The Florida–Georgia football rivalry is an American

college football College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States. Unlike most ...

rivalry A rivalry is the state of two people or groups engaging in a lasting competitive relationship. Rivalry is the "against each other" spirit between two competing sides. The relationship itself may also be called "a rivalry", and each participant o ...

game played annually by the

University of Florida The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida, traces its origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its ...

Gators and the

University of Georgia , mottoeng = "To teach, to serve, and to inquire into the nature of things.""To serve" was later added to the motto without changing the seal; the Latin motto directly translates as "To teach and to inquire into the nature of things." , establ ...

Bulldogs The Bulldog is a British breed of dog of mastiff type. It may also be known as the English Bulldog or British Bulldog. It is of medium size, a muscular, hefty dog with a wrinkled face and a distinctive pushed-in nose.Southeastern Conference The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is an American college athletic conference whose member institutions are located primarily in the South Central and Southeastern United States. Its fourteen members include the flagship public universities of ...

. The programs first met in 1904 or 1915 (the status of the first game is disputed) and have played every season since 1926 except for a war-time interruption in 1943. It is one of the most prominent rivalry games in college football, and it has been held in

Jacksonville, Florida Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the seat of Duval County, with which the ...

since 1933, with only two exceptions, making it one of the few remaining neutral-site rivalries in college football. The game attracts huge crowds to Jacksonville, and the associated

tailgating Tailgating is the action of a driver driving behind another vehicle while not leaving sufficient distance to stop without causing a collision if the vehicle in front stops suddenly. The safe distance for following another vehicle varies depend ...

and other events earned it the nickname of the "World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party", although that name is no longer used officially. Though highly contested on both sides, the series has gone through several periods in which one team has been dominant for well over a decade. Georgia dominated the early series while Florida held a clear advantage in the 1950s and early 1960s. Georgia again dominated from the mid-60s through the 80s under coach

Vince Dooley Vincent Joseph Dooley (September 4, 1932 – October 28, 2022) was an American college football coach. He was the head coach of the Georgia Bulldogs from 1964 to 1988, as well as the University of Georgia's (UGA) athletic director from 1979 t ...

, while Florida took the upper hand in the rivalry during the 1990s and early 2000s under coaches

Steve Spurrier Stephen Orr Spurrier (born April 20, 1945) is an American former American football, football quarterback and coach who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 10 seasons before coaching for 38 years, primarily in college. He is often ...

and

Urban Meyer Urban Frank Meyer III (born July 10, 1964) is a college football TV commentator and former American football coach. He spent most of his coaching career at the collegiate level, having served as the head coach of the Bowling Green Falcons fro ...

. More recently, the series has been more evenly balanced. Beginning with the 2007 contest, the fierce rivals enjoyed and then suffered through alternating sets of three-game win streaks. That trend ended in 2020, with Florida winning in 2020 and Georgia winning in 2021 and 2022.

Series history

Disputed beginnings

The two universities do not agree on when their gridiron rivalry began. The University of Georgia's athletic department considers a 52–0 victory in 1904 against a school known as the

to be part of the series.
2011 Georgia Football Media Guide
'', University of Georgia Athletic Department, Athens, Georgia, pp. 157 & 158 (2011). Retrieved August 19, 2011. However, this was not the modern University of Florida in Gainesville, but one of its four predecessor institutions: a school based in Lake City that was known as

Florida Agricultural College The history of the University of Florida is firmly tied to the history of public education in the state of Florida. The University of Florida originated as several distinct institutions that were consolidated to create a single state-supported un ...

before 1903. Florida's

University Athletic Association The University Athletic Association (UAA) is an American athletic conference that competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) Division III. Member schools are highly selective universities located in Georgia, Illinois, Mis ...

does not include this game in the series record as it occurred before the modern university was established by the Florida Legislature with the

Buckman Act The Buckman Act was a Florida law passed by the state legislature in 1905. It reorganized the state's institutions of higher learning and created a Florida Board of Control to govern the system. The act, named for legislator Henry Holland Buckman ...

of 1905 and before the new school in Gainesville fielded its first football team in

1906 Events January–February * January 12 – Persian Constitutional Revolution: A nationalistic coalition of merchants, religious leaders and intellectuals in Persia forces the shah Mozaffar ad-Din Shah Qajar to grant a constitution, ...

.
2011 Florida Gators Football Media Guide
'', University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 116 & 126 (2011). Retrieved August 19, 2011. UGA sports historian Dan Magill sums up Georgia's attitude: "That's where Florida was back then. We can't help it if they got run out of Lake City." The first game in the rivalry acknowledged by both schools took place in Jacksonville in 1915. The series has been played annually since 1926 except in 1943, when Florida did not field a team due to World War II.

Series trends

Georgia dominated the early rivalry. Florida did not score a single point against the Bulldogs until their fifth (or sixth) meeting. The Gators won their first two games against Georgia in

1928 Events January * January – British bacteriologist Frederick Griffith reports the results of Griffith's experiment, indirectly proving the existence of DNA. * January 1 – Eastern Bloc emigration and defection: Boris Bazhanov, J ...

and

1929 This year marked the end of a period known in American history as the Roaring Twenties after the Wall Street Crash of 1929 ushered in a worldwide Great Depression. In the Americas, an agreement was brokered to end the Cristero War, a Catholic ...

, when coach

Charlie Bachman Charles William Bachman Jr. (December 1, 1892 – December 14, 1985) was an American college American football, football player and head coach. Bachman was an Illinois native and an alumnus of the University of Notre Dame, where he played colleg ...

's squads briefly brought Florida's football program to national prominence. However, after a scoreless tie in 1930, Georgia resumed its dominance, winning fifteen out of the next seventeen games in the series as coach

Wally Butts James Wallace Butts Jr. (February 7, 1905 – December 17, 1973) was an American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head coach at the University of Georgia from 1939 to 1960, compiling a record of 140–8 ...

led the Bulldogs to several SEC championships while the Gators suffered through a period of mediocrity in the 1930s and 1940s. Florida finally enjoyed longer-term success in the rivalry in the 1950s under coach

Bob Woodruff Robert Warren Woodruff (born August 18, 1961) is an American television journalist. Since 1996, he has served as a reporter for ABC News. Woodruff co-anchored ABC World News Tonight in 2006 alongside ABC News journalist Elizabeth Vargas. He was ...

, a trend that continued into the 1960s under coach

Ray Graves Samuel Ray Graves (December 31, 1918 – April 10, 2015) was an American college and professional American football, football player and college football coach. He was a native of Tennessee and a graduate of the University of Tennessee, where ...

. The hiring of new Georgia coach

1964 Events January * January 1 – The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved. * January 5 - In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches since the fifteenth century, Pope Paul VI and Patriarch ...

evened the rivalry for the remainder of the decade, and in the 1970s and 1980s, his Bulldog squads usually won the game in Jacksonville while winning a national championship in

1980 Events January * January 4 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter proclaims a grain embargo against the USSR with the support of the European Commission. * January 6 – Global Positioning System time epoch begins at 00:00 UTC. * January 9 – ...

along the way. Coach

's arrival in Gainesville turned the rivalry back around beginning in

1990 File:1990 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1990 FIFA World Cup is played in Italy; The Human Genome Project is launched; Voyager I takes the famous Pale Blue Dot image- speaking on the fragility of Humankind, humanity on Earth, Astroph ...

, and his Gator squads went 11–1 against the Bulldogs. Coach

continued Florida's winning trend through the mid-2000s, but the rivalry has been unusually even since 2008. Florida began a three game series win streak in that season, which was followed by a three game Georgia streak, then another three game streak for Florida, which was answered by three Georgia wins, marking the longest evenly-divided dozen years in series history. Since the 1960s, the Florida–Georgia rivalry often held conference or national championship implications for one or both teams, and both schools have had title hopes dashed in the game, sometimes in a surprising upset. In

1966 Events January * January 1 – In a coup, Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa takes over as military ruler of the Central African Republic, ousting President David Dacko. * January 3 – 1966 Upper Voltan coup d'état: President Maurice Yaméogo i ...

