No. 17 Florida meets No. 3 Georgia on Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, a neutral-site rivalry game that carries weight for both teams’ College Football Playoff hopes. The Florida vs Georgia Bulldogs game kicks off at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC, with Georgia (6-1) looking to bounce back from a loss and Florida (5-2) trying to find consistency after a mixed October. The biggest question entering the weekend is which team’s offense can avoid the mistakes that have plagued it in recent weeks.
Florida Vs Georgia Bulldogs Game Information
- Date: Saturday, Oct. 31
- Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
- Venue: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA (neutral site)
- TV: ABC
- Weather: 73°F, 7% chance of precipitation
Florida enters off a win at Texas, having beaten the then-No. 7 Longhorns 27-24 on Oct. 17, a result detailed in Total Apex Sports’ recap of that game. That win followed back-to-back losses to Missouri and South Carolina, the latter a 38-19 defeat covered in Total Apex Sports’ coverage of the Gamecocks game. Georgia, meanwhile, lost at home to Auburn 27-24 on Oct. 17 after a run of four straight wins that included a 20-17 victory at Alabama, a result that helped Georgia climb to No. 1 in that week’s poll according to Total Apex Sports’ AP Top 25 movers report.
Can Florida’s Offense Find Consistency Against Georgia’s Defense?
Florida is averaging 39.6 points and 450.9 total yards per game this season, numbers padded by blowout wins over Auburn and Ole Miss early in the year. The Gators have also shown they can struggle, scoring just 17 points against Missouri and 19 against South Carolina in back-to-back losses. Quarterback Aaron Philo has completed 105 of 149 passes for 1,341 yards with nine touchdowns and three interceptions this season, and running back Jadan Baugh has carried 135 times for 763 yards and 13 touchdowns, giving Florida a run-pass balance it will need against a Georgia defense that has forced 13 takeaways in seven games.
Is Georgia’s Offense Fully Recovered From The Auburn Loss?
Georgia’s 27-24 loss to Auburn snapped a four-game win streak that included wins over Arkansas, Oklahoma and Vanderbilt by a combined score of 124-44. Quarterback Gunner Stockton has thrown for 1,570 yards with 16 touchdowns against four interceptions, completing 117 of 158 passes for a 71.6% clip. Georgia’s offense ranks ahead of Florida in points per game at 43.0 and in net passing yards per game at 272.1, but the Bulldogs’ run game has been thinner, with leading rusher Dwight Phillips Jr. carrying just 47 times for 348 yards and two touchdowns across seven games.
Who Are The Expected Starting Quarterbacks?
Aaron Philo is expected to start at quarterback for Florida, projected to lead an offense that has thrown for 1,796 yards and 13 touchdowns as a team this season. Gunner Stockton is expected to start for Georgia, projected to build on a season that has produced a QB rating of 180.9, well ahead of Philo’s 156.6 mark. No injuries appear on the official injury report for either team heading into the game.
By The Numbers
- Points per game: Georgia 43.0, Florida 39.6
- Total yards per game: Georgia 469.9, Florida 450.9
- Net passing yards per game: Georgia 272.1, Florida 256.6
- Rushing yards per game: Georgia 197.7, Florida 194.3
- Third-down conversion rate: Georgia 53.95%, Florida 44.57%
- Total takeaways: Georgia 13, Florida 11
- Total giveaways: Georgia 8, Florida 7
- Turnover differential: Georgia plus-5, Florida plus-4
- Sacks allowed per game: Georgia 1.1, Florida 1.3
Key Matchup: Florida’s Run Game Against Georgia’s Front Seven
Jadan Baugh’s 13 rushing touchdowns and 763 yards give Florida a ground threat that Georgia’s defense has not consistently faced this season. Georgia has recorded 22 sacks and 38 tackles for loss through seven games, and the Bulldogs’ ability to contain Baugh while limiting explosive runs will determine how much pressure Georgia’s defense can apply to Philo in passing situations. Florida’s offensive line has allowed 9 sacks on the season, a number that could grow if Baugh is bottled up and the Gators are forced into obvious passing downs against a defense that has converted takeaways at a higher rate than Florida has forced them.
Players To Watch
Jadan Baugh, RB, Florida
Baugh has run for 763 yards and 13 touchdowns on 135 carries, giving Florida a focal point that opposing defenses have had to account for all season.
Gunner Stockton, QB, Georgia
Stockton has thrown 16 touchdown passes against four interceptions this season, and his 71.6% completion rate has powered Georgia’s 43.0 points per game average.
Dallas Wilson, WR, Florida
Wilson leads Florida with 29 catches for 403 yards and three touchdowns, making him Philo’s primary target in the passing game.
What To Watch
Georgia came into the season ranked No. 1 after beating Alabama, a climb documented in Total Apex Sports’ poll movers coverage, before the Auburn loss dropped the Bulldogs to No. 3. A win over Florida would mark a step back toward the top of the rankings and keep Georgia in position for the College Football Playoff conversation. Florida, which opened the preseason ranked No. 1 in one national poll according to Total Apex Sports’ preseason rankings report, needs a signature win to stabilize a season that has included two losses by a combined 46 points. Both programs enter this rivalry game with something to prove, and the result at a neutral site in Atlanta will shape how each is viewed for the remainder of the season.
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