Dawn of the Dawg
Fansided

Georgia football: The 5 most epic neutral-site victories since 2000

By Savannah Leigh

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - SEPTEMBER 04: Kenny McIntosh #6 of the Georgia Bulldogs hurdles Malcolm Greene #21 of the Clemson Tigers during the second half of the Duke's Mayo Classic at Bank of America Stadium on September 04, 2021 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - SEPTEMBER 04: Kenny McIntosh #6 of the Georgia Bulldogs hurdles Malcolm Greene #21 of the Clemson Tigers during the second half of the Duke's Mayo Classic at Bank of America Stadium on September 04, 2021 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
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Georgia Football, Matthew Stafford
The Georgia Bulldogs celebrate a touchdown against the Florida Gators. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

5. 2007 Georgia football win over Florida

Of course, this Georiga football classic is on this list because everyone remembers the epic celebration after the Dawgs’ first touchdown. Chills still form all over my body watching the video of that entire team rushing the field to celebrate a one-yard touchdown run from Knowshon Moreno, which tells you just how epic this matchup was.

Florida ranked No.11 in the country, coming off winning the 2006 national championship season, so the Dawgs wanted to beat them badly. Georgia went on to win 42-30, and at the time, it was only the fifth time an opponent scored 40 points on Florida’s defense. Got to love that stat, and it gives another great reason to include this game.

Moreno put on a clinic, rushing 33 times for 188 yards and three touchdowns. Starting quarterback Matthew Stafford threw 11-of-18 for 217 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. One of the best passes of the game went to Mohamed Massaquoi for an 84-yard touchdown. He celebrated with his own Gator chop, resulting in another penalty, but no one on that Georgia sideline cared.

This game was about seeking revenge for the 21-14 loss the previous year and stopping them from winning five in a row. During this time of the series, Florida had a stranglehold on the Dawgs, so getting a big win like this will always be considered epic. The history is far too deep and rich not to consider this one of the best matchups on a neutral field.

Georgia’s defense had to hold off a stout Florida team, but they were able to and got the win. The battles between these two continue to get more and more fun, but that’s because Georgia is on the winning side. However, the tradition is rich, and it needs to stay that way like it needs to stay in Jacksonville.

Without this game in Jacksonville, it would just be another SEC home or away game, but instead, it deserves its own place in college football. With head coach Kirby Smart in charge, this 2007 matchup may not stay on this top-5 list much longer, but it’ll forever be one Dawg fans remember as one epic battle on the St. John’s river to beat the defending national champs.

This game is the only Mark Richt matchup on the list because the next four are all because of the culture Smart implemented when he took over the program.

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