, the Bulldogs intercepted 3 passes by eventual

Heisman Trophy The Heisman Memorial Trophy (usually known colloquially as the Heisman Trophy or The Heisman) is awarded annually to the most outstanding player in college football. Winners epitomize great ability combined with diligence, perseverance, and hard ...

winner

, derailing the Gators' title hopes in a 27–10 upset. On the other hand, Florida's upset win over Georgia in

2002 File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...

was the Bulldogs' only loss of the season and likely cost them a chance to play for a national championship. The rivalry has taken on even more importance since the SEC split into divisions in 1992. Both teams were placed in the SEC East, meaning that the contest has often decided who will play in the

SEC Championship Game The SEC Championship Game is an annual American football game that has determined the Southeastern Conference's season champion since 1992. The championship game pits the SEC East Division regular season champion against the West Division regula ...

. To date, Florida has fifteen Eastern Division titles while Georgia has ten.

Site of game

The Florida–Georgia game has often been held at off-campus sites since the very beginning of the rivalry. Florida's first on-campus stadium. Fleming Field, was quite small, so Florida's early teams usually played "home" games against major college opposition somewhere other than Gainesville. Before 1930, Florida-Georgia contests were held in Jacksonville (three times), Savannah (twice), and Tampa (once), along with several Georgia home games in Athens. (The disputed 1904 game was played in

Macon, Georgia Macon ( ), officially Macon–Bibb County, is a consolidated city-county in the U.S. state of Georgia. Situated near the fall line of the Ocmulgee River, it is located southeast of Atlanta and lies near the geographic center of the state of Geo ...

, another neutral site.)

Florida Field Ben Hill Griffin Stadium (in full Steve Spurrier-Florida Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium),Jacksonville Jaguars The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. The team play ...

of the NFL. In almost 100 meetings, the game has been played in Athens or Gainesville a total of only seven times, and there are no plans to do so in the future. Playing the game at a neutral site rather than on their respective campuses provides the universities' athletic programs with more revenue from the game than if the site rotated on a "home-and-away" basis.Stewart Verney,
Money, not tradition keeps Florida–Georgia game in Jacksonville
, ''Jacksonville Business Journal'' (October 5, 2010). Retrieved August 20, 2011. As of the 2018 contest, the universities made $3.3 million every year, or $6.6 million every two years, which is far more than the schools would earn if the game alternated between their respective home stadiums. In addition, the city of Jacksonville agreed in 2019 to compensate the schools for the loss of a home game by paying each university $1 million per year plus travel expenses beginning in 2020. There have been occasional calls to move the game from Jacksonville, usually when either Georgia or Florida is dominating the rivalry. In 2018, Georgia coach

Kirby Smart Kirby Paul Smart (born December 23, 1975) is an American football coach and former player. He is the current head football coach of the Georgia Bulldogs, his alma mater. He coached the 2021 Bulldogs to a national championship victory, their fi ...

pointed out that the neutral site game cost both programs a valuable recruiting weekend every other year, a view that Florida coach

Dan Mullen Dan Mullen (born April 27, 1972) is a former college football player and coach, and current television analyst with the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) and ESPN. He served as the head football coach at Mississippi State University from ...

said that he "respected". However, the schools have continued to renew their contract since it makes financial sense for both schools to keep the game in Jacksonville.Tim Tucker,
UGA weighs moving Florida game . . . but where?
, ''The Atlanta Journal-Constitution'' (May 17, 2009). Retrieved August 20, 2011. For example, despite vocal calls to move the game to Atlanta or make it a home-and-home contest after Florida went on a 16–3 run in the series, Georgia's athletic board unanimously agreed in 2009 to a six-year contract to keep the game in Jacksonville through 2016. The most recent contract extension keeps the game in Jacksonville until at least 2023 with an option for two more years. The game weekend is also extremely lucrative for Jacksonville businesses, particularly in the downtown area, with many reporting that it is their busiest weekend of the year. In addition to being important to the city of Jacksonville, the Georgia

Golden Isles The Golden Isles of Georgia consist of barrier islands, and the mainland port cities of Brunswick and Darien, on the 100-mile-long coast of the U.S. state of Georgia on the Atlantic Ocean. They include St. Simons Island, Sea Island, Jekyll Is ...

also depend on the game to sustain businesses through the winter season as many Georgia students and alumni elect to spend the weekend on the Georgia Coast, particularly on

Saint Simons Island St. Simons Island (or simply St. Simons) is a barrier island and census-designated place (CDP) located on St. Simons Island in Glynn County, Georgia, United States. The names of the community and the island are interchangeable, known simply as ...

, where thousands of Georgia students gather each year at the aptly named "Frat Beach" on Friday before commuting to Jacksonville the next day. The designated "home" team alternates from year to year, and ticket distribution is split evenly between the fans of the two teams.Games similar to Florida–Georgia
, ''Financial News & Daily Record'' (July 23, 2009). Retrieved August 20, 2011. Beginning in the late 1980s, fans from Florida and Georgia were assigned seats grouped in alternating sections of the stadium to minimize incidents, and the contrasting colors worn by the fans (red and black for Georgia, orange and blue for Florida) created a "beach ball" visual effect in the stands. More recently, the seating arrangement has split the stadium lengthwise and fans sit on the side corresponding to the sideline their team occupies. The teams take turns serving as the "home" team, with the "hosts" usually wearing their home uniforms and the visitors wearing white road jerseys. However, on several occasions, the Bulldogs and Gators have faced off with both squads wearing their home uniforms.

Rivalry traditions

"World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party"

The game is one of the busiest annual events in downtown Jacksonville, and attracts huge crowds that congregate around the stadium for

and other happenings, particularly at the

Jacksonville Landing The Jacksonville Landing (informally The Landing) was a festival marketplace in Downtown Jacksonville, Florida, at the intersection of Independent Drive and Laura Street, along the Jacksonville Riverwalk.St. Johns River The St. Johns River ( es, Río San Juan) is the longest river in the U.S. state of Florida and its most significant one for commercial and recreational use. At long, it flows north and winds through or borders twelve counties. The drop in eleva ...

. As a result the game and associated revelry have been known as "the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party", a nickname first coined in the 1950s by Bill Kastelz, sports editor for ''

The Florida Times-Union ''The Florida Times-Union'' is a daily newspaper in Jacksonville, Florida, United States. Widely known as the oldest newspaper in the state, it began publication as the ''Florida Union'' in 1864. Its current incarnation started in 1883, when th ...

''.Michael DiRocco,
Georgia–Florida game needs a name and a trophy
, ''The Florida Times-Union'' (October 28, 2010). Retrieved February 21, 2012. Kastelz claimed he came up with the name after seeing a drunk, stumbling fan offer an alcoholic beverage to an on-duty police officer. The "Cocktail Party" nickname proved so popular that the City of Jacksonville used it for many years. However, the city dropped it from most official usage in 1988 following a series of alcohol-fueled outbursts. In 1984, Florida fans stormed the field and tore down the

goal post In sport, a goal may refer to either an instance of scoring, or to the physical structure or area where an attacking team must send the ball or puck in order to score points. The structure of a goal varies from sport to sport, and one is plac ...

s after a 27–0 victory; the following year, a 24–3 Georgia win led Bulldogs fans to do the same, ultimately resulting in 65 arrests. Thereafter, the city cracked down on excessive drinking and soon dropped its use of the name. In 2006 both schools and the

Southeastern Conference The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is an American college athletic conference whose member institutions are located primarily in the South Central and Southeastern United States. Its fourteen members include the flagship public universities of ...

asked

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainmen ...

and the city to abandon the name in promotions due to concerns about alcohol abuse by students and other attendees. Since 2006, the rivalry has lacked an official name. It is generally called the "Florida–Georgia game" or "FLA/GA" in Florida, or "Georgia–Florida game" in Georgia; some entities, including the Jacksonville newspaper ''The Florida Times-Union'', rotate the name each year to list the designated home team first. Since 2009, the respective student government associations of the institutions have referred to the game as the War for the Oar, as the winning team takes home the Okefenokee Oar.

