Georgia football: Why this Cocktail Party date with Florida feels a little bit different, a little more dangerous
The year 2020 has been full of twists and turns. But there’s one thing that has stayed true to form: Georgia and Florida, No. 1 and No. 2 in the SEC East.
And right now, I’d have to put Florida at No. 1 and Georgia at No. 2. That, of course, could change Saturday in Jacksonville.
As it’s been over the past several years, the annual Cocktail Party showdown — albeit with a smaller crowd and much less “party” than usual — is The Game within the division. The winner has a clear runway to Atlanta and a potential date with Alabama in the SEC Championship in a College Football Playoff play-in game. The loser will be left on the outside looking in.
So where do the Dawgs stand? Considering how things have gone, fans should be a little worried.
It’s clear the Gators have better offensive weapons. Kyle Trask is probably the best quarterback in the SEC not named Mac Jones. Kyle Pitts, while not reaching the same heights he did against Ole Miss, is still a lethal target. Kadarius Toney is an explosive all-purpose option, mainly in the receiving game.
Meanwhile, Georgia still has an identity crisis at quarterback, the question being whether Stetson Bennett IV is capable of carrying the team where it wants to go. The Dawgs have Kearis Jackson, but what good is he if Bennett can’t get the ball to him? On Sunday, I wondered if the Dawgs should lean a bit more on the run to keep the ball out of the hands of Trask. That would mean counting on Zamir White, James Cook and Kendall Milton against a defensive front that has shown its flaws outside of Saturday’s win against Missouri.
As a whole, though, that’s my biggest fear and one I’ve mentioned recently. If the staff feels that Bennett is the best option, that’s their decision. But I still wonder if someone else is needed to give the offense a spark. To that same point, though, the risk is sending Bennett a message that they don’t trust him in big games, but at the end of the day, it’s not a popularity contest: Kirby Smart’s paid to make tough calls like this.
And that’s just mentioning the offense.
Defensively, Georgia will be without star Richard LeCounte III after he sustained multiple injuries in a Saturday night accident. That’s not only a great deal of production lost out of the secondary but a big emotional blow and an area of the field Trask will ty to exploit. Jordan Davis (elbow) and Julian Rochester (torn ACL) were injured in the Kentucky game. Rochester is out, but Smart said Monday that Davis will be re-evaluated.
Simply put, it’s a unit that needs to be at full strength against the best offense in the division. Considering the way Georgia’s defense looked against Alabama, even given the fact that Alabama is on a totally different planet offensively, it’s fair to wonder whether this group can come through in the most significant game left on the schedule.
The road to victory will be the same for Georgia: It will lean on its defense, potentially banged-up and all, to win its game. This is a Florida team that’s not bashful about putting points up on the board, and I’m not confident that the Dawgs have the firepower to turn this into a shootout. They have to make the Gators conform to their style of play.
And there’s zero question that the Gators have closed the gap in recent years. But Dan Mullen historically has never gotten over that “hump” to truly push his teams over the top, as evidenced by his time at Mississippi State, although part of it might have stemmed from facing Alabama every year. Smart hopes that his team can once again put down that roadblock that keeps the Gator bus from making it to Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and perhaps beyond.
But if you’re a Georgia fan thinking of all the ways things could go belly-side-up on Saturday, you probably aren’t alone.
Lets be real here, Smart still hasn’t gotten over the Bama “hump” either with far more talent than Mullen ever had at MSU, so you can’t really fault him for that. It’s pretty ridiculous to label him as someone who historically can’t get over the hump when he was usually out-manned against most of the top teams he faced at MSU. He’s already got 3 top 10 wins in 2 seasons at Florida, but just hasn’t had the talent to compete with UGA up to this point. Once he has equal talent across the board and still can’t get over the hump, then you can start placing labels on him.
Based on recruiting rankings, the Gators won’t have “equal talent across the board” with UGA any time soon.
That said, injuries are a major story and UF will be practically facing UGA’s 2nd-team defense Saturday.
I look forward to all the SDS writers lamenting what a “crushing blow to college football fans everywhere” the injuries to Rochester and LeCounte are.
I’m not holding my breath.
By the way, this comment is not meant to use injuries as a preemptive excuse for losing.
Injuries are part of the game for every team.
LOL that is exactly what it sounds like 98.
That’s why I added the addendum, fuzzy.
Yep sounds like the Gators last year.
Should be pretty even then because UF’s roster is made up of guys that Kirby didn’t even want.
Already making excuses?what it sounds like it!!!! Kirby will have them ready,,, should be a good one,,, Gators win big!!!!
I think the point he was making was MSU had to play Bama every year as a Divisional opponent vs UGA playing them every few years outside of the SECCG.
Our defense is all kinds of banged up. We’re going to need some younger players on the D to step up, and the offense is going to have to be solid and productive.
With the Fla. offense potentially getting stronger — based on Saturday’s performance — this game is feeling like a much more dangerous contest for us than it did when Fla. went into COVID shutdown.
The good news is that it will be a really solid win for us if we can pull it off.
