The tally currently sits at 33-32-3 in Floridas favor. dropped back-to-back games to the Tigers in both Colombia and the Swamp. 2022 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. The Florida Gators and Georgia Bulldogs football teams are defined by their legendary rivalry. My humble opinion: What fans do with their expendable income is their business, so Im not judging anyone who contributes whether its buying a small monthly subscription or writing a multi-million dollar check. The Bulldogs will be looking to get will continue to be the most crucial one for the Gators in terms of whether the team will once Florida's Brenton Cox Jr. (1) played for Georgia to begin his collegiate career, and Trey Dean III (0) grew up in the Peach State. Though UF has handled the 'Noles fairly easily in the past couple of matchups, this is one of if not A majority of voters dont foresee this year of incredible change impacting their love for the sport. Tebow got an early measure of revenge by doing a "telephone call" gesture to the Tiger Stadium crowd after an early touchdown put his team ahead. However, the faction of voters who expect to like college football less outnumbers the group who anticipates liking it more. With regard to the football program, however, I thought Stricklin made a decisive move by firing Mullen only 11 months after an SEC championship appearance. A win here for Florida would cause a lot of national media and What best describes your feelings about Oklahoma and Texas joining the SEC? Dan needed better assistants around him but he could coach and he got UF back to winning consistently except for last year. My humble opinion: SEC commissioner Greg Sankey made the correct business decision for the conference, considering the broadcasting revenue OU and Texas will add. I want to know from Gator fans, which of these teams fires you up the most on a Saturday in the fall and winter. represent the SEC East again in Atlanta come postseason. Warren McClendon blocks Brenton Cox Jr. during a game against Florida. Which Gators player will break out this fall? to get back to Atlanta. Felt like he couldnt handle the media and expectations of being head coach at UF., Impressive. The Gators and Bulldogs will face off on Oct. 30, adding another chapter to a rivalry with a few extra layers for some on the field. It will be interesting Networks love the Florida-LSU series, which has been staged annually since 1971, but the Tigers could be synced up with Ole Miss, Alabama and Texas A&M. In fact, the Tigers have dominated the rivalry for the better part of the last decade, having won seven of the last nine and four of the last five matchups. It took place in 2007 and was preceded by LSU supporters getting ahold of UF quarterback Tim Tebow's cell phone number and leaving him hundreds of messages. against Georgia since the 2015-2016 seasons. FanPosts are written by members of the Alligator Army community, and do not necessarily represent the opinions, editorial judgment, or standards of Alligator Army or SB Nation. midpoint of the season. I did not participate in this survey, but for those curious to absorb an unaffiliated opinion, you can see the answers I wouldve given. Or would you like to keep it how it is now? Berlin added to the fury by mocking Gator players and fans with the Gator chomp after the 28-point rally was complete. A So I wanted to create a post (although it may have been done in the past) to see who you guys would rank as UF's top three or four rivals, in order. Regarding it, Georgia football and Florida do not need much motivation for their annual meeting in Jacksonville. Georgia Bulldogs news fromFanSided Daily, Georgia football: 2022 will be MJ Shermans coming out party, Georgia football awards OC Todd Monken an outstanding raise, 30 Greatest Players from the Mark Richt Era, Buck Belues touchdown pass to Lindsay Scott in 1980. Florida quarterback Emory Jones actually hails from LaGrange, Georgia. On3 is a registered trademark of On3 Media, LLP. Oh man. All picks and predictions are suggestions only. UF student arrested on sexual assault, kidnapping charges, SweetBerries ousted from landmark lot, leaving for new locations, Residents protest police brutality after K-9 injured Gainesville man, Jud Fabian drafted 67th by Baltimore Orioles, Richardson, Miller and Gouraige take to the podium for SEC Media Days, Napier lays out foundation for Gators season at SEC Media Days, Grant Holloway captures back-to-back world championships in hurdles. Your favorite player on the current roster is: One reader said his favorite player is anyone that can block or make an open-field tackle., Another answered, I dont really have one, and thats a problem..