Florida–Georgia Hall of Fame

The Jacksonville Economic Development Commission created the Florida–Georgia Hall of Fame in 1995 to recognize the players, coaches, and other representatives from each school who have made their mark on the rivalry.Mike Sharkey,
Florida–Georgia Hall of Fame lunch celebrates 10th anniversary
, ''Financial News & Daily Record'' (October 6, 2005). Retrieved August 20, 2011. Each year, four new members (two from each school) are announced in June, and are formally inducted at a luncheon in Jacksonville the Friday before the football game. Florida–Georgia Hall of Fame inductees through 2019 include: Florida: Carlos Alvarez,

Reidel Anthony Reidel Clarence Anthony (born October 20, 1976) is a former American football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) from 1997 to 2001. Anthony played college football for the University of Florida, and received consensus ...

Kerwin Bell Kerwin Douglas Bell (born June 15, 1965) is an American football coach and former player who has been the head coach of the Western Carolina Catamounts football team since 2021. Bell was born in the rural North Central Florida town of Live Oak, ...

, Howell Boney,

Scot Brantley Scot Eugene Brantley (born February 24, 1958) is an American radio and television sports broadcaster and former college and professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons during the 1980 ...

, Joe Brodsky, Alex Brown, Norm Carlson,

Kevin Carter Kevin Carter (13 September 1960 – 27 July 1994) was a South African photojournalist and member of the Bang-Bang Club. He was the recipient in 1994 of a Pulitzer Prize for his photograph depicting the 1993 famine in Sudan. He died by sui ...

Rick Casares Richard Jose Casares (July 4, 1931 – September 13, 2013) was an American professional football player who was a fullback in the National Football League (NFL) and American Football League (AFL) for twelve seasons during the 1950s and 1960s. ...

Jeff Chandler Jeff Chandler (born Ira Grossel; yi, יראַ גראָססעל; December 15, 1918 – June 17, 1961) was an American actor, film producer, and singer, best remembered for playing Cochise in '' Broken Arrow'' (1950), for which he was nom ...

Wes Chandler Wesley Sandy Chandler (born August 22, 1956) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for eleven seasons during the 1970s and 1980s. He was selected to the Pro Bowl four t ...

Brad Culpepper John Broward "Brad" Culpepper (born May 8, 1969) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons during the 1990s and early 2000s. Culpepper was as an All-Ame ...

Doug Dickey Douglas Adair Dickey (born June 24, 1932) is an American former college football player and coach and college athletics administrator. Dickey is a South Dakota native who was raised in Florida and graduated from the University of Florida, where ...

Chris Doering Chris is a short form of various names including Christopher, Christian, Christina, Christine, and Christos. Chris is also used as a name in its own right, however it is not as common. People with the given name * Chris Abani (born 1966), N ...

, Jimmy Dunn,

Larry Dupree Lawrence Wallace Dupree (December 22, 1943 – June 15, 2014) was an American college football player. He played at the halfback and fullback positions for the Florida Gators football team of the University of Florida. In 1964, he became the ...

Jeremy Foley Jeremy N. Foley (born December 1, 1952) is an American university sports administrator and former college athlete. Foley was an award-winning athletic director for the Florida Gators Division I sports program of the University of Florida locate ...

Don Gaffney Donald G. Gaffney (born February 1, 1954) is an American former college football player and politician. Gaffney was the first African-American to play quarterback for the Florida Gators football team of the University of Florida, and was later ...

Jabar Gaffney Derrick Jabar Gaffney (born December 1, 1980) is an American former football wide receiver. He played college football for the University of Florida, and was recognized as a consensus All-American. He was drafted by the Houston Texans in th ...

Rex Grossman Rex Daniel Grossman III (born August 23, 1980) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons, most notably with the Chicago Bears. He played college football at Florida, where he rece ...

Galen Hall Galen Samuel Hall (born August 14, 1940) is a retired American college and professional football coach and player. He is a native of Pennsylvania, and an alumnus of Penn State University, where he played college football. Hall was previously t ...

Percy Harvin William Percival Harvin III (born May 28, 1988) is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football at Florida, when the Gators won the BCS National Championship in 2006 and 2008, and was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings o ...

Ike Hilliard Isaac Jason Hilliard (born April 5, 1976) is a former American football wide receiver Who most recently served as the wide receivers coach for the Auburn Tigers (NCAA). He played college football for the University of Florida, and earned All-A ...

Chuck Hunsinger Charles Ray Hunsinger (July 25, 1925 – March 23, 1998) was an American college and professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) and the Canadian Football League (CFL) for six seasons during t ...

Lindy Infante Gelindo "Lindy" Infante (March 27, 1940 – October 8, 2015) was an American football player and coach, who became an offensive coordinator and head coach in both the National Football League (NFL) and the United States Football League (USFL). ...

, Willie Jackson, Jr., Doug Johnson,

Jevon Kearse Jevon Kearse (born September 3, 1976), nicknamed "the Freak", is a former American football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) for eleven seasons during the late 1990s and 2000s. Kearse played college football f ...

Charlie LaPradd Charles W. LaPradd (August 24, 1927 – February 1, 2006) was an American football player during the early 1950s. He played college football for the University of Florida and was recognized as an All-American as a defensive lineman. He late ...

Chris Leak Christopher Patrick Leak (born May 3, 1985) is an American football coach and former gridiron football quarterback. He played college football for the University of Florida, and led the Florida Gators to victory in the 2007 BCS National Champion ...

Buford Long Buford Eugene Long (December 14, 1931 – September 1, 2006) was an American college and professional football player who was a defensive back, halfback and end in the National Football League (NFL) for three seasons during the 1950s. Long pla ...

Wilber Marshall Wilber Buddyhia Marshall (born April 18, 1962) is an American former professional football player who was a outside linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for five teams from 1984 until 1995. Marshall played college football for the F ...

Shane Matthews Michael Shane Matthews (born June 1, 1970) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for all or part of fourteen seasons during the 1990s and 2000s. He played college footba ...

Lee McGriff Lee Colson McGriff (born October 3, 1953) is an American former college and professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for a single season in 1976. McGriff played college football for the Florida ...

Nat Moore Nat or NAT may refer to: Computing * Network address translation (NAT), in computer networking Organizations * National Actors Theatre, New York City, U.S. * National AIDS trust, a British charity * National Archives of Thailand * National As ...

Ricky Nattiel Ricky Rennard Nattiel ( ; born January 25, 1966), nicknamed "Ricky the Rocket", is an American former college and professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for six seasons during the 1980s and 19 ...

John Reaves Thomas Johnson "John" Reaves (March 2, 1950 – August 1, 2017) was an American college and professional football player who was a quarterback for 11 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) and three seasons in the United States Football L ...

Errict Rhett Errict Undra Rhett (born December 11, 1970) is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons during the 1990s and early 2000s. Rhett played college football for the ...

Lito Sheppard Lito Decorian Sheppard (born April 8, 1981) is an American football coach and former cornerback. During his playing career, he played in the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the first ...

Brandon Spikes Brandon Spikes (born September 3, 1987) is a former American football linebacker. He played college football for the University of Florida, was recognized as an All-American twice and was a member of two BCS National Championship teams. He was ...

, Fred Taylor, Tim Tebow,

Richard Trapp Richard Earl Trapp (born September 21, 1946) is an American former college and professional football player who was a wide receiver in the American Football League (AFL) for two seasons during the late 1960s. Trapp played college football for ...

