As a former (National Championship) student at the University of Georgia, I would be remiss if I did not talk about the Bulldogs’ rivalry against the Florida Gators.
First off, it’s by far the best rivalry game Georgia plays every year. (For the fans that enjoy beating up on Auburn and Georgia Tech, I apologize.)
The Gators are the only Bulldog opponents that refuse to try their luck in Sanford Stadium. The game is always played in Jacksonville, and any time there’s a reason to travel, Bulldog fans will and do.
The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party is the phrase fans coined for pregame festivities leading up to the annual matchup, and it lives up to the hype.
Thousands upon thousands of Georgia students gather an hour east of the stadium days before, partying on the beach to their hearts’ content. Additionally, fans from both teams meet directly outside TIAA Bank Field and will tailgate for hours on end.
Waves of red and black and blue and orange line the stadium as you walk toward the gates, and your nose is met with a plethora of smells from the best cookouts you’ve ever experienced.
On top of the build-up, the Georgia-Florida game is always played on the weekend closest to Halloween. Some fans will even dress up in costumes to add to the fun of the weekend.
It couldn’t be a more perfect scenario for two fan bases that hate each other so much.
A neutral site game allows for both sides to attempt to show out in full force, and the location of the game being somewhat in between Gainesville and Athens helps with that.
When the drone camera flies over the field during the coin flip, viewers will see an almost perfect split of colors. Each fan base sits behind their team’s bench, which adds more fuel to the fire in a close game.
Unfortunately for the Gators, they haven’t seen many close games recently. Since head coach Kirby Smart took over at Georgia, the Bulldogs have beaten the Gators four times and only one of those victories came by a touchdown or less.
Historically, it’s been the Bulldogs that have enjoyed the success as they lead the Gators in the all-time series 55-44-2. This will be the second year in a row in which the Bulldogs will come into this game ranked and the Gators will not.
Tradition has kept this matchup in Jacksonville but talks of transitioning to home-and-home matchups have ramped up in the past couple of years. Many players and coaches have said it would be cool to host a game like that but understand why it’s currently a neutral-site game.
With the illustrious Michael Stone letting me get in on the column action, I’ll leave readers— especially those who favor the home-and-home scenario—with a question until next time.
Could you withstand the aftermath of a loss between the hedges for a victory in the swamp?