It is fair to say that the three most successful SEC programs of the last decade are (in no specific order) Florida, Alabama and LSU. There, he has turned a below-average program into what became the 2010 SEC East champions. Its certainly worth considering Auburn as a permanent rival, a team Florida has faced 85 times their second-most common opponent behind Georgia (100 meetings). Because dollars will be gushing at some schools and merely trickling at others, theres a chance for a well-funded program to outperform its recent on-field production. My humble opinion: Stricklin could use a win. Florida Football has plenty of rivals in the SEC. Fans from both states trek to Jacksonville as state lines blur into one of the most prominent matchups in college football. If Florida could have only three permanent opponents, which three should they be? So I'm wondering: Is that how UF fans feel about Georgia and FSU? On the field, there are more than a few moments (the 1986 hit the late Jarvis Williams delivered to Melvin Bratton being one) and games that stand out. After the one that counted, he ran up and down the field doing the Gator chomp. : Edited, bumped. (Tim Casey / UAA Communications), A top-12 class is OK as long as in-state ties strengthened, Prioritize the transfer portal to expedite the rebuild, More impressed than before, but I need to see more, No change; Ive been a believer since Day 1, Im now extremely confident in this administration, Dan Mullen received mixed reviews from Florida fans, but most agreed his tenure ended in disappointment. Which means the Gators and Tigers play in some of the best environments in the entire country. The rivalry between the Florida Gators and LSU Tigers jumped to a new level in 2016 when Hurricane Matthew forced the postponement and relocation of the scheduled game. Being from Georgia, I was always a Georgia fan until a certain time I started going towards being an Ohio State guy.. The game has had many names over the years: Georgia-Florida, Florida-Georgia, Worlds Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party, and the River City Showdown (we can forget about that last one). on Jul 11, 2011, 11:08am EDT At the extremes, the Love for this megaconference outweighs the Hate handily. The Georgia-Florida game is set for October 29th at 3:30 p.m. Whether it be them [LSU], FSU, Georgia or Tennessee. However, veteran offensive tackle Richard Gouraige pegged Floridas yearly game with LSU as the most exciting matchup on the docket each season. Look at the following slides, and in the comment boxes at the end, give your answer as to who is the University of Florida football team's biggest rival. However, fireworks were aplenty as LSU knocked off a then-ranked Gators squad 49-42 as Florida QB Anthony Richardson tossed a game-sealing pick late in Baton Rouge. Fans expect Napiers army to produce immediately, and with the $85 million Heavener Football Training Center opening this summer, thats a realistic goal. This will be the first real test of the 2021 But thats as deep as I care to go. Former Florida Gators long snapper Brett DioGuardi breaks down the five most important matchups of UF's upcoming 2021 season. 1 on the list yet, but check back in about seven to 10 years. It would set up an in-state round-robin season that determines the true state winner, but I guess the schedule makers at UF have different ideas and that argument can be saved fora different time. Like with Georgia, UF has dominated this rivalry in recent years. Its a tidy format in which a school would face every SEC opponent in two-year cycles. Former Bulldog and current Gator linebacker Brenton Cox Jr.,who announced his return to Florida back in January, posted some fighting words on his Instagram story yesterday: Brenton Cox continually gives us content to slander Florida with pic.twitter.com/cjCqLABPPj, UGA Spike Squad (@UGASPIKESQUAD) May 25, 2022. It will be aired on CBS. I wish the UF-Miami game existed every year. When the season ended, UF fans were seen with bumper stickers that read "Gators 28, National Champs 3.". (The survey was unveiled before two quarterbacks departed: Emory Jones transferred to Arizona State, and Carlos Del Rio-Wilson remains in the portal.). Which best describes your expectations for Floridas 2023 recruiting class? Dude won. Only one in five voters are fully satisfied with Stricklin and the athletic department, leaving a lot of skeptics out there. home in The Swamp. I believe signing a top-five class requires the Gators to make a splash of commitments this summer, building momentum that can help navigate a potentially ho-hum season. The Gators, meanwhile, will He contends the SEC will only support a four- or 12-team Playoff. However, this game has been and Contact Brian Olmo at bolmo@alligator.org.

(The divisional setup is almost certain to become a relic now that the NCAA plans to remove them as criteria for staging a conference championship game.). Now, thanks to some big-dollar enticements from the Gator Guard, Napiers staff might land players who wouldve otherwise been destined for Alabama, Georgia and Texas A&M. In Floridas case, its previous two classes ranked 12th and 20th, according to the 247Sports Composite. In 2007, Wes Byrum, a product of Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas, booted a 43-yard field goal as time expired to give the Tigers a 20-17 victory in The Swamp.

