SEC Football

Gators and Bulldogs Meet In Jacksonville

Saturday, November 1st, 3:30 p.m. (et)

GAME NOTES: A top-10 matchup will take place in Jacksonville this weekend, as the fifth-ranked Florida Gators and eighth-ranked Georgia Bulldogs get set to meet up once again in the "World's largest cocktail party". This is just the fifth time in this storied rivalry that both teams enter the contest ranked in the top-10.

Florida has won three straight games and moved to 6-1 overall and 4-1 in league play with last weekend's 63-5 romp over Kentucky.

Georgia has followed a similar path and also sits at 4-1 in league play, tied with the Gators atop the SEC East standings. Mark Richt's team is also boasting of a three-game win streak, including a 52-38 victory at LSU on October 25th.

The winner of this game will need just one more league win to clinch a spot in the SEC title game.

Georgia holds a 46-37-2 advantage in the all-time series with Florida, and the Bulldogs won the last meeting, posting a 42-30 decision in 2007.

Despite a rather sluggish start offensive this season, the Gators are starting to peak at the right time, thanks in large part to the play of Heisman winner Tim Tebow. The savvy junior signal-caller paces a balanced offense that is putting up almost 200 yards both rushing (196.0 ypg) and passing (214.3 ypg).

Unlike last year, when Tebow was forced to make most of the plays himself, there is plenty of talent around him this season, as evidence by his modest numbers (1,415 yards passing and 12 TDs, 227 yards rushing and five TDs).

The ground attack has several weapons this season, with no one player handling all the workload. Instead, the backfield collective has put up 5.3 yards per carry and the team has scored 19 rushing TDs.

When Tebow does drop back and pass the ball, he usually looks in Percy Harvin's direction. One of the most dangerous offensive players in the nation, Harvin has caught 26 balls this year, for 429 yards and six TDs.

Taking all the pressure off Tebow probably makes the Gators more potent, an idea that certainly has Mark Richt concerned.

"Tim Tebow does a great job of running the show. He probably felt in the past that he had to carry the team a little bit more than he does this year. He has tremendous support. He also has a very veteran line in front of him. Hes really surrounded by a great offensive cast. When the defense is playing so well it takes pressure off the quarterback. When the defense plays well the offense doesn't have to take as many risks. They are just a very aggressive football team at all levels."

Speaking of the Florida defense, it ranks among the nation's elite in allowing just 11.9 ppg this year. The pass defense has been particularly stingy, giving up a mere 170.7 ypg. The team has also thrived in terms of forcing turnovers, with a +10 margin.

Linebacker Brandon Spikes is the heart-and-soul of this unit and leads the team in tackles (52), with 5.0 TFLs, 1.5 sacks and two interceptions. Safety Ahmad Black is another playmaker for this team, leading the way in the secondary with three INTs. Up front, the team relies on rush ends Jermaine Cunningham (4.5 TFLs, 3.0 sacks) and Carlos Dunlap (4.5 TFLs, 4.0 sacks) and defensive tackle Lawrence Marsh (5.5 TFLs, 3.0 sacks).

Standout tailback Knowshon Moreno rushed for 172 yards and one TD, leading the Bulldogs to a shootout victory at LSU last week.

Moreno has certainly been everything advertised this season, averaging over six yards per carry and amassing 925 yards and 12 TDs in the first eight games. The ground game, which averages 172.5 yards per game helps open up the passing game for Georgia, which is netting a healthy 258.8 ypg. Quarterback Matthew Stafford has completed just over 60 percent of his passes on the year, for 1,946 yards and 12 TDs. Stafford has a pair of talented receivers to count on in freshman phenom A.J. Green (39 receptions, for 662 yards, five TDs) and Mohamed Massaquoi (28 receptions, for 366 yards, four TDs).

It was big plays by middle linebacker Darryl Gamble that put the game away against LSU, as Gamble returned two interceptions for touchdowns against the Tigers. Big plays have been a staple for Georgia's defense this season, with the team registering 44 TFLs to date. In addition, the Bulldogs have recorded eight interceptions and three fumble recoveries.

The linebackers lead the way for Georgia, headlined by Rennie Curran (69 tackles, 7.5 TFLs, 3.0 sacks) and Gamble (45 tackles). The secondary has its share of playmakers as well, highlighted by DBs Reshad Jones (43 tackles) and Asher Allen (32 tackles).

This is as good as it gets in the SEC this year, so expect a hard-nosed battle from start to finish. The Gators are really peaking at the right time and behind the steady play of Tebow, they should be able to get past the Bulldogs.

Predicted Outcome: Florida 23, Georgia 20

Web Producer- Brett Haas