coaches, saying “the season isn’t over, we still have a lot to play for”. Yeah, right. I don’t think so. Oh well, maybe some other decade!!.
Pass The Ball
October 30th, 2010
8:12 pm
I am a younger fan. My first year at UGA was Richt’s first year. I have a hard time thinking of UGA football without him.
But something has to change.
Coach
October 30th, 2010
8:21 pm
Mr. King, regarding Terrance’s remarks, that was NOT an “end zone dance” as you referred to it. It was a “let’s go crazy and dance all over the field” dance as anyone who was there can attest.
Supes
October 30th, 2010
8:22 pm
UGA will be lucky to go 6-6 now…just to avoid a losing season.
Auburn looks like a legit team and doesn’t look like the UGA defense will be able to do anything to stop that Tiger offense.
GT will probably run all over us with their option attack.
Either way, one or both of those games will be loses.
Beating Idaho State should be a given.
How the program has gone into a decline…7-5 last season (not counting bowl game) and 6-6 this year (looks that way)…if that is the case….this program is at a major crossroads.
UGA under Richt and Bobo
7-5
6-6 (likely)
what if in 2011 they go 5-7 or worse? Will that be it then? When is enough enough? We are MEDIOCRE at best now. You are what your RECORD says that you are CMR and Coach BOBO!!!
Supes
October 30th, 2010
8:26 pm
As a lifelong UGA fan…I’m so freaking tired of losing to FLA. Move this fraking game out of J-Ville…if our AD can’t see that this whole team is so freaking tight starting the game (which is why they played like it in the first half of the game and why Murray looked like a kid without a clue at QB). The players need a change up here, change the playing field by going home and home and (taking the importance) out of it…right now it feels like a “special game” that they just can’t seem to win no matter what. This game needs to be switched and FLA needs to be treated no different than a KY or Tenn. Only then will the mental block be broken.
Darth Gator
October 30th, 2010
8:29 pm
A notice to all Florida fans from the tax assessor of Athens, Georgia:
Dear Gator Fans:
Due to a decrease in property value at The University of Georgia please be advised that your taxes have been greatly reduced in 2010.
We do request that as the owner of The University of Georgia you pay your taxes promptly. This is your obligation as owner.
You may send taxes to:
Athens-Clarke County Courthouse
Suite 280
325 E. Washington St.
Athens, GA 30601
Thank you for your prompt response.
Joseph (Kirk) Dunagen
Tax Assessor
Joe
October 30th, 2010
8:33 pm
hahahahahahaha hohoho heeeeeeee.
Joe
October 30th, 2010
8:34 pm
I think you got it in the back there M H,
wildbill
October 30th, 2010
8:36 pm
1. 18 losses, 3 wins.
2. A long road back to Athens.
3. 4 turnovers.
4. Time for some pink slips?
Darth Gator
October 30th, 2010
8:36 pm
Supes, as a lifelong Gator I remember the years you beat us in the ground and were all to happy to do it in Jacksonville. In the mid-90s we played home and away and still beat you silly.
There isn’t a mental block on Georgia’s part – what there IS is a superior program on the other side of the ball.
Do you “really” feel the pain? This was the best chance you’ll have in years. We have more starting freshmen than any team in the nation, and we are having the worst year since the 80s. If you could not do it this year — you won’t next year either.
Joe
October 30th, 2010
8:37 pm
yeah Man…. let’s keep Mark Richt Man…. then we win the game finally Man…
Darth Gator
October 30th, 2010
8:39 pm
I am President of the Florida coaltion to keep Mark Richt employed at Georgia.
Joe23
October 30th, 2010
8:40 pm
To all UGA fans, please stop wasting my natural resources… before you get a chance to vote for sarah palin, in addition to your vote for CMR. Peace…
,…,. ,,, … !? ??????????????? .
Johnnyboy says
October 30th, 2010
8:41 pm
Our guys look and acted like the thugs of FSU, late hits, chest bumping, hits after plays, flagrant head and neck shots…etc. We would have whipped their sorry butts if we would have acted like we knew what we were doing and not acting like street thugs ! I am sick of it ! Act like winners and win instead of acting like morons.
Joe23
October 30th, 2010
8:43 pm
morans indeed!
Johnnyboy says
October 30th, 2010
8:43 pm
Hey Joe23,
You ok ? Did your nurses see what you typed ? Go ahead and call for the medicine and we will come see you tomorrow . Cool ?
Darth Gator
October 30th, 2010
8:44 pm
How many coaches have we at Florida been responsible for Georgia firing?
1. Ray Goff
2. Jim Donan (I actually liked him)
and on the bubble, Mark Richt
joe23
October 30th, 2010
8:45 pm
yeah change my bedpan too you loser. lol
Darth Gator
October 30th, 2010
8:46 pm
Johnnyboy says, Nick Saban up in Alabama says “it is what it is”, I say “you are what you are”!
Johnnyboy says
October 30th, 2010
8:46 pm
They say our coach’s first job was bartending. I say we find him a bar to tend and pay him , along with Goff and the other freaks we hired !
Candy Maldinato
October 30th, 2010
8:47 pm
Somewhere CMR is busy working on his plans for a NC.
Johnnyboy says
October 30th, 2010
8:47 pm
We say, we is what we is
Johnnyboy says
October 30th, 2010
8:48 pm
but, we will not stay down long. This game will wake us up and we will start kicking some SEC butt. !!!!
Darth Gator
October 30th, 2010
8:48 pm
Johnnyboy, at least you have a sense of humor!
Joe23
October 30th, 2010
8:49 pm
NURSE!!! how about a lil help?
Darth Gator
October 30th, 2010
8:50 pm
You “ain’t” got a team, but you have a sense of humor.
Johnnyboy says
October 30th, 2010
8:53 pm
I hope
HUMPGATOR
October 31st, 2010
11:09 am
ONCE AGAIN DAWGS ARE GATORBAIT SWEEEET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. IT’S GREAT TO BE A DAWG HATER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. GOOOOO GATORS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!