Ben Troupe Benjamin LaShaun Troupe (born September 1, 1982) is an American former college and professional football player who was a tight end in the National Football League (NFL) for five seasons during the early 2000s. Troupe played college football fo ...

, John L. Williams,

Lawrence Wright Lawrence Wright (born August 2, 1947) is an American writer and journalist, who is a staff writer for ''The New Yorker'' magazine, and fellow at the Center for Law and Security at the New York University School of Law. Wright is best known as th ...

Danny Wuerffel Daniel Carl Wuerffel (born May 27, 1974) is a former college and professional American football quarterback. Wuerffel attended the University of Florida, where he was a prolific passer for the Florida Gators under head coach Steve Spurrier. Wuerf ...

Jack Youngblood Herbert Jackson Youngblood III (born January 26, 1950) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL) for fourteen seasons during the 1970s and 1980s. He ...

. Georgia: Peter Anderson, Richard Appleby,

Buck Belue Benjamin Franklin "Buck" Belue played American football and baseball at the University of Georgia from 1978 to 1981. He was the quarterback for the Georgia Bulldogs in 1980, when the team went 12–0, and, after beating Notre Dame in the Sugar ...

Boss Bailey Rodney "Boss" Bailey (born October 14, 1979) is a former American football linebacker who played in the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Detroit Lions in the second round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football ...

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, Charley Britt, Kevin Butler,

Mike Cavan Mike Cavan (born April 15, 1948) is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Valdosta State University (1986–1991), East Tennessee State University (1992–1996) and Southern Methodist University (1997–2001) ...

, Knox Culpepper,

Rennie Curran Rennie Curran (born November 10, 1988) is a keynote speaker, leadership coach, author and former American football linebacker. He played college football at the University of Georgia. Curran was considered one of the top weakside linebackers of hi ...

, Robert Edwards,

Bob Etter Robert Glenn Etter (born August 8, 1945) is a former American college and professional football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL) and World Football League (WFL) for four seasons during the 1960s and 1970s. He p ...

Randall Godfrey Randall Euralentris Godfrey (born April 6, 1973) is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League. Godfrey played college football at the University of Georgia, where he majored in housing and consumer economics. He also ...

Ray Goff Ray Goff (born July 10, 1955) is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Georgia from 1989 to 1995, compiling a record of 46–34–1. Playing career Goff attended the University of Georgia, ...

, Cy Grant, David Greene,

Rodney Hampton Rodney Craig Hampton (born April 3, 1969) is an American former professional football player who was a running back for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Giants in the first round of the 1990 NFL D ...

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Dan Magill Daniel Hamilton Magill Jr. (January 25, 1921 – August 23, 2014) was an American Sports Information Director, Head Tennis Coach, and Georgia Bulldog Club secretary for the University of Georgia, known throughout the state of Georgia and the South ...

, Kevin McLee,

Willie McClendon Willie Edward McClendon (born September 13, 1957) is a former American football running back in the National Football League (NFL). Selected in the 1979 NFL Draft, he played for the Chicago Bears from 1979 to 1982. He is the father of former Bea ...

Knowshon Moreno Knowshon Rockwell Moreno (born July 16, 1987) is a former American football running back. He played college football at the University of Georgia and was selected with the 12th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. He also pl ...

Larry Munson Lawrence Harry Munson (September 28, 1922 – November 20, 2011) was an American sports announcer and talk-show host based out of the U.S. city of Athens, Georgia. He was best known for handling radio play-by-play of University of Georgia B ...

Aaron Murray Aaron William Murray (born November 10, 1990) is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He played college football at Georgia. Murray currently leads the SEC ...

, George Patton,

David Pollack David M. Pollack (born June 19, 1982) is a former professional American football linebacker who played in two seasons in the National Football League (NFL), having suffered a career-ending injury in the second game of his second season. He play ...

John Rauch John Rauch (August 20, 1927 – June 10, 2008), also known by his nickname Johnny Rauch, was an American football player and coach. He was head coach of the Oakland Raiders in the team's loss to the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl II in earl ...

Rex Robinson Rex Robinson (born March 17, 1959) is a placekicker that played for the Marietta Blue Devils, University of Georgia Bulldogs of the Southeastern Conference and the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). Originally from Ma ...

, Matt Robinson,

Erk Russell Erskine "Erk" Russell (July 23, 1926 – September 8, 2006) was an American football, basketball, track and baseball player and coach. He was also the defensive coordinator for the Georgia Bulldogs for seventeen years (1964–1981) and head foo ...

, Bill Saye,

Jake Scott Jacob E. Scott III (July 20, 1945 – November 19, 2020) was an American professional football player who was a free safety and punt returner from 1970 to 1978 for the Miami Dolphins and Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NF ...

Lindsay Scott Lindsay Eugene Scott (born December 6, 1960) is a former American football wide receiver, who played for the University of Georgia and the New Orleans Saints. He was the 13th overall pick in the 1982 NFL Draft and played four seasons for the S ...

Richard Seymour Richard Vershaun Seymour (born October 6, 1979) is an American professional poker player and former professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) . He played college football College footbal ...

Frank Sinkwich Frank Francis Sinkwich Sr. (October 10, 1920 – October 22, 1990) was an American football player and coach. He won the Heisman Trophy in 1942 playing for the University of Georgia, making him the first recipient from the Southeastern Conferen ...

Bill Stanfill William Thomas Stanfill (January 13, 1947 – November 10, 2016) was a defensive end for the Miami Dolphins of the American Football League and then the NFL after the AFL-NFL merger of 1970. He was a member of Miami's two Super Bowl-winning team ...

Matt Stinchcomb Matthew Douglas Stinchcomb (born June 3, 1977) is a former American college and professional football player who was an offensive lineman in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons. He played college football for the University ...

Marcus Stroud Marcus LaVar Stroud (born June 25, 1978) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive tackle for 10 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs, and was select ...

, Tommy Thurson,

Charley Trippi Charles Louis Trippi (December 14, 1921 – October 19, 2022) was an American professional football player for the Chicago Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL) from 1947 to 1955. Although primarily a running back, his versatility al ...

Herschel Walker Herschel Junior Walker (born March 3, 1962) is an American former football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons. He was also the Republican nominee in the 2022 United States Senate election in Georgia. ...

, Gene Washington, Charles Wittemore,

Scott Woerner Scott Allison Woerner (born December 18, 1958) is a former American football safety in the National Football League (NFL) for the Atlanta Falcons and the New Orleans Saints. He played college football for the University of Georgia Bulldogs. In the ...

Tim Worley Timothy Ashley Worley (born September 24, 1966) is a former American football running back who played for the Georgia Bulldogs in college, and the Pittsburgh Steelers and Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). Early years Worley w ...

Eric Zeier Eric Royce Zeier (born September 6, 1972) is a former American football quarterback. In his six years in the NFL, he played for the Cleveland Browns (1995), Baltimore Ravens (1996–1998), and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1999–2000). He is a for ...

. In 2017, two members were inducted who were not linked with one particular school: Greg McGarity, who was a long-serving athletic administrator at Florida before becoming Georgia's

athletic director An athletic director (commonly "athletics director" or "AD") is an administrator at many American clubs or institutions, such as colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, who oversees the work of coaches and ...

, and

Verne Lundquist Merton Laverne Lundquist Jr. (born July 17, 1940) is an American sportscaster. Biography Early life and career Lundquist was born in Duluth, Minnesota. He graduated from Austin High School in Austin, Texas, before attending Texas Lutheran Un ...

, a retired broadcaster who was the television play-by-play announcer for many Florida-Georgia games as part of SEC on CBS coverage.

Okefenokee Oar

Unlike many college sports rivalries, the Florida–Georgia game historically has not been played for a

trophy A trophy is a tangible, durable reminder of a specific achievement, and serves as a recognition or evidence of merit. Trophies are often awarded for sporting events, from youth sports to professional level athletics. In many sports medals (or, in ...

