Georgia Bulldogs vs Florida Gators: Predictions and Odds

Where: TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, FL

When: Saturday, November 2nd at 3:30pm EST

How (TV): CBS

Georgia Bulldogs

Head Coach: Kirby Smart {All-Time: 38-11 | UGA}

Regular Season Record: 6-1

Coming off a bye week, the 8th ranked Georgia Bulldogs are in must win mode to stay in the SEC East’s driver’s seat. Although they have rebounded with their win over Kentucky two weeks ago, their October 12th loss to unranked South Carolina still looms large. WIth a schedule that still includes visits to Auburn and arch-rival Georgia Tech, UGA cannot afford any more setbacks.

The Bulldogs took care of business in their 21-0 shutout of Kentucky, resorting to a run heavy attack that saw quarterback Jake Fromm complete 9 of 12 passes for 35 yards. Much of that was due to weather, as Tropical Storm Nestor was passing through Athens. Lead back D’Andre Swift gashed the Wildcats’ run defense to the tune of 179 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries. Swift’s backup, Brian Herrien, would return from a one game absence to contribute 60 yards and a score.

Despite the poor conditions, Georgia managed to play mistake-free football with no turnovers and just four penalties for 33 yards. Kirby Smart’s defense created the lone turnover of the game, with star safety J.R. Reed stripping Kentucky’s Lynn Bowden for a fumble and Richard LeCounte making the recovery.

.@AP_Top25 ➡️ No. 6#GatorStandard #GoGators pic.twitter.com/oa8eOTss4N

— Gators Football (@GatorsFB) October 27, 2019

Head Coach: Dan Mullen {All-Time: 86-50 | MSST, FLA}

Regular Season Record: 7-1

Like Georgia, the Florida Gators are coming off a bye while looking to take control of the SEC East and become one step closer to a conference title game berth. Fortunately for the Gators, their road loss to LSU will be looked upon more favourably by the playoff selection committee. Couple that with a win over the Bulldogs and Dan Mullen’s squad should be in great shape, as their remaining schedule features manageable games against Vanderbilt, Missouri, and Florida State.

Prior to their bye week, the Gators rebounded from the LSU defeat by beating the team that handed Georgia’s lone loss. Florida emerged from Columbia, South Carolina with a hard fought 38-27 win over the Gamecocks after being down 17-10 early in the third quarter. Junior quarterback Kyle Trask threw four touchdown passes and an interception, connecting with Freddie Swain, Kyle Pitts, Jacob Copeland, and Trevon Grimes for scores. Sophomore running back led Florida’s rushing attack with 87 yards on the ground as well as a touchdown.

Defensive coordinator Todd Grantham ensured his unit did their part despite giving up more than their season average of 15.8 points. Led by a stacked secondary featuring top corners C.J. Henderson and Marco Wilson, the Gators limited South Carolina quarterback to a sub-50% completion percentage to make up for 217 yards given up on the ground. WIth Georgia possessing a potent rushing attack, Grantham cannot afford to let his defense give him a deja vu of the South Carolina game.

Georgia vs Florida All-Time Series

In 97 total meetings between these hated rivals, Georgia leads the all-time series 52-43-2. The rivalry has been fairly even in recent years, with the teams winning five games apiece in the last ten Cocktail Parties. With both schools ranked in the top ten in last year’s game, Saturday’s game will be the first time they have such an occurrence has happened in back-to-back meetings since the 1983 and 1984 matchups.

The last five games have been decided by at least two touchdowns, with Georgia winning the last two games by an average of 27 points. The last time Florida won was in 2016, when the Luke Del Rio-led Gators took down a Georgia squad that featured NFL running backs Sony Michel and Nick Chubb. That Bulldogs team also had current Washington Huskies quarterback Jacob Eason taking snaps behind center.

Georgia Roster Notes

Sophomore defensive tackle Jordan Davis is listed as questionable with a left ankle injury suffered against Tennessee.

Freshman defensive end Travon Walker has been upgraded to probable as he heals from a broken wrist suffered against Tennessee.

Junior cornerback Mark Webb is listed as questionable with a knee injury.

Sophomore cornerback Tyson Campbell is expected to play against Florida after dealing with a toe injury that held him out of the last four games.

Graduate transfer receiver Lawrence Cager is listed as questionable with shoulder and rib injuries.

Junior offensive guard Justin Shaffer has been downgraded to out with a neck injury that caused him to be unavailable against Kentucky.

Florida Roster Notes

Redshirt senior defensive ends Jabari Zuniga and Jonathan Greenard are both expected to be available against Georgia after dealing with injuries the past two games.

Junior receiver Kadarius Toney is expected to be in the lineup against Georgia after suffering a shoulder injury against UT-Martin.

Sophomore running back Dameon Pierce is listed as questionable with a head injury.

With both teams having run heavy offenses, the biggest key to victory for them will be how each defense limits their opponent’s run game and force the ball into the air. The spotlight will be on a pair of senior linebackers in Tae Crowder and David Reese II, who will be tasked with chasing down star running backs Lamical Perine and D’Andre Swift, respectively.

Tae Crowder

Middle Linebacker | 6-3, 235lb | Harris County HS | Pine Mountain, GA | Redshirt Senior

After arriving in Athens as a 2/3 star running back recruit, Tae Crowder slowly worked his way toward becoming an everyday starter on coach Smart’s defense. Crowder has demonstrated great closing speed on his tackles, which can be largely attributed to his time as a running back and experience on special teams. The former Georgia Southern commit has used his experience at these positions to make big plays such as his 60-yard scoop and score against Tennessee.

David Reese II

Middle Linebacker | 6-1, 239lb | Farmington HS | Farmington, MI | Senior

Although David Reese II was also a 3-star recruit like Crowder, the Michigan native managed to break into the starting lineup much sooner and make an impact in Gainesville. With 16 tackles for a loss in his career, Reese has been a thorn in the side of opposing offenses. Reese has a knack for coming up big in rivalry games, as evidenced by his four TFL performance against Florida State in 2017, as well as an 11 tackle game in last season’s Cocktail Party. Despite battling injuries, Reese is just five tackles shy of being the first Gator to 300 since Brandon Spikes, which should earn him some respect from NFL scouts.

Georgia vs Florida Predictions and Odds

Find the latest odds for Georgia vs Florida below. The odds are provided by New Jersey sportsbooks bet365 NJ, DraftKings, and Caesars NJ.

Good luck! 

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