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Bulldogs drown Gators in second half revival

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A nail-biting Georgia football victory on Saturday keeps the No. 2 Bulldogs' season on track.

The Red and Black rebounded from a difficult first half to beat the Gators 34-20, with Dwight Phillips Jr. and Dominic Lovett scoring two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to solidify their lead. Nate Fraizer and Cash Jones scored the other two touchdowns, both of which also came in the second half.

The Bulldogs will complete their conference road schedule next Saturday at Ole Miss, with kickoff scheduled for 3:30 p.m. on ABC.

Before the game

An upset at Florida as a two-touchdown underdog would breathe new life into Billy Napier's three-year season in Gainesville.

The annual rivalry game, this time shown nationally on ABC, returns to EverBank Stadium with half of the seats reserved for Bulldog fans and the other half for Gators fans.

“I would probably say it’s personal,” Georgia senior wide receiver Arian Smith said. “You already know it’s going to be a tough game. So of course it feels like a good win when we come out there and our fans are right there cheering us on and you see the other side getting eliminated.”

Two Georgia secondary starters, safety Dan Jackson and nickelback Joenel Aguero, will be suspended in the first half for making targeted calls in the second half against Texas.

KJ Bolden, the 5-star freshman from Buford, is expected to move into the starting lineup.

“The biggest thing for him is the realization that you’ve been doing this for a while,” safety Malaki Starks said. “A beginning is a beginning, no matter how you look at it. He's played really well this year and he just needs to go out there and be himself. …He's such a great athlete. He wants it so bad. I have no doubt he can go out there and do his thing.

Georgia escapes a disastrous first half and beats Florida 34-20. The Bulldogs will conclude their road schedule for the 2024 season next Saturday at Ole Miss. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. on ABC. From then on they will be home.

Georgia lined up at the 7-yard line and scored a two-play touchdown from Dwight Phillips Jr., who made the 4-yard rush to fill the scoreboard. Georgia now leads 34-20 and nearly survives the scare in Jacksonville with 3:03 left.

A 21-yard pass from Carson Beck to Lawson Luckie and a short 7-yard rush from Nate Frazier set up a Dominic Lovett touchdown as Georgia took the lead again. Georgia is now up 27-20 with 4:01 left in the game.

Florida's Ja'Kobi Jackson scored a 15-yard rushing touchdown to tie the game 20-20 with 7:29 left.

Florida was set for a field goal to take the lead when it struggled on the snap and lost the ball 31 yards to the Florida 36 before being recovered by Jalon Walker.

The Georgia drive lasted three plays as Carson Beck found Cash Jones for a 22-yard scoring pass. Georgia now leads 20-13 entering the final minute of the third quarter.

Set up by a solid 11-yard reception from Dillon Bell, Nate Fraizer scored the first touchdown of the night for the Bulldogs on a 1st-and-goal. He was cited for unsportsmanlike conduct after the play for taunting him with the signature “Gator Chomp.” Georgia tied the score at 13-13 with 7:01 left in the third quarter.

Florida gained 40 yards and scored a 53-yard trey smack field goal with three seconds left in the first half. Florida leads 13-6 at halftime.

Georgia extended the Gators' lead to 10-6 with 43 seconds left in the first half on a 53-yard field goal by Peyton Woodring.

Florida freshman DJ Lagway was carted off the field after a run in the second quarter. He was on the field with a possible hamstring injury.

Lagway is considered the future of the Gators. He was 2 of 6 for 47 yards and a touchdown Saturday.

Walk-on Aidan Warner replaced Lagway. Starter Graham Mertz was out for the season with a knee injury.

Florida gained 37 yards and scored a 32-yard trey smack field goal after Carson Beck's second interception.

The Gators lead 10-3 with 7:22 left in the first half.

Carson Beck forced a pass into double coverage for his ninth interception, and Florida needed just one play to score points.

DJ Lagway hit Aidan Mizell on a 43-yard pass to Malaki Starks, with KJ Bolden also back in coverage. Florida leads 7-3 with 13:42 left in the second quarter.

Georgia's star safety serves as punt returner for the injured Anthony Evans.

Starks threw two punts in the first quarter and returned his second 9 yards.

Peyton Woodring's 23-yard field goal gave Georgia a 3-0 lead with 2:10 left in the first quarter. The Bulldogs got stuck in the red zone and settled for a 3 after a 13-play, 83-yard drive that spanned 6 minutes, 15 seconds. A third-down pass from Carson Beck was deflected at the line.

Tate Ratledge plays at right back for the injured Micah Morris.

Tate Ratledge worked as the second-team right defenseman behind Micah Morris, who has started the last four games, while Ratledge was sidelined following tightrope surgery for a high ankle sprain.

“He’s had a tough injury journey,” coach Kirby Smart said on his radio show Thursday night. “He fought through it.” I'm just amazed at how quickly he was able to recover from a very serious tight rope injury. He worked really hard; He was aggressive in his rehab. He's come back quicker than we thought in terms of his ability to contribute and play. We still have to see where he is and how he feels before the game.”

Georgia offensive coordinator Mike Bobo was on the field talking with Florida tight ends coach and co-offensive coordinator Russ Callaway, the son of Neil Callaway, who Bobo worked under when he first arrived at the Mark Richt's coaching staff was there. Callaway is a graduate of Oconee County.