. The city of Jacksonville announced that it would award the winning teams the goalposts from the game in 1986, in order to persuade fans not to storm the field and destroy them as they had the previous two years. However, no goalposts were ever given out because neither university wanted them. In 2009, the student governments of the two universities announced the creation of a new trophy, the "Okefenokee Oar".Carolyn Crist,
SGAs begin new tradition
, ''The Red and Black'' (October 29, 2009). Retrieved August 20, 2011. The 10-foot-long Oar was donated anonymously to the University of Florida in 2009, and has opposing sides carved with symbols and logos from each school.Sarah Giarratana,
SGA's join to forge new tradition with Okefenoke Oar Trophy
, ''The Red and Black'' (October 29, 2011). Retrieved December 7, 2011. The Oar was carved from the remains of a 1,000-year-old

cypress tree Cypress is a common name for various coniferous trees or shrubs of northern temperate regions that belong to the family Cupressaceae. The word ''cypress'' is derived from Old French ''cipres'', which was imported from Latin ''cypressus'', the la ...

that once grew in the

Okefenokee Swamp The Okefenokee Swamp is a shallow, 438,000-acre (177,000 ha), peat-filled wetland straddling the Georgia–Florida line in the United States. A majority of the swamp is protected by the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and the Okefenokee ...

, which straddles the Florida–Georgia border and was the source of an interstate boundary dispute. Beginning with the 2009 contest, the Okefenokee Oar is presented to the winning university's student body president. No trophy is presented at the game, however.

Notable games

As with all intense rivalries, the Florida/Georgia series has seen many memorable games that simultaneously brought joy and anguish to partisans of the schools.

1928: Ending the drought

When

became the 1928 Gators' new head coach, he inherited a team loaded with talent recruited by his predecessor,

Harold Sebring Harold Leon Sebring (March 9, 1898 – July 26, 1968), nicknamed Tom Sebring, was a Florida Supreme Court justice, and an American judge at one of the Subsequent Nuremberg Trials of German war criminals after World War II. Sebring was a native ...

.Tom McEwen, ''The Gators: The Story of Florida Football'', The Strode Publishers, Huntsville, Alabama, pp. 82–103 (1974). However, he also inherited a program which had never come close to beating the Georgia Bulldogs, their

Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) was one of the first collegiate athletic conferences in the United States. Twenty-seven of the current Division I FBS (formerly Division I-A) football programs were members of this conferen ...

rival. Georgia was 6–0 against Florida with five shutouts and an overall scoring advantage of 190–9. The teams met again in

Savannah, Georgia Savannah ( ) is the oldest city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia and is the county seat of Chatham County, Georgia, Chatham County. Established in 1733 on the Savannah River, the city of Savannah became the Kingdom of Great Br ...

on November 10, and Bachman's Gators finally beat the Bulldogs through the efforts of Florida's "Phantom Four" backfield of Dale Van Sickle,

Carl Brumbaugh Carl Lowry Brumbaugh (September 22, 1906 – October 24, 1969) was an American college and professional football player who was a quarterback and halfback in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons in the 1930s. Brumbaugh played co ...

Rainey Cawthon Rainey Blackwell Cawthon (October 30, 1907 – April 11, 1991) was an American football player and coach for the Florida Gators of the University of Florida. Cawthon was a member of Florida's "Phantom Four" backfield with Clyde Crabtree, Carl Br ...

Clyde Crabtree Clyde Crabtree (November 3, 1905 – April 21, 1994), nicknamed "Cannonball Crabtree," was an American college and professional football player who was a halfback and quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for a single season in 193 ...

and

Royce Goodbread Royce Ethelbert Goodbread (August 23, 1907 – May 19, 1991) was an American college and professional football player who was a halfback and wingback in the National Football League (NFL) for two seasons during the early 1930s. Goodbread play ...

. With Florida holding a commanding lead in fourth quarter, jubilant Gator fans prematurely rushed the field to tear down the goal posts, resulting in fist fights breaking out between supporters of the two schools. Order was restored, the game was completed, and Florida earned its first victory in the series by the score of 26–6.

1941: Sinkwich beats Florida with a broken jaw

Georgia's All-American back

had broken his jaw in a game earlier in the season, but that didn't keep him off the field. Wearing a custom-made chinstrap attached to his helmet, Sinkwich ran 31 times for 142 and two touchdowns and kicked Georgia's first field goal since 1924 in the Bulldogs' 19–3 victory over the Gators. When speaking about the loss after the game, Florida coach

Tom Lieb Thomas John Lieb (October 28, 1899 – April 30, 1962) was an American Olympic track and field athlete, an All-American college football player and a multi-sport collegiate coach. Lieb was a Minnesota native and an alumnus of the University ...

simply said "Too much Sinkwich."

1942: 75 and oh!

Having lost most upper-class players and several members of the coaching staff to service in

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, the 1942 Florida Gators brought an inexperienced 3–4 squad into Jacksonville for the 1942 contest with Georgia.Ryan Ferguson,
It's Still Important to Hate Georgia: A History Lesson
, AolNews.com (October 27, 2006). Retrieved August 20, 2011. The

ROTC The Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC ( or )) is a group of college- and university-based officer-training programs for training commissioned officers of the United States Armed Forces. Overview While ROTC graduate officers serve in all ...

program, and brought a 7–0 record and No. 1 ranking to Jacksonville. Georgia halfback

and Heisman Trophy-winning back

combined to score seven touchdowns as Georgia defeated Florida 75–0, the largest margin in series history. The Bulldogs finished the regular season 10–1, won the Southeastern Conference championship, defeated the

UCLA Bruins The UCLA Bruins are the athletic teams that represent the University of California, Los Angeles. The Bruin men's and women's teams participate in NCAA Division I as part of the Pac-12 Conference and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF). ...

9–0 in the Rose Bowl, and were named national champions by multiple polls and ratings services. Meanwhile, the depleted Gators would not win another game on the season, and when even more students and staff joined the war effort, the school did not field a football team at all in 1943.

1949: Hunsinger ends Georgia's streak

The post–World War II 1940s were a tough slog for the Florida Gators.McEwen, ''The Gators'', pp. 128–151 Coached by

Raymond Wolf Raymond Bernard Wolf (July 15, 1904 – October 6, 1979), nicknamed "Bear" Wolf, was an American football and baseball player and coach. Wolf was a native of Illinois and an alumnus of Texas Christian University (TCU), where he played college f ...

, the Gators' collection of recent high school graduates and returning war veterans suffered the indignity of four consecutive losing seasons—the lowest point in the history of the Gators football program, ironically remembered by the close-knit players as the "Golden Era." But there were still stars and bright moments; Wolf's 1949 Florida Gators were led by senior lineman Jimmy Kynes and running back

. Given little chance by anyone to beat coach

Georgia Bulldogs The Georgia Bulldogs are the athletic teams that represent the University of Georgia. The female athletic teams are sometimes referred to as Lady Bulldogs. The Bulldogs compete in NCAA Division I and are members of the Southeastern Conference ( ...

in Jacksonville, Kynes inspired his two-way linemen to their outstanding effort of the season, stopping the Bulldogs' running game on defense, and blocking for Hunsinger on offense.F. T. MacFeely,
Fighting Gators Upset Georgia, 28 to 7
, ''St. Petersburg Times'', p. 29 (November 6, 1949). Retrieved August 23, 2011. Hunsinger rushed eighteen times for 174 yards and three touchdowns, and the Gators won 28–7, breaking a seven-game Georgia winning streak. Wolf would be dismissed as Florida's head coach at the end of the season, but on that day in Jacksonville, he was jubilantly carried off the field by his players.