This may not be No. Floridas 2023 class currently has four commits it ranks 37th nationally and ninth in the SEC though were approaching a phase that should bring big movement. during the regular season especially in Ben Hill Griffin. Like UF, the Tigers own three national championships, two of which have come since 2003. Eight other Gators hail from the Peach State according to the team roster, with notables including safety Trey Dean III, running back Dameon Pierce and linebacker TyRon Hopper. Please share your opinions as well as posting whether or not you wish UF would play Miami more often. How has your opinion of Scott Stricklin and Floridas athletic department changed since the firing of Dan Mullen and the hiring of Napier? At SEC Media Days next season, we could be talking about a rivalry thats a dead heat. However, the hatred still burns. After the stunning upset in the Swamp the previous year, the Gators should Not much love for the reigning national champions. regular season game of the year. Floridas breakout performer in 2022 will be: The five-star recruit out of Lakeland in 2020, Bowman has only 23 touches through two college seasons at Clemson and Florida, with zero touchdowns. 3 rival. look to improve after a fourth-place finish in the SEC West this past year. (Photo of Diwun Black celebrating with fans during last seasons victory against Tennessee: Kim Klement / USA Today), No divisions, three set rivals, others rotate every two years, No divisions, set rivals (because there's no clear third rival), Wish the SEC added Clemson and Florida State instead, 8 (five automatic qualifiers and three wild cards), Running back Demarkcus Bowman is the fans early choice to be Floridas breakout player in the fall. This game shouldnt be anything similar to the high-scoring affair it As noted in the first installment, this year Im adding my thoughts on pertinent topics, and did so because readers followed up previous surveys with DMs and emails asking for my perspective. No one should expect to make money from the picks and predictions discussed on this website. With all due respect to Cox, Kimber, Billy Napier, and the rest of the Gators, animal cruelty likely wont happen to the Dawgs when these two teams play. Sankey, the most powerful figure in college football, doesnt like the eight-team model thats most popular with our poll participants. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 14 SEC football teams. Although lopsided in UF's favor in recent years, the Florida-Georgia rivalry always has been heated. Honestly, was on track to be very successful until this last year. Twenty years later, former Gator quarterback Brock Berlin led UM back from a 33-10 deficit in the third quarter to beat Florida, 38-33 in front of a fired-up Orange Bowl crowd. When Oklahoma and Texas join the league, how many conference games would you like to see each SEC team play in a season? look to extend their current win streak versus FSU to three games with a win this season. fora rematch of the 2020 SEC Championship Game. win here for Florida would mark the first time the Gators have won back-to-back matchups In many instances, the players on the two teams are friends off the field, due to having been high school rivals or teammates. football player. There were several options here as there is a bit of a drop off after those top four games. Limited Ads. Every year, thats probably the biggest game of the year, especially when we head to their town or when they head to our town. again punch a ticket to the SEC Championship game. My admiration for the Florida-Tennessee series admittedly is rooted in 90s lore right there beside Toadies and Squirrel Nut Zippers so I recognize the rivalrys best days feel dated.

The feud has been marked in recent years by two who got away from the Gators. That stadium be rocking man. Both these teams lost a lot of star power from the previous year in the There is an argument here for Alabama as it isnt often the Gators face the Crimson Tide This rivalry is ingrained in players minds as soon as they first step foot on their respective campuses. Went from very promising to very disappointing very quickly., He brought us back from the dark, boring days of Mac and gave us some memories that will last forever. Sunshine State rivalry after a year of absence amid the coronavirus pandemic, in which the entire SEC played a conference-only schedule. These two teams first met in 1904 (1915, if you ask the Gators) and have played every year since 1926, with the exception of 1943 due to World War II. The former Gator Heisman Trophy winner and coach still loves his alma mater, but his current loyalty lies in Columbia, SC. Instead of doubling down, Ill go with Montrell Johnson, who could become the teams top runner in goal-line situations. Outside linebacker Brenton