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    • Florida Football vs. No. 2 Georgia, Scouting Report, Prediction
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    Florida Football vs. No. 2 Georgia, Scouting Report, Prediction

    Kathleen William Posted on

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    The first open week for Florida football led to an October with more focus and intensity on defense and big-play skills on offense.

    How much progress was there in the second open week? The Florida Gators (4-3, 2-2 SEC) will find out when they face No. 2 Georgia (6-1, 4-1 SEC) on Saturday in Jacksonville at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville (3:30 p.m., ABC). ). .

    “We have kind of a process, you know, what areas of our team we need to improve from an analytical standpoint, what situations we need to highlight, where we have deficiencies,” Florida football coach Billy Napier said. “Then of course we have a lot of young players that we need to develop further here.”

    The Georgia game begins UF with four straight games against ranked teams, continuing Nov. 9 at No. 6 Texas. Florida then returns home to face No. 16 LSU (November 16) and No. 18 Ole Miss (November 23).

    “We need to encourage each individual to contribute and certainly your strength will be challenged,” Napier said. “These will be 15-round fights. Really good coaches, really good staff, some at home and some on the road, right? They are all a challenge.”

    Napier is 0-2 against Georgia and 2-12 against ranked teams, two trends that must improve for him to secure a fourth season at UF. Florida players and coaches have been schooled in the rivalry, which has been one-sided of late. Georgia has won six of the last seven meetings, with UF's only win during that span coming in 2020.

    “Growing up watching Florida play these teams, I was one of those people where that game was going to make my year, my week,” Florida defensive lineman Jack Pyburn said. “It was bad. To me, that’s why you come to the SEC, to play in games like this.”

    Here are five storylines to keep an eye on as Florida takes on the Bulldogs:

    Can Florida football get off to a better start against Georgia?

    In the last two meetings between the two schools, Georgia has outscored Florida a total of 54-10 in the first half.

    Florida scored a touchdown on its first drive against UGA last season and then couldn't score for the rest of the half as UF trailed 26-7 at halftime.

    “In general, starting fast in the game of football is really important, I would say,” Napier said. “From an analytical perspective, that is a contributing factor. When you delve deeper into it, you quickly realize that it is very important to start quickly.”

    “These games are no different. This game will be very similar to all the games we have played this year. The key is that we are fundamentally prepared to play in a way that allows us to win some of these duels. These games are about the point of attacking wins and then you have to have a certain mindset and mentality and be ready to go.”

    Which QB will handle the rivalry's big stage better, Green football signal-caller DJ Lagway from Florida or veteran UGA player Carson Beck?

    A native of Jacksonville, Beck shined for Georgia against UF last season, passing for 315 yards with 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions.

    As a senior, the 6-foot, 220-pound Beck's season has been more of an ups and downs as he adjusts to a new group of receivers after losing tight end Brock Bowers and wide receiver Ladd McConkey to the NFL Draft . Beck is completing 66% of his passes this season, throwing for 1,993 yards with 15 touchdowns and 8 interceptions.

    Napier said he doesn't believe the narrative that Beck has struggled with this season.

    “He’s an elite quarterback,” Napier said. “He has been fantastic throughout his career. I really watched a lot of football. The training environment, the number of variables he's seen from a front pressure coverage standpoint, and he's a big, big, athletic guy that can throw it all over the park. Every player. “When you play you have to expect them to do their best, so it’s not for nothing that he’s highly regarded.”

    Lagway, meanwhile, enters his third career start with a 2-0 record as a starter, including wins over Samford and Kentucky. The 6-3, 239-pound player is a true freshman and brings a deep ball and dual-threat element to the offense. He is averaging 19.0 yards per completion and had five pass plays of 40 yards or more last week against Kentucky.

    “If you can make some of your throws, I would be confident too,” Florida wide receiver Chimere Dike said. “He is a really special player. I look forward to watching him continue to grow and progress every week.”

    Can Florida football play better on both sides against the Bulldogs?

    The sack margin in the last two meetings of the series is 8-0 in favor of the Bulldogs. UF's inability to protect quarterbacks Anthony Richardson and Graham Mertz proved costly, as Mertz lost a fumble on a strip sack last season. Florida's offensive line is coming off one of its best games of the season on Oct. 19 against Kentucky, limiting the Wildcats to no sacks while helping the running game generate 197 yards at 4.5 yards per carry.

    “We put together a pretty good game, there's always things we can clean up, this or that,” Florida starting center Jake Slaughter said. “I would put it down to a lot of collaborative work. I would put it down to the guys talking and getting together. That’s not to say our rotation guys aren’t coming in and playing really well, but everything has come together for us.”

    Georgia's pass rush, led by linebacker Jalon Walker (4.5 sacks) and edge rusher Mykal Williams (11 career sacks), will pose a tougher test. Defensively, Florida will look to generate more pass rush behind edge rushers Tyreak Sapp (3.5 sacks) and George Gumbs Jr. (3 sacks). Georgia's offensive line will be bolstered by the expected return of preseason All-American right guard Tate Ratledge, who missed UGA's last four games after rope surgery.

    Can Florida football win turnovers and steal possessions?

    The best way for an underdog to stay close is to get a turnover or two. UF's defense has been better at forcing turnovers of late, recording six takeaways in the last three games. Overall, UF has a -1 turnover margin, forcing nine turnovers to ten turnovers on offense.

    Lagway can take risks from time to time when trying to throw balls into tight coverage. Therefore, it will be important for him to understand Georgia's defense effectively and keep mistakes to a minimum. Georgia quarterback Carson Beck has thrown eight interceptions this season, but UF is struggling in the secondary without top cover corner Jason Marshall Jr. and safety Asa Turner.

    How will Georgia football RB Trevor Etienne fare against his former team?

    There doesn't seem to be any concern about Etienne leaving Florida for Georgia after rushing for 1,472 yards and 14 touchdowns in two seasons at UF.

    ““We were good friends here,” Slaughter said. “Yes, it hurt when he left, but it would have hurt if he had gone anywhere.”

    Etienne had a solid performance at Georgia this season with 422 yards rushing, 7 rushing TDs and 130 yards receiving. The Florida defensive players who have competed against Etienne in practice over the past two years are aware of the combination of speed, agility and field position. Pyburn said it's critical to identify Etienne “at all times” to ensure he doesn't play a role on short passes and yards after the catch.

    forecast

    Georgia 27, Florida 17: Florida will stick with Georgia for a half, but the Bulldogs will escape late and win for the seventh time in eight meetings in the series. Ultimately, Georgia's depth and physicality on both lines will wear down UF as it comes into the final two meetings. Lagway will make some plays early for the Gators, but in the second half he will turn the ball over at a critical point to get the Gators back.

    Kevin Brockway is the Florida beat writer for The Gainesville Sun. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow him on X @KevinBrockwayG1

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    Kathleen William
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