1952: 30–0

Georgia clearly dominated the first several decades of their series against Florida. Coming into the 1952 contest, the Bulldogs were 23–5–1 all-time against the Gators and had won nine of the previous ten meetings, including two straight victories over Florida coach

. The Gators arrived in Jacksonville with a 3–2 record and an offense that had struggled against good defenses. In an attempt to jump-start their run-oriented attack, Woodruff and Florida

offensive coordinator An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of an American football or Canadian football team who is in charge of the team's offense. Generally, along with the defensive coordinator and the special teams coordinator, this coach re ...

Frank Broyles John Franklin Broyles (December 26, 1924 – August 14, 2017) was an American college football player and coach, college athletics administrator, and broadcaster. He served as the head football coach for one season at the University of Missour ...

decided to swap the positions of quarterback

and running back

. Casares had been heavily recruited by Georgia but thought that Bulldog Coach Wally Butts was "too rough" with his players during a recruiting visit, so he opted to attend Florida instead. Led by All-American lineman

on defense and Casares on offense and special teams (he was also the team's

place-kicker Placekicker, or simply kicker (PK or K), is the player in gridiron football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals and extra points. In many cases, the placekicker also serves as the team's kickoff specialist or punter. Speci ...

), the Gators dominated the

Bulldogs The Bulldog is a British breed of dog of mastiff type. It may also be known as the English Bulldog or British Bulldog. It is of medium size, a muscular, hefty dog with a wrinkled face and a distinctive pushed-in nose.Buford Long Buford Eugene Long (December 14, 1931 – September 1, 2006) was an American college and professional football player who was a defensive back, halfback and end in the National Football League (NFL) for three seasons during the 1950s. Long pla ...

ran for 116 yards on 10 carries. Florida finished the season 8–3 and were invited to their first major bowl game, the 1953 Gator Bowl. Georgia finished 7–4 and went on to suffer through several sub-par seasons in the 1950s, helping Florida earn a winning decade over their border rivals for first time in the series.

1964: Vince Dooley arrives

While Georgia still held an overall advantage in the series, Florida enjoyed a 10–2 streak from 1952 to 1963 under head coaches

and

. That changed with the arrival of

as the new head coach of the underdog 1964 Georgia Bulldogs. In a game where the Bulldogs' quarterback failed to complete a single pass and was intercepted twice, Dooleys' 'Dogs relied on their running game, a staunch second-half defense, and a little bit of luck to beat Graves' tenth-ranked

Florida Gators The Florida Gators are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Florida, located in Gainesville. The University of Florida, its athletic program, its alumni and its sports fans are often collectively referred to as t ...

.United Press International,
Kicking Specialist Gets Winning Score
, ''The Post and Courier'', p. 4-D (November 8, 1964). Retrieved August 20, 2011. With the game tied at 7–7 in the fourth quarter, Bulldogs placekicker

lined up for a potential game-winning field goal. Instead, in a wild broken play, the Bulldogs' center and placeholder mishandled the snap, but Etter picked up the bobbled ball and ran it for a touchdown to score the winning points in the 14–7 contest. Dooley's teams would split their first seven games 3–3–1 against Graves' Gators. Thereafter, Dooley's 'Dogs would go on to dominate the rivalry, winning fourteen of the nineteen games from 1971 to 1989.

1966: Heisman curse?

The seventh-ranked 1966 Florida Gators entered the game with a 7–0 record and the opportunity to clinch a share of their first-ever SEC title. The Gators' senior quarterback,

, had just locked up the Heisman trophy the previous week with a stellar performance versus the

Auburn Tigers The Auburn Tigers are the athletic teams representing Auburn University, a public four-year coeducational university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. The Auburn Tigers compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Associa ...

. The Florida–Georgia game turned out very differently, however, as the

1970: Rip, strip, and grip

The 1970 Florida Gators featured All-American

defensive end Defensive end (DE) is a defensive position in the sport of gridiron football. This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formation (American football), formations over the years have substantially ...

, and he pulled off one of the most remarkable plays in Florida football history. With

Bulldogs The Bulldog is a British breed of dog of mastiff type. It may also be known as the English Bulldog or British Bulldog. It is of medium size, a muscular, hefty dog with a wrinkled face and a distinctive pushed-in nose.John Reaves Thomas Johnson "John" Reaves (March 2, 1950 – August 1, 2017) was an American college and professional football player who was a quarterback for 11 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) and three seasons in the United States Football L ...

and wide receiver Carlos Alvarez then connected for two touchdown passes in the final 5:13 to rally the Florida Gators to a 24–17 victory.

1975: Appleby to Washington

The 1975 Florida Gators came into the game with a 6–1 record and No. 7 ranking, while the

were 5–2 and ranked No. 19. The Gators' offense was led by running back

Tony Green Anthony John "Tony" Green (born 29 January 1939) is an English sports commentator and television presenter. Darts career A former amateur player, who played county darts for Lancashire, he was the BBC's lead commentator when they showed th ...

, who ran an early one-yard touchdown to put the Gators ahead 7–0. The Gators led 7–3 as time was winding down in the fourth quarter. Georgia's "Junkyard Dawgs" defense allowed yards between the 20-yard-lines, but ceded little ground in the red zone. The Bulldogs set up at their own 20-yard-line with 3:10 remaining, and head coach

did something he rarely did: he called a trick play. Tight end Richard Appleby accepted the handoff on a reverse to the right, but instead of running downfield, he threw the ball to wide receiver Gene Washington for an improbable 80-yard touchdown play.Associated Press,
Gators can think, keep dreaming
, ''The Tuscaloosa News'', p. 13 (November 10, 1975). Retrieved August 23, 2011. Florida mounted a drive in the closing minutes but a bad snap foiled the Gators' game-tying field goal attempt, and Georgia held on for a 10–7 victory.

1976: "Fourth and dumb"

The 1976 Florida Gators were 6–1 and ranked No. 10 coming into the game, and again seeking to secure their first SEC football championship. The Gators held a 27–13 halftime advantage and seemed to have the game in hand until the

Bulldogs The Bulldog is a British breed of dog of mastiff type. It may also be known as the English Bulldog or British Bulldog. It is of medium size, a muscular, hefty dog with a wrinkled face and a distinctive pushed-in nose.Doug Dickey Douglas Adair Dickey (born June 24, 1932) is an American former college football player and coach and college athletics administrator. Dickey is a South Dakota native who was raised in Florida and graduated from the University of Florida, where ...

decided to go for the first down rather than punt. Gators running back Earl Carr was stopped short by Bulldogs safety Johnny Henderson. Led by quarterback

's game management and running back Kevin McLee's 198-yard rushing performance, the Bulldogs seized the momentum and scored three touchdowns on their way to a 41–27 win. After the game, Dickey admitted that "We were not outplayed; we were outcoached. I made some dumb calls." Sports writers seized on Dickey's ''mea culpa'', and in subsequent months and years popularized the phrase "fourth and dumb" to refer to both Dickey's failed fourth down attempt and the game itself.

1980: Run, Lindsay!

Trailing the underdog 1980 Florida Gators with their perfect season and their No. 2 ranking in jeopardy, the

Bulldogs The Bulldog is a British breed of dog of mastiff type. It may also be known as the English Bulldog or British Bulldog. It is of medium size, a muscular, hefty dog with a wrinkled face and a distinctive pushed-in nose.Buck Belue Benjamin Franklin "Buck" Belue played American football and baseball at the University of Georgia from 1978 to 1981. He was the quarterback for the Georgia Bulldogs in 1980, when the team went 12–0, and, after beating Notre Dame in the Sugar ...

dropped back to pass and was forced to scramble around in his own endzone to avoid the Gator pass rush before finding wide receiver

open in the middle of the field near the Georgia 25-yard-line. Scott caught the pass facing his own endzone, turned and darted diagonally through Florida's secondary, and outran everyone down the sideline to score the game-winning touchdown with only seconds left on the game clock. Long-time Georgia radio announcer

's legendary call of the play gave the game its nickname:

''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!''