Cox Jr. was born in Stockbridge, Georgia, and was voted the Henry Herald Defensive Player of the Year, given to the best defensive player in Henry County. About Saturday Down South | Ethics and Editorial Standards | Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions | Do Not Sell My Personal Information. For more information, please read our Legal Disclaimer. He will not be the only former Bulldog on the Gators that day. Cant wait to get the win. At the very least, its another variable than Florida can use to offset the negativity around last seasons 6-7 record. At SEC Media Days on Tuesday, Florida OL Martez Ivey said the LSU game on Saturday, Oct. 7, is the one the Gators are circling on their calendars, and not just because its homecoming. The redshirt junior took down his former team, contributing three total tackles and a tackle for loss, and looks to secure a second straight win against the red and black. Baton Rouge this season. But when you go five or so years without playing a particular team, I think it's hard to consider that team a rival. Terrible CEO of the program., Could not keep the linemen in-state. Fatal., Occasional brilliance marred by apathy.. My humble opinion: Hopper was on the verge of figuring things out and couldve been a key playmaker for the Gators this season. He also had to fire soccer coach Tony Amato after one season. For us, its a great thing. We got a bunch of rivalries. Both teams are in the same conference, so it adds more meaning to the game, while the FSU-UF game involves more hatred but is a non-conference game. All advice, including picks and predictions, is based on individual commentators opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands. Please consider giving today. My humble opinion: My hang-up with any of the expanded models involves the automatic qualifiers. Richard Gouraige also noted that the games always take place in two of the biggest and loudest stadiums in the SEC. Alligator Army, a Florida Gators community, By chrisnole The past few matchups season for the Gators after they face two interstate matchups against FAU and USF. Byrum grew up always wanting to be a Gator but received no scholarship offer coming out of high school, and because of a penalty, he had to make that kick twice. Georgia comes Many Dawg fans consider Florida as Georgias biggest rival and vice versa. Jones talked about his adolescence in Georgia in a press conference on Oct. 11, including his childhood rooting interest. He was blindsided by Cam Newbauers mistreatment of womens basketball players. We just know its gonna be a dog fight for sure.. 2022 On3 Media, LLP. It was always FSU. No two teams have played each other more in the Southeastern Conference championship game than Florida and Alabama. be coming with vengeance to Baton Rouge on October 16th. Georgia fans, players, and coaches dont forget about things like this. In a 2020 interviewwith1st and Ten Florida, he saidthat this game would be personal to him while also expressing how he couldnt wait for Florida to get a win. Once the SEC disbands divisions presumably for the three permanent rivals model the schedule becomes more balanced and Alabama regains the edge. (Kim Klement / USA Today). But at the same time I'm a huge sports fan, especially college football, so I spend time reading sites from all around the country to better educate myself. However, what I don't understand is why some UF fans claim Miami to be one of the top three rivals. This is not the first time Cox has been vocal before the Georgia-Florida game. listed below, that there is no reason the team cant make it back to Atlanta and compete in the SEC Championship. The Gators will look to avoid a If you couldn't tell by my commenter name, I am an FSU fan (and current student). Which transfer portal departure will be missed most by the Gators in 2022? This game Did the ACC champs deserve a chance to play for a national title after losing to Western Michigan and Miami, and facing the countrys 69th-rated schedule per Sagarin? Scheduled them on homecoming. Now, its LSU. He said he now considers the Tigers to be Floridas biggest rivals: It blew up, Ivey said. Florida will That being said, Georgia players already have some bulletin board material for their 2022 matchup with Florida. Valuable reminder that recruiting matters more in CFB than Xs and Os., Whiplash. My humble opinion: For all the proposals I heard about improving college football, none clamored for an influx of sports agents or more roster tampering two topics that are dominating the offseason headlines. Follow him on Twitter at @BrianOlmo0211. With college football at a crucial intersection, Im less optimistic about where the game is headed, unless we arrive at a place where winning remains at least as important to players as personal brand-building.

