Rivalry trumps ranking in Georgia-Florida
JACKSONVILLE — As they have done in all but two years since 1933, the Georgia and Florida football teams will bring their rivalry to the banks of the St. Johns River on Saturday. Rarely, though, have the Bulldogs and Gators met under an odder set of circumstances than these.
— Both teams are unranked.
— Neither team is above .500 in the SEC.
— Yet both teams still cling to hope of reaching the SEC championship game.
Florida, ranked in the nation’s top 10 early this month, will arrive at EverBank Field on a three-game losing streak. Georgia, on a four-game losing streak early this month, will arrive on a three-game winning streak.
Another incongruity: The team that lost 17 of the past 20 games in this series, Georgia, is favored.
Kickoff is at 3:30 p.m., and the game will be on CBS — yes, a nationally televised game between two unranked teams.
It’ll be the first Georgia-Florida game since 1979 with neither team ranked in the national polls. In fact, in 17 of 30 games since then, both teams were ranked. And this will be Florida’s first game as an unranked team against any opponent in six seasons under coach Urban Meyer.
ajc.com
10/29/10
