Game Nine: The Border War

October 28^th

Vs. University of Florida (Jacksonville, FL)

Quick history lesson for Georgia vs the Florida Gators. Georgia leads the series all time 46-36-2. That’s what a Dawg fan will tell you. Only, it doesn’t seem that way because the Gators have won 14 of the last 16. And the game is played in Jacksonville, which is a “neutral” site (meaning it is neither team's home field). Most of that dominance was brought on by Steve Spurrier. But even after he left in 2001, we’ve only beaten them once in four years. I think those are the losses that frustrate most fans because those games from 2002-2005 were winnable. Now, to boost our pride we Dawg fans like to remind ourselves that we’ve played in the SEC Championship Game three out the last five years, and the Gators have played in zero out of the last five. So when a jean short wearin Gator likes to point out there recent dominance, ask them to show you a SEC ring from this century. Despite the average Georgia fan telling you that they’d trade a Florida loss for an SEC Championship every year, I’m calling double BS on that. When you get dominated by a team because they’re just better all the time, that’s one thing. But losing to an equal or lesser team again and again and again………..simply maddening. Down in the cockles of the heart of every Dawg fan burns the desire to shut these Johnny-come-lately, we-had-Spurrier, trailer trash rednecks up. Whoops, did I say that out loud? See, the bar has been raised. We want to have our cake and eat it too. We want to beat Florida, win the SEC, and hoist the national championship trophy.

So anyway, Quarterback Chris Leak heads up the Gator offense. I don’t care what anyone says, Leak is a damn fine college quarterback and will be an even better pro QB. Gator fans who make fun of him should have their mullets shaved. Head Coach Urban Meyer begins his second year down there. If I have to hear one more time how successful he has been in the second year of wherever he goes, I think I’ll scream. If Florida is better, it will because Leak has three years of experience, their defensive line is solid, and they have a slew of talented receivers, headed by Dallas Baker and Andre Caldwell, not because Meyer is a genius. Even Meyer himself said he couldn’t believe how fast the SEC defenses were (compared to where he coached before), so my feeling is that he knows he’s been neutralized.

So even though I love our defense, even though the Gators seemingly have no running game, even though I think our QB play will be more impressive than last year’s Florida game, and even though they lost a lot on their offensive line…………you see where I’m going with this? As much as I hate it, I don’t think we beat the Gators this year. This will be our 9^th straight game and I think that will have much to do with it.

Here’s hoping that Coach Richt proves me wrong. I’m going to the corner to pout.

Relax, boys. We’ve got Kentucky next week.