Florida vs Georgia preview and prediction

The SEC East leading Florida Gators are facing off against the Georgia Bulldogs this weekend. With both teams coming off bye weeks, there’s no doubt the intensity in this game will be high.

Georgia and Florida are heading into the rivalry game in Jacksonville with completely different situations. Georgia is 4-3 with little hope of earning a decent bowl game, and therefore have nothing to lose, where as Florida has everything to lose. Florida may be the top team in the SEC East, but Kentucky and Tennessee are following closely behind, waiting for their opportunity to jump ahead.

Florida is averaging better numbers in every field with the exception of rushing yards and is coming into this weekend looking strong. The Gators are rolling after a confidence-boosting 40-14 win over Missouri two weeks ago, and Georgia is playing for the first time since the demoralizing 17-16 loss to Vanderbilt.

Florida appears to have all of the momentum.

The name of the game this weekend when it comes down to silencing the Bulldogs early is defense. If the Gators are able to restrict the rushing game of Georgia running back Nick Chubb, who has already carried for 586 yards this season, then this game could be over quickly.

However, with the momentum resting primarily with Florida, the pressure is on, making for very little room for error. The absence of that kind of pressure is one advantage the Bulldogs need to take advantage of in order to muster the intensity needed to threaten the Gators’ defense.

Prediction

With the circumstances of each team being so different coming into this weekend, I want to believe the Bulldogs can come out strong and pull ahead, but the numbers don’t lie and the Gators appear primed to come out on top come Saturday.

Edited by Dalton King

Featured image by AndrewAvitus, courtesy of creativecommons.org