Georgia could flip the script on the Gators at this year’s Cocktail Party
By Andrew Olson
Published:
A year ago, Georgia went into the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party as the frontrunner to win the SEC East and possibly play its way into the final four. Florida, after a miserable offensive performance in a 42-13 loss to Missouri, had been widely written off as a team free falling to the bottom of the division.
UF used the bye week to implement a change at quarterback. The Gators switched from turnover-plagued QB Jeff Driskel to true freshman Treon Harris. For that game, the change was primarily symbolic, as Harris only threw a total of six passes.
The Gators didn’t need to pass. They shocked the Bulldogs by using a simplified offense in which running backs Matt Jones and Kelvin Taylor combined for 389 yards and four touchdowns on 50 carries. By focusing on its strength in the running game, Florida pounded Georgia for a 38-20 upset win, and shook up the SEC East.
This year, it’s the Bulldogs offense that is struggling after a game against Missouri. Georgia did not a score a touchdown in its 9-6 win over the Tigers in Week 7. UGA fans and media alike have entertained the idea of benching QB Greyson Lambert. Considering Lambert is 48-of-88 passing in his last three games, could the Bulldogs be ready to follow in Florida’s footsteps and turn to a ground and pound game plan?
Even without star RB Nick Chubb, the Bulldogs have Sony Michel and Keith Marshall, both capable of exploiting one of UF’s biggest weaknesses: tackling SEC ball carriers.
SEC runners have had plenty of success against the Gators:
- RB Boom Williams, Kentucky: 16 carries, 80 yards
- QB Joshua Dobbs, Tennessee: 18 carries, 136 yards
- RB Jalen Hurd, Tennessee: 28 carries, 102 yards, 2 TD
- RB Russell Hansbrough, Missouri: 9 carries, 74 yards
- RB Leonard Fournette, LSU: 31 carries, 180 yards, 2 TD
When Chubb was healthy, he was Georgia’s starter and primary running back, but as far as backups go, Michel, a former five-star recruit, is about as good as they come. Even with Chubb at No. 5 in the conference with 747 rushing yards, Michel is a still a top-10 SEC back at 508 yards. Since the injury to Chubb, Michel has received 48 carries against Tennessee and Missouri, more than half of his 89 rushes on the season. With a bye week to heal and adjust to being RB1, Michel should be prepared for a steady workload against the Gators.
Almost all of the pregame chatter will focus on Michel, but Florida cannot forget about UGA RB Keith Marshall, another former five-star recruit who has seen limited action due to injuries and having Michel, Chubb and Todd Gurley for teammates. Marshall, in his fourth year at Georgia, has only seen action against Florida in a four-rush, four-yard game in 2012, and is certainly itching to make half of the stadium roar in Jacksonville.
This will be UF coach Jim McElwain’s first Florida-Georgia game, but he should be well aware anything can happen in this rivalry, especially when both teams have two weeks to prepare. McElwain and defensive coordinator Geoff Collins shouldn’t be surprised if the Bulldogs try to flip the script on the Gators.
Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.