Georgia offensive lineman Tate Ratledge (ankle) and defensive lineman Jordan Hall (legs) were upgraded from probable to no longer in the final SEC availability report. So at least they are available to play.

At a game in an NFL stadium, representatives from nine NFL teams are accredited. These include the Panthers, Bears, Cowboys, Jaguars (Easy Trip), Rams, Dolphins, Patriots, Jets and Commanders.

Georgia offensive defenseman Tate Ratledge is one of four game captains as he appears to be available to return after missing four games with a high ankle injury. The other captains are Carson Beck in his return to his hometown of Jacksonville, Chad Chambliss and CJ Allen.

Coach Kirby Smart said of Ratledge on the SEC Network this morning: “We hope he can at least play a role.”

In a video interview with the SEC Network's SEC Nation on Saturday morning, Kirby Smart discussed Dan Jackson's absence in the first half due to the targeting suspension.

“Dan is a critical man,” Smart said. “He keeps everyone on the same page, he communicates across the board.” He and Malaki have been best friends for three years. We'll be without him for half an hour. The good news is that we played KJ Bolden all year, a young, really talented player. He rotated and played a lot of football. In our opinion, he’s a starter, so we’re looking to play around a guy who has played a lot of snaps.”

In case you're wondering, Matt Loeffler is not the referee today. It's Daniel Gautreaux. Loeffler, who led the team with the controversial reverse pass interference call for Georgia-Texas, did not play in a game last week, but the SEC did not say that was due to discipline.

This section will be updated when the game begins

Georgia vs Florida time today

  • Date: Today
  • Time: 3:30 p.m
  • Location: EverBank Stadium, Jacksonville, Florida

What channel is the Georgia vs. Florida game on today?

NOTE: Georgia vs. Florida will be broadcast nationally on ABC. Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit will referee the game from the locker room at EverBank Stadium, while Holly Rowe will report from the sidelines. Streaming options for the game include ESPN+. (Subscription required) and FUBO, which offers new subscribers a free trial.

History of Georgia vs. Florida

  • Series balance: Georgia leads 56-44-2.
  • Georgia's last win: 43-20 in 2023.
  • Florida's last win: 44-28 in 2020.

Georgia vs Florida Predictions

Georgia 34, Florida 20

The Gators' three losses all came against College Football Playoff contenders Miami, Tennessee and Texas A&M, but their best win was probably Kentucky. Georgia is 14th in the SEC with 130.3 yards per game, but former Gator Trevor Etienne is coming off a three-touchdown game at Texas and the offensive line could be back to full strength.

Georgia vs Florida betting odds

Saturday's BetMGM lines and odds:

  • Spread: Georgia -14.5
  • Over/under: 52.5
  • Money line: Georgia -700, Florida +500

Georgia vs. Florida injury updates

Georgia: OG Tate Ratledge (ankle, likely), ILB Smael Mondon (foot, out), DL Jordan Hall (legs, likely), RB Roderick Robinson (toe, out), RB Branson Robinson (foot, out), DL Joseph Jonah – Ajonye (lower extremity, out), WR Anthony Evans (unknown, out).

Florida: WR Eugene Wilson (hip, out), DB Ja'Keem Jackson (unknown, out), DB Jason Marshall Jr. (shoulder, out), QB Graham Mertz (knee, out), DB Asa Turner (unknown, out) , WR Khaleil Jackson (knee, out), OL Devon Manuel (knee, out), OL Roderick Kearney (unknown, out), DL Jamari Lyons (ankle, out), RB Montrell Johnson Jr. (knee, questionable), OL Damieon George Jr. (unknown, questionable), RB Treyaun Webb (unknown, out).

Weather update for Georgia vs. Florida

Cloudy skies are forecast with a high of 81 degrees, dropping to 74 degrees toward the end of the game, according to Weather.com.

Georgia Football 2024 Schedule

  • August 31: Georgia 34, Clemson 3
  • September 7: Georgia 48, Tennessee Tech 3.
  • September 14, Georgia 13, Kentucky 12
  • September 28 Alabama 41, Georgia 34
  • Oct. 5 Georgia 31, Auburn 13
  • Oct. 12 Georgia 41, Mississippi State 31
  • Oct. 19 Georgia 30, Texas 15
  • Nov. 2 against Florida in Jacksonville
  • Nov. 9 at Ole Miss
  • November 16, Tennessee
  • Nov. 23 UMass
  • November 29 Georgia Tech
  • Record: 6-1

Buy Georgia football tickets this season on Stubhub

Florida Football 2024 Schedule

  • August 31: Miami 41, Florida 17
  • September 7 Florida 45, Samford 7
  • September 14, Texas A&M 33, Florida 20
  • September 21 Florida 45, Mississippi State 28
  • Oct. 5 Florida 24, UCF 13
  • Oct. 12 Tennessee 23, Florida 17 (OT)
  • Oct. 19 Florida 48, Kentucky 20
  • November 2 Georgia at Jacksonville
  • November 9th in Texas
  • Nov. 16 LSU
  • November 23, Ole Miss
  • November 30 at Florida State
  • Record: 4-3

Georgia football news

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