They face Tennessee every year, Georgia and the Gators play annually on a neutral site, normally to decide the SEC East. This matchup is always anticipated every year, regardless of the records of each team at the time. He played in 13 games as a true freshman before transferring to Florida in 2019. LSU fans felt the Gators were trying to duck them and Florida fans felt the Tigers were being whiny when it came to rescheduling the game, which the Gators eventually won in Baton Rouge. Jones isnt the only Georgia native on the team. A few labels trended on this question, with 46 of you calling Mullens tenure disappointing, while 15 blamed arrogance and 10 cited ego. A sampling of other thoughtful answers, some of which gave the ex-coach credit: Great, to be honest. Need more info on how this would work 38%. am going to touch upon what I believe are the five most important games for UF in this By finally getting the training facility completed, and by devoting big bucks to Napiers expansive staff, Stricklin and the administration have displayed a championship level of commitment. Defensive back Jalen Kimber announced his decision to transfer to Florida a few days after the national championship game. There are a handful of high-stake games for the The Independent Florida Alligator has been independent of the university since 1971, your donation today could help #SaveStudentNewsrooms. Thanks again to the 377 subscribers who participated in the 29-question survey: What school do you foresee winning the most SEC titles during the next five years? Diabate made a team-high 89 tackles last season and Hopper ranked third with eight TFLs, so the hit to the linebacking unit is significant. Although there will be a lot of new faces playing key roles for the team in It has stayed at eight ever since. Why Ainias Smith's arrest is a brutal blow for an A&M team that already had a small margin for error, Will Anderson Jr. reacts to Jimbo Fisher's comments, idea of sitting out ahead of the NFL Draft, 4-star wide receiver narrows list to 3 SEC programs, Desmond Howard names college football's biggest 'sleeper' team, Former Alabama All-American named coaching intern for Falcons, Josh Heupel has a hilarious answer to 'Would You Rather' question at SEC Media Days, South Carolina receiver target sets commitment date, Deion Sanders explains why Jackson State is 'not ready' to play Alabama, Alabama commit nails long-range, crosswind field goal in training, 10 things I'm absolutely overreacting to after SEC Media Days, Comedian Joey Mulinaro hilariously parodies coaches' break room interaction at SEC Media Days, SEC Media Days 2022: Every SEC coach ranked by how many words said during opening statements, Former SEC Network, ESPN reporter joins Amazon's NFL coverage. As for whos deserving of NIL money, it seems preferable to reward players who actually have achieved something in college as opposed to throwing six-figure deals at recruits who might not pan out. Some ADs wouldve been reluctant to dismiss a coach after three New Years Six bowl bids especially a coach they hired but Stricklin saw parts of the program unraveling and recognized Mullen didnt have a plan to fix it. The folks who voted for South Carolina and Kentucky typically did so instead of LSU. three-game skid against the Tigers and return back to Gainesville with a big-time win at the the best rivalry in Gator football history and should be an intriguing game. My humble opinion: The 2023 recruiting class marks the first one in which NIL offers will be flowing from every major program. Mike Norvell and his team will Head-to-head, the contest that probably stands out most to Tiger fans is one they call "The Greatest Game Ever Played.". In-depth analysis. Now, the two schools will face off in Gainesville this year on Floridas homecoming, which will surely make the rivalry even more heated. Mine is clearly an endorsement of Nick Saban, who despite a string of injuries at the skill positions managed to split last years two meetings against Kirby Smarts generational team. Things needed to be shaken up after the LSU shoe game., He might be best suited as an OC or the HC of a smaller program. Maybe thats a problem, or maybe its negligible. LSU landed another top recruiting class for the 2021 season and will However, his lack of interest in recruiting ultimately cost him. This year's prime example likely will be 'Bama tailback Trent Richardson, a Pensacola native who could be a Heisman Trophy candidate. Where, from 1988 to 2001, Florida won 13 of 14 games. A bloated Playoff field only exists to give third and fourth chances to teams that couldnt play consistently during the regular season. However, LSU got the last laugh, going 5-for-5 on fourth-down attempts and winning the game, 28-24, with 1:06 left on a scoring plunge by Jacob Hester. He was committed to an unpopular retention of mens coach Mike White until Georgia stepped in with a bailout offer. If you feel like you're losing control over your gambling experience, call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, PA, WV), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-888- 532-3500(Virginia) 1-800-522-4700 (NV, TN), 1-800-522-4700 (CO, TN), 1-855-2CALLGA (IL), 1-800-270-7117 (MI). We reveal your answers today in the second half of The Athletics latest Florida fan poll. Still, as long as Steve Spurriers walking the earth, Vols-Gators needs to be a thing. Also, I'm curious if you guys think Miami is the No. One reporter asked him at SEC Media Days this week about the game with the Tigers and how it stacks up to Floridas other rivalries. FanPosts/FanShots are always welcome, even from FSU fans. But on that Saturday in late November, all of that is put aside for personal and school pride. One thing is for sure this years game between the Gators and Tigers will be one of the more intense games of the entire SEC season. This rivalry has included national championship game meetings, an already fired coach (Ron Zook) ruining the naming of Bobby Bowden Field, the "Darnell Dockett/Earnest Graham game," hundreds of future NFL players and 1994's infamous "Choke at Doak," among others. Really solid until everything blew up.