NFL Tickets
TV Schedule: Saturday, October 31, 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS
Stadium: Everbank Field, Jacksonville, Fla.
Line: Florida (-3)
Tailgating is almost an event of its own. In the south, it’s almost as important as the game itself. Honestly, depending on where you are , it could actually become pretty easy to forget that there’s a game to be played. Without question, “The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party” is the epitome of those type of pregame events.
Every year, the city of Jacksonville is painted red, black, blue and orange as the fans of the Florida Gators and Georgia Bulldogs converge to have a week long festival that would make some state fairs jealous. It’s tailgating on steroids. That’s pretty much where the pleasantries end.
Fans of the Bulldogs and Gators can’t seem to agree on anything else. They can’t even get on the same page about when this whole thing got started. What both sides are aware of is, on October 31, there will be a game played. Preseason predictions, statistical data and all the research in the world won’t have anything to do with the outcome. It will be physical. It will be hard hitting. It won’t resemble the high octane offensive showcases you’ve come to expect from the Baylor Bears.
Not too long ago, Georgia was seen as the favorite to win the SEC East; but college football has become a sport where the last thing people remember seeing becomes everybody’s perception of what you are. That being said, the Bulldogs walked in to their game against the Alabama Crimson Tide with many believing they’d use the opportunity to make a statement. They made a statement all right. It just wasn’t the one they hoped for. They were pushed all over the field, dominated and embarrassed. Then they went to Knoxville and lost a game they had no business losing. They followed that up with that thrilling 9-6 victory over the Missouri Tigers. That four-game winning streak they went on to start the season feels like it was last year. Greyson Lambert is ranked fifth in the conference in passer rating; and while that sounds good, it actually doesn’t tell the entire story. He hasn’t met expectations and clearly isn’t the guy he was at the start of the season.
Treon Harris starts for the Gators on Saturday and he beat the Bulldogs in this contest last year. Believe it or not, Harris actually has a higher quarterback rating than Will Grier mainly because he hasn’t thrown any interceptions. What Jim McElwain has done with this team is amazing; and if the Gators win on Saturday, they all but clinch a spot in the SEC title game. Harris doesn’t have to do anything special. If he takes care of the ball like has has to this point, McElwain will get that victory and may begin to get some serious consideration for coach of the year as well.
Records don’t matter in a rivalry game. Anything can happen and most often does, as two teams like these won’t have any problem getting motivated to play each other. The Gators will be able to do enough to slow down the Bulldogs’ rush offense; and once that happens, a slumping Lambert won’t be able to make enough throws to lead them to a victory. The Gators will win a close one, and don’t be surprised if a late-game mishap is the reason why.
Prediction: Florida 27, Georgia 24
Geoffrey Knox is a Writer for ACC Basketball and SEC Football for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @gq_4_eva, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google+.
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