The improbable 93-yard pass play sealed the Bulldogs' 26–21 victory, and kept Georgia's national championship hopes alive. The Bulldogs moved to No. 1 in the next round of polls and would go on to win the

consensus

national championship A national championship(s) is the top achievement for any sport or competition, contest within a league of a particular nation or nation state. The title is usually awarded by contests, ranking systems, stature, ability, etc. This determines the be ...

1981: "Herschel over the top!"

Much like the previous year, the favored Georgia Bulldogs trailed the Florida Gators in the fourth quarter 21-20. Backed up on their own five yard line with eight minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, the Bulldogs methodically marched 95 yards on 17 plays, mostly on the ground. The drive culminated in three straight hand-offs to running back

in which he attempted to jump over the line into the endzone, finally succeeding on third down. Florida still had 2 minutes to score but turned over the ball on downs near midfield, and Georgia won 26–21 for the second year in a row.

1984: Bell to Nattiel

After suffering several defeats to the Bulldogs with a conference championship at stake, coach

's 1984 Florida Gators entered the contest undefeated in the SEC. The Gators dominated early, building a 17–0 lead by early in the second half. But the

Bulldogs The Bulldog is a British breed of dog of mastiff type. It may also be known as the English Bulldog or British Bulldog. It is of medium size, a muscular, hefty dog with a wrinkled face and a distinctive pushed-in nose.Kerwin Bell Kerwin Douglas Bell (born June 15, 1965) is an American football coach and former player who has been the head coach of the Western Carolina Catamounts football team since 2021. Bell was born in the rural North Central Florida town of Live Oak, ...

dropped back into his own end zone and lofted a long pass to streaking receiver

, who went 96 yards for a touchdown. The Bulldog momentum was snuffed out and the Gators went on to a convincing 27–0 victory, inspiring jubilant Florida fans to storm the field and tear down the goalposts after the final whistle.

1985: 'Dogs upset No. 1 Gators

The 1985 Florida Gators entered the contest on a roll: coming off an emotional win over the

, undefeated, and ranked No. 1 in the nation for the first time in school history. This would not be a repeat of the 1984 game, however. As they had done so many times in the past, the

both rushing for over 100 yards. After the game, jubilant Georgia fans stormed the field and tore down the goalposts.

1993: Timeout

In constant rain, the usually prolific passing game of coach Steve Spurrier's 1993 Florida Gators was stymied.Robbie Andreu,
Gators reign, 33–26
, ''The Gainesville Sun'', pp. 1C & 7C (October 31, 1993). retrieved August 22, 2011. Instead, the Gators relied on tailback

to amass 183 yards and two touchdowns to build a 33–26 fourth-quarter lead. Led by quarterback

, the

mounted a drive into Florida territory in the final minute and a half. Zeier completed what appeared to be the game-tying touchdown to Jerry Jerman with five seconds remaining in the game.Associated Press,
Officials: timeout call was the right one in last Saturday's Florida–Georgia game
, ''Sun Journal'', p. 16 (November 2, 1993). Retrieved August 22, 2011. However, Gators cornerback Anthone Lott had called a timeout just before the ball was snapped, forcing the Bulldogs to play the down again. Lott was called for

pass interference In American and Canadian gridiron football, pass interference (PI) is a foul that occurs when a player interferes with an eligible receiver's ability to make a fair attempt to catch a forward pass. Pass interference may include tripping, pushing, ...

on the ensuing play, giving Georgia one last untimed chance to score. Zeier's final pass fell incomplete, and the Gators won a hard-fought, but controversial 33–26 victory.

1995: "Half a hundred between the Hedges" in Athens

In the mid-1990s, the old Gator Bowl Stadium was rebuilt as

Jacksonville Municipal Stadium TIAA Bank Field is an American football stadium located in Jacksonville, Florida, that primarily serves as the home facility of the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL) and the headquarters of the professional wrestling prom ...

for the expansion

Jacksonville Jaguars The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. The team play ...

of the NFL, temporarily moving the Florida-Georgia game to on-campus sites for the first time in over six decades Florida had soundly defeated Georgia at " The Swamp" in 1994, and an undefeated 1995 Florida Gators hoped to repeat the feat at

Sanford Stadium Sanford Stadium is the on-campus playing venue for football at the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia, United States (also known as UGA). The 92,746-seat stadium is the tenth-largest stadium in the NCAA. Architecturally, the stadium is kn ...

against a struggling

team led by soon-to-be-fired coach

. Gators starting quarterback

threw for 242 yards and five touchdowns before leaving the game in the third quarter.Associated Press,
Florida Makes First Athens Trip in 63 Years Memorable
, ''Waycross Journal-Herald'' (October 30, 1995). Retrieved August 20, 1995. With the Gators leading 38–17 in the fourth quarter, Gators backup quarterback

Eric Kresser Eric Joel Kresser (born February 6, 1973) is an American former college and professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) and the Canadian Football League (CFL) for five seasons during the 1990s and ear ...

threw for two more touchdowns, one with 1:21 remaining, to make the final score 52–17. After the game, Gators coach Steve Spurrier stated that he had wanted to be the first opponent to hang "half a hundred" on the Bulldogs in their own stadium because "we heard no one had ever done that before." The Gators' fifty-two points remains the record for most scored against Georgia "between the hedges" that surround the Bulldog's home field.

2002: Gators upset No. 4 Bulldogs

The 2002 Bulldogs brought a perfect 8–0 record and No. 4 ranking to the annual grudge match in Jacksonville. Under new head coach

Ron Zook Ronald Andrew Zook (; born April 28, 1954) is an American football coach and former player who currently serves as the Defensive Coordinator of the Seattle Sea Dragons of the XFL. He was the head football coach at the University of Florida from ...

, the Gators limped into the game with a 5–3 record and were unranked for the first time in over a decade. In a reversal of many Florida-Georgia games over the years, it was the underdog Gators who would ruin the Bulldogs' season. Trailing 7–6, the Gators took the lead with a key play on defense. Upon entering the contest in the second quarter, Bulldogs quarterback

DJ Shockley Donald Eugene "D. J." Shockley (born March 23, 1983) is a sports anchor and former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the seventh round of the 2006 NFL Draft where he served as a backup quarterback for four an ...

was intercepted by Gators

safety Safety is the state of being "safe", the condition of being protected from harm or other danger. Safety can also refer to risk management, the control of recognized hazards in order to achieve an acceptable level of risk. Meanings There are ...

Guss Scott Guss T'Mar Scott (born May 21, 1982) is an American former college and professional football player was a safety in the National Football League (NFL) for two seasons during the early 2000s. Scott played college football for the University of F ...

, who returned it for a touchdown, giving his team a 12–7 lead after a failed

two-point conversion In gridiron football, a two-point conversion or two-point convert is a play a team attempts instead of kicking a one-point conversion immediately after it scores a touchdown. In a two-point conversion attempt, the team that just scored must run ...

attempt. The Bulldogs moved the ball but could not punch it into the endzone, settling for two field goals to take a halftime 13–12 lead. The defenses continued to dominate in the second half, until an early fourth-quarter Gator drive ended with a touchdown pass from quarterback

and gave Florida a 20–13 advantage. The Georgia offense failed to score again and failed to convert a third-down in thirteen attempts as Florida held on for the upset. This turned out to be Georgia's only loss of the season. They went 13–1 and won the SEC Championship and Sugar Bowl.