That was supposed to say the Fla. defense potentially getting stronger…
None of us have any idea what Daniels’ true status is, but I’m surprised we haven’t seen more Dwan Mathis.
If Smart isn’t playing Mathis because he’s worried about bruising Bennett’s confidence, maybe Bennett doesn’t have the self-confidence necessary to be a successful SEC quarterback anyway.
Kirby Smart cannot seem to get over the “quarterback hump”. It’s the truth Dawg fans. *Fields is lighting it up at Ohio State.
Fields is lighting it up after developing a year at UGA and having 2019 at OSU. He’s also facing weaker defenses most days than he would in the SEC.
I don’t fault Smart for sticking with Fromm after 2017, and losing players to the portal is part of the landscape of college football these days. As for this year, it’s impossible to know what coaches are seeing in practice, so I’m in wait-and-see mode. GA-Fla will tell us a lot.
Long story short, I’m not holding 2020 against our coaches. New OC, no spring ball, and Newman’s opt-out all are mitigating factors to me.
We’ve also got some good QB talent coming, and if we continue to have lackluster play in 2021 then I’ll start to get a lot more concerned.
After all, we’ve been good enough to have a lead on Bama in every game we’ve played them in the Smart era, and good enough to push it to overtime in 2017. Yeah, we haven’t sealed the deal and that’s frustrating, but there’s no reason to panic.
Yes, Fields is tearing it up, but that still doesn’t mean Smart made the wrong decision in 2018.
The 2018 UGA team had legitimate national title aspirations, and it was no time to break in a freshman QB ahead of a QB who had already proven he was championship caliber.
It’s unfortunate Fields transferred. But I felt going with Fromm in 2018 was the right decision, and I always will.
In 2018, Fromm was not competing with 2020 Fields.
Kirby should have given Fields real opportunities to show what he could do in live action. Kirby let him come in at the end of games where the outcome wasn’t in doubt and hand the ball off to run out the clock. That was an insult to the kid really. I’m still on the Kirby train but he really screwed it up with Fields.
Legitimate National Championship aspirations,,,, with Fields running out in the field for the fake punt,,,, Clean it up how you may(injuries this week) the Dawgs have choked in their biggest games under Kirby… And his in game coaching is suspect.. Great recruiter,,, Solid Defensive coach,,,, Head Coach,, I don’t know…
98thekid, Kirby had his team playing for a NC in his 2nd and 3rd seasons as a head coach losing extremely close games to the best college coach and dynasty of all time. Then last year his team lost in the SECCG to what many consider the greatest CFB team of all time. What can you say? Timing is everything. Good luck with Mr. Potato Head.
UGAgrad, it’s safe to say most average coaches probably could’ve taken that team to the national championship game. It really doesn’t take an amazing coach to tell the Qb to hand the ball off 500 times a game to win. I’m not sure what world you were living in, but Kirby was not playing for a NC in his 3rd season. He choked away the SEC Championship and missed out on the playoffs and proceeded to get beat by Texas in the Sugar Bowl.
Joe Marks, it’s safe to say that you’re just an arm chair AD whose opinion is worthless. After the debacle this past Saturday UF fans still think Mullet is a great coach. What a clown. I’m sure the UF president, AD and major boosters were really impressed. Lol.
@ AFan – Just like Joe Burrow did when he transferred out of tOSU to LSU.
Jalen Hurts took OU to the CFP the year Bama didn’t make it.
Every team that has very talented QB’s runs the risk of not “choosing” the right Qb at the right time. It’s not like UGA is the only team to ever lose a talented QB to the transfer portal.
Not to ever stick up for a bunch of Dawgs, but Fields is playing in the weakest cupcake conference in America. If he isn’t putting up 100 points each game against those peewee league schools, then he never belonged in the SEC in the first place.
I said pre-season that I thought the Gators would beat Georgia. Of course, who could have predicted the twists and turns of this wacky season. Now, UGA has players out and a QB that is serviceable for a middle of the road team but not championship-caliber. Florida is looking down the barrel of the SEC office punishing players (and maybe Coach Mullen) for the skirmish vs Mizzou. And the bottom line is who really knows what’s going to happen in Jacksonville?
Yeah, betting this year’s cocktail party is going to be a crapshoot.
UGA’s QB may not be championship caliber.
Is Florida’s defense?
If they continue playing like they did against Missouri, then they are, but not the defense from the first few games.
Maybe. Tennessee held Missouri to 12 points.
Lol! In Bazelak’s first start ever? Even Missouri fans would tell you that offense didn’t turn around till after that game. Let’s not act like several people didn’t pick Missouri for the upset because of how their offense was playing going into that game.
98, Florida’s 1s held Missouri’s offense to three points.
Interesting that many of the uga posters who spouted all the depth at every position, the 3*’s that only georgia recognized as underrated and that only kirby would develop into 5*’s, all the 5*’s that were piled up behind other 5*’s at so many positions…. on and on and on… How kirby will beat mullen out of habit and sideshow dan the clown will have his a$$ handed to him in jacksonville…. on and on and on…. now all of a sudden that depth and many of those posters are nowhere to be found. Georgia will be playing with their second team… I really dont care either way. hate both teams (in a fan hate way) but uga fans (not all but many) have been the most obnoxious all season so it will likely be more fun for me if florida wins this one. watching the message boards afterwards should be more entertaining than the game itself. Whichever team loses is going to deserve all the crap they get from the other and others as well. Neither team has any excuses. You reap what you sew.
