After coming off its bye week, the Florida Gators will march into Jacksonville to take on the Georgia Bulldogs in “The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.” Their rivalry dates back to the teams’ first matchup in 1915. Last year, the Gators fell by a final score of 42-20. Fast forward to now and the Gators have a third consecutive chance to knock off a top-ranked Bulldogs team.
The Absence of Brock Bowers
After Georgia’s game against Vanderbilt, news surfaced that one of its biggest players, Brock Bowers, had suffered a high ankle sprain. Due to this injury, Bowers will most likely miss four-to-six weeks. His absence is one of the biggest headlines coming into this game. From here on out one of the biggest questions that will need to be answered is how Kirby Smart’s team will play without its biggest receiving threat.
Bowers stands at 6-4 and weighs in at 240 pounds. On the season, he has 567 yards and four touchdowns. He ranks second amongst tight ends for receiving yards and is tied for fourth amongst tight ends for touchdowns. On the flip side of things, he’s also a big factor in the blocking game. All in all, his athletic ability is like none other from the tight end position.
Looking at this from the Gators’ perspective, it’s a sigh of relief. Florida has played against some tough opponents with talented receiving cores, but Bowers is a whole different beast. Considering his absence, the Gators’ defense will have a lot less to deal with and will have a better opportunity to put pressure on UGA quarterback Carson Beck.
Does Florida have a chance?
Looking at this game on paper, it’s easy to say Georgia is a way better team than the Gators. After all, the Bulldogs rank number three in total offense and six in total defense. The Gators, on the other hand, rank 46th in total offense and 18th in total defense.
On the contrary, Georgia has played some close games against below-average Southeastern Conference (SEC) teams. Georgia beat Auburn 27-20 and South Carolina 24-14. Additionally, they beat Vanderbilt 37-20. These three games have demonstrated that the Bulldogs aren’t unstoppable. Even though the stats show otherwise, the Gators should stand a chance against the number-one team in the nation.
The Gator Offensive Line
Florida’s offensive line has been a sore topic for the team throughout the season. Multiple offensive linemen have been injured, which has resulted in backups playing in some games. All of this has ended up costing the Gators as well.
Florida ranks 100th in sacks allowed having given up 19 sacks in seven games played resulting in 147 yards. The Gators have played some well-rounded teams, but failing to protect your quarterback is something they’ll have to heavily monitor come Saturday. Even though Georgia has struggled to get to the quarterback, they are still no team to play around with.
Keys to the Game
Considering the Gators are playing against the statistically third-best team in the nation on offense, the defense will have to prevent the big play. The Gators’ secondary has given up the big play a couple of times this year already. Most of the time the big play has occurred in the early parts of the game. Even with the absence of Bowers, the Bulldogs will still look to throw the football if the run game isn’t working. Maintaining the field and not leaving anyone uncovered will be huge in this game.
Converting on third down will be another big factor in this game. Florida is tied for 109th in third-down conversion efficiency, while Georgia ranks number one in third-down defense. Considering how good the Georgia defense is, Graham Mertz and the Florida offense will have to find ways to convert on third down or move the sticks before the team reaches third down. If Florida wants any chance, they can’t force themselves into tough yard situations.
Lastly, Florida will have to force turnovers. Forcing turnovers will give the Gators the best chance to win this game. The offense is going to need as many opportunities to score as possible. The Gators have yet to see a defense let alone a team with the ability Georgia has. Even just one turnover can have such a big impact.
Expectations
When taking an in-depth look at this game, it’s simple to say Georgia could run away with this game late. On the contrary, though, Florida has been playing some serious football lately, which has been proven by Ricky Pearsall and Mertz. These two teams will fight hard in this bitter rivalry, which leads to the belief this game should be close.