2007 – 2008: The "Gator Stomp" and the "Gator Stop"

2007

The 2007 game is remembered for the "Gator Stomp", a first-quarter mass celebration of the entire Georgia team in the Gators' endzone after Georgia running back

's scored the game's first touchdown early in the contest. Georgia coach

Mark Richt Mark Allan Richt (born February 18, 1960) is a retired American football head coach, former player, and television analyst. He was the head football coach at the University of Georgia for 15 years and at the University of Miami, his alma mater, ...

later acknowledged that he had encouraged his players to draw an excessive celebration penalty after their first touchdown, but intended that only the eleven players on the field celebrate, not the entire team. Georgia received two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties for the celebration, moving the ensuing kickoff to their own 8-yard line, and Florida scored a touchdown on their next possession to tie the game at seven.Associated Press,
No. 19 Georgia roughs up 11th-ranked Florida 42–30
, ''USA Today'' (October 28, 2007). Retrieved August 20, 2011. Still, the early celebration seemed to fire up the underdog Bulldogs. Moreno ran for 188 yards and Georgia's defense sacked Gators quarterback Tim Tebow six times, holding him to the lowest rushing total (−15 net yards) of his Heisman Trophy-winning season in the Bulldogs' 42–30 victory. The high-scoring game was the first in series history in which both teams scored thirty or more points.

2008

As the 2008 game approached, both coaches repeatedly stated that the previous year's incident would have no bearing on the contest. Florida coach

went so far as to issue a

gag order A gag order (also known as a gagging order or suppression order) is an order, typically a legal order by a court or government, restricting information or comment from being made public or passed onto any unauthorized third party. The phrase may ...

to his players, instructing them not to talk about the 2007 game with the media. However, in his authorized biography published soon after the 2007 season, Meyer wrote: "That wasn't right. It was a bad deal. . . . We'll handle it, and it's going to be a big deal." The

Bulldogs The Bulldog is a British breed of dog of mastiff type. It may also be known as the English Bulldog or British Bulldog. It is of medium size, a muscular, hefty dog with a wrinkled face and a distinctive pushed-in nose.Gators were both ranked in the top 10, and the winner would have the inside track in the SEC Eastern Division race and a possible shot at a national title. Some commentators went so far as to call it the biggest match-up in the series history, or at least the previous 20 years. Both offenses moved the ball with some effectiveness in the first half, but while the Gators scored two touchdowns, the Bulldogs were held to three field goal attempts and missed two of them. Georgia coach

also called an unsuccessful

onside kick In gridiron football, an onside kick is a kickoff deliberately kicked short in an attempt by the kicking team to regain possession of the ball. This is in contrast with a typical kickoff, in which the kicking team intends to give the ball to the o ...

after his team's made field goal, further blunting their momentum, and Florida held a 14–3 halftime lead. The Bulldogs turned the ball over four times in the second half and the Gators took advantage, pulling away for a 49–10 win in what was the Bulldogs' second worst loss in series history.Pete Thamel,
Florida Gets Best Revenge by Routing Georgia
, ''The New York Times'' (November 1, 2008). Retrieved April 2, 2010. In an apparent response to the Bulldogs' endzone celebration of the previous year, Meyer used both of his remaining timeouts with less than a minute to play, giving his team and fans more time to celebrate the sure victory. After the game, he broke his pre-game silence on the 2007 celebration. "Was it motivation for our players? Yeah, it was." Florida went on to win the SEC Championship Game and the

BCS National Championship The BCS National Championship Game, or BCS National Championship, was a postseason college football bowl game, used to determine a national champion of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), first played in the 1998 college foot ...

that season.

2012: Bulldogs upset No. 2 Gators

The rivals came into their 2012 matchup with only one loss between them - Florida had a 7–0 record and a No. 2 ranking in the AP poll while Georgia was 6–1 and ranked No. 12 - once again making the game in Jacksonville a pivotal one for the teams' conference and national championship prospects. Both teams featured strong defenses and ball control offenses, so it was not a surprise that the contest was a low scoring one. Georgia running back

Todd Gurley Todd Jerome Gurley II (born August 3, 1994) is an American former football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for six seasons, primarily with the Los Angeles Rams. He played college football at Georgia, where he recei ...

scored to cap the Bulldog's first possession and give his team an early 7–0 lead, but that would be the only touchdown for much of the game. With the defenses dominating and the offenses committing nine total turnovers between them, the rivals could only muster field goals for the next 40 minutes of game time, and Florida kicker

Caleb Sturgis Caleb James Sturgis (born August 9, 1989) is a former American football placekicker. He played college football at Florida, setting team records for field goals completed in a season and a career, and was recognized as an All-American. He was c ...

booted his third of the contest to cut Georgia's lead to 10–9 early in the 4th quarter. Georgia's offense finally broke through with a 45-yard touchdown pass from

Malcolm Mitchell Malcolm Jarod Mitchell (born July 20, 1993) is an author, poet, and former American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of ...

, putting them up 17–9 midway through the final period. Florida's offense also found a rhythm with the game on the line, and quarterback

Jeff Driskel Jeffrey Adam Driskel (born April 23, 1993) is an American football quarterback for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Florida, before transferring to Louisiana Tech, and was drafted by the Sa ...

led the Gators on a potential tying drive deep into Georgia territory. With just over two minutes remaining, he threw a strike over the middle to

tight end The tight end (TE) is a position in American football, arena football, and Canadian football, on the offense. The tight end is often a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like ...

Jordan Reed Jordan Reed (born July 3, 1990) is a former American football tight end who played eight seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Florida and was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the third round of the 20 ...

, who appeared to be headed for a touchdown before Bulldog outside line-backer

punched the ball out of his hands. Georgia recovered in the back of the endzone for a touchback, and Florida's sixth turnover of the game allowed Georgia to hold on for the win. The teams finished the regular season tied for first in the SEC East with identical 7–1 records in conference play, but by virtue of their head-to-head victory over the Gators, the Bulldogs advanced to the

SEC Championship game The SEC Championship Game is an annual American football game that has determined the Southeastern Conference's season champion since 1992. The championship game pits the SEC East Division regular season champion against the West Division regula ...

, where they lost to eventual BCS national champion Alabama.No. 10 Bulldogs force six turnovers, upset No. 2 Gators
, ESPN.com (October 28, 2012). Retrieved October 11, 2015

Game results

^A The University of Georgia athletic association includes the 1904 game in the series win–loss record; the University of Florida's athletic association does not. Please see the Series history section above for further explanation.

References

Bibliography

* ''2009 Southern Conference Football Media Guide''
Year-by-Year Standings
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', University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 116–125 (2011). *

', University of Georgia Athletic Department, Athens, Georgia, pp. 157–168 (2011). * Burns, Robbie, ''Belue to Scott!: The greatest moment in Georgia football history'', H&H Publishing Company, Macon, Georgia (2010). . * Carlson, Norm, ''University of Florida Football Vault: The History of the Florida Gators'', Whitman Publishing, LLC, Atlanta, Georgia (2007). . * Golenbock, Peter, ''Go Gators! An Oral History of Florida's Pursuit of Gridiron Glory'', Legends Publishing, LLC, St. Petersburg, Florida (2002). . * Hairston, Jack, ''Tales from the Gator Swamp: A Collection of the Greatest Gator Stories Ever Told'', Sports Publishing, LLC, Champaign, Illinois (2002). . * McCarthy, Kevin M.
''Fightin' Gators: A History of University of Florida Football''
Arcadia Publishing, Mount Pleasant, South Carolina (2000). . * McEwen, Tom, ''The Gators: A Story of Florida Football'', The Strode Publishers, Huntsville, Alabama (1974). . * Nash, Noel, ed., ''The Gainesville Sun Presents The Greatest Moments in Florida Gators Football'', Sports Publishing, Inc., Champaign, Illinois (1998). . * Rappoport, Ken, & Barry Wilner,
Football Feuds: The Greatest College Football Rivalries
', The Globe Pequot Press, Guilford, Connecticut (2007). * Saylor, Roger,
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
, College Football Historical Society, The LA84 Foundation (1993). * Smith, Loran, ''University of Georgia Football Vault: The Story of the Georgia Bulldogs, 1892–2007'', Whitman Publishing, LLC, Atlanta, Georgia (2007). . {{DEFAULTSORT:Florida-Georgia football rivalry College football rivalries in the United States Florida Gators football Georgia Bulldogs football Sports competitions in Jacksonville, Florida American football in Jacksonville, Florida