Remembering the Best Moments from the Georgia Florida Rivalry
The 2019 installment of the WLOCP is set to kick off this Saturday at TIAA field in Jacksonville. It will be the 97th (or 98th depending on who you ask) matchup between the Georgia Bulldogs and Florida Gators, in what is traditionally a de facto SEC East championship game.
This season is no different with both team's season and playoff hopes on the line. The winner controls their destiny while the loser goes home to a disappointed fan base and only the hope of finishing the season strong.
There are few rivalries like this one. There is so much at stake in this one game. And it's not even solely about winning the East. It's Georgia versus Florida. A heated rivalry between two teams, and fanbases, that are not friends of each other. That in and of itself is special and carries a lot of pride. The fact that there is a hall of fame just for this one game should tell you all you need to know about its historic presence. It is steeped in tradition and has had some fantastic moments. Time to remember just a few of the best moments from this annual battle in the River City.
1980: "Run, Lindsay!"
With their #2 ranking and perfect season on the line, the Bulldogs trailed the Gators 21-20. Georgia was on their own 7-yard line, facing third down with time running out. Quarterback Buck Belue found Lindsay Scott open in the middle of the field near the 25-yard line. From there Scott would weave his way through Florida's secondary and score the game-winning touchdown. The 93-yard play would seal the victory and help send UGA to an unbeaten National Championship campaign. Larry Munson's classic call made it all the better.
"Florida in a stand-up five, they may or may not blitz. Buck back, third down on the eight. In trouble, he got a block behind him. Gotta throw on the run. Complete to the 25. To the 30, Lindsay Scott 35, 40, Lindsay Scott 45, 50, 45, 40 . . . Run Lindsay, 25, 20, 15, 10, 5, Lindsay Scott! Lindsay Scott! Lindsay Scott!"
1985: Dawgs upset No. 1 Gators
A victory that is oh so sweet for Georgia fans. Every fan base loves to play spoiler every once in a while, and 1985 was exactly that. The Florida Gators came storming into the matchup as the nation's number one team for the first time in school history. The Bulldogs were still steaming from a 27-0 loss the season before, and they went on to ruin the Gators season with a 24-3 victory on the backs of freshmen running backs Tim Worley and Keith Henderson.
The Steve Spurrier years weren't so great for Georgia fans
1995: Half a hundred between the Hedges
During the construction of Jacksonville Municipal Stadium, or what is now known as the TIAA Bank Field (a real mouthful), for the first time in over 60 years, the Gators and Dawgs exchanged a home and home, in 1994 the Gators stomped the Dawgs in the Swamp, the Gators under Spurrier were looking to make a statement in Athens, and boy did they. Danny Wuerffell and Eric Kresser put up 52 points inside Sanford Stadium and left with Ray Goff's head on a stick.
Spurrier famously said "I wanted to be the first to hang half a hundred on them at home, we heard no one had ever done that before."
2007: The Gator Stomp
In 2007, on the way to a 42-30 victory over the Gators Mark Richt acknowledged that he gave the green light for a celebration in the end zone after the team's first touchdown. Knowshon Moreno scored and the entire Georgia bench found their way on to the field to celebrate and emotionally charge UGA who were underdogs coming into the game. The Dawgs were penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct but it seemed it was well worth it in the end.
2008: Meyer's Revenge
In what was seemingly a response to the 2007 end zone celebration, Urban Meyer used his two remaining time outs with less than a minute to play to give his team and fans more time to celebrate the 49-10 win over the Dawgs. The Gators would go on to win the SEC and the BCS National Championship that season.
2012: Dawgs upset No. 2 Gators
Ranked No. 12, the Bulldogs went into Jacksonville as underdogs to the No. 2 ranked Gators. In an uncharacteristically sloppy game, the Gators turned the ball over 6 times and the Dawgs won 17-9. Georgia would go on to play in the SEC Championship and lose to eventual BCS Champion Alabama. Say it with me know, clock the ball.
Now both programs are under fairly new head coaches, and for the first time in the rivalries history, they've played two top-10 matchups. Both programs are in good standing, despite what the last two butt whooping's from the Bulldogs tell
What are your favorite moments in this historic rivalry?