Yeah sure UGA has no excuses not to win this game I mean your starting quarterback opt out before the season even begins half of your defensive starters banged up or not even gonna play.Not to mention the second best receiver out for the year best receiver may not play we should do just fine against UF……Man if UF doesn’t beat UGA this year by at least 10 it says a lot more about them than it does UGA also if Dan Mullen can’t beat Kirby Smart and UGA this year he never will gator fans
Fuzzy, that’s a ridiculous statement. Gators have recruited well but Bangs has a few years ahead of Mullen. I personally think we will beat the puppies this year but to make it a now or never situation is ridiculous
marsh maybe its a little over the top but the point is this is the best opportunity you guys have had in a while to take em down and if you cant now then why would you think your chances are better next season or moving forward.
ugaboy I was quoting uga posters. Not you as I have never seen you before on here but most of the ones I am quoting dont show up as regularly now for some reason. Ask any of the posters on here in spring and they will verify my statement for the most part.
It’s true
You mean the “starting” quarterback who never played a down for Georgia?
You mean like the NFL drafted defensive starters we had out with injuries in 2018 and 2019?
Hence y’all lost in 18 and 19.
I agree with Fuzz, this year is a now or never situation, perhaps not for UF but definitely for Mullet. We haven’t looked this beatable since 2016.
Yes Humper, we did lose and when we brought up those injuries as to why we lost we got blasted by Dawg fans. That’s why it’s so funny seeing all these fans bringing up injuries before the game has even been played. Just more hypocrisy from the Dawg fan base. Come on man, you guys are 20 years straight preseason national champs and the greatest recruiting machine college football has ever seen. You guys should be able to lose your entire starting roster and still beat everyone by 20 pts.
There’s nothing hypocritical about it, Joe…all fans do it. Excuses are made for why you lose, you don’t need excuses when you win. I didn’t make the rule, it’s just the way the dog biscuit crumbles…
As for the second part of your uppercut, that’s just plain mean and silly, Joe. No team can lose their entire starting roster and win, especially not in the SEC. If that were the case LSU would still be undefeated…
Your mindset is similar mine. I always enjoy the UF-UT game because I know one of them will lose.
It’s almost always the same team that loses, but still.
Lol
Your description of “UGA posters” fits Corcoran and Negan.
C’mon, man.
Corch. Durn autocorrect.
a lot more than that BC go back to the spring and summer as well as after the first game or two…
Looking for insight on who UGA’s backups are for the injured players. Who would start for Rochester and Davis on the DL and who would replace LeCounte at safety? I haven’t seen much of Rochester, but I know Davis and LeCounte are huge losses by the way they have terrorized UF recently.
Carter, Walker and Herring are 14* of ample replacement, however Carter is only a freshman but talent thru the roof, the real problem is the depth behind them that is so essential in the second half of SEC games. I imagine Wyatt will be used a lot along with opportunities for Fr Brinson, Norton and Logue to show what they got…not sure how you make up for a Davis, I’ve never seen him get moved backwards but hopeful one of these highly regarded recruits has a step up moment…
98, Gators held Mizzou to 10 points. the other 7 was a pick 6. That’s not on the gator D
Lets not forget Missouri put up 20pts on KY as well. This game will be fun if you are a Florida fan. The brawl will be the turning point of the season. Will motivate the players all the way to the National Championship.
Are you being serious right now?
Let me preface by saying, I believe Mullen to be a better HC than Smart. With that being said, what are some of you talking about and what are you Dawg fans worried about? There is still a talent gap and comparing Florida’s offense to Bama’s is ludicrous. Alabama has 1st or 2nd round O linemen across the board. The Georgia defensive front ill overmatch the Gator Oline. Trask will not have time to throw and will have no running game to take the pressure off. Florida’s only chance is creating turnovers on defense. I say Georgia 24 Florida 13
That’s pretty funny.
Gator22, did I miss something? Did Alabama just get put on probation? Is Trevor Lawrence out for the season?
“But Dan Mullen historically has never gotten over that “hump” to truly push his teams over the top, as evidenced by his time at Mississippi State, although part of it might have stemmed from facing Alabama every year.”
Part of it might have stemmed from recruiting players to play in Starkville, Mississippi. He’s already nearly doubled Florida’s Blue Chip Ratio, from 33% in McElwain’s last season to over 58% this season. He couldn’t dream of doing that in Starkville.
@Nashvillegator So I hear you’re giving oh Danny boy a pass for losing to the best coach of all times…Where is that same pass for Kirby Smart the man lost like eight games in the past four years three of those losses have come to the greatest coach of all times just saying
Here’s to hoping Kentucky was the typical 1 game per year egg laid by UGA (SC last year). They came out firing the next week, hope it happens again.