Georgia Football: 4 SEC East foes who could see a miracle against the Dawgs

Georgia football vs. Florida

Given the intensity of the rivalry, there is no doubt that the Florida game is a top priority for the Georgia football team. The fact that the game occurs on a neutral site can be for and against Georgia. As history has shown us, this game can either hurt or elevate the Dawgs, and it doesn’t matter what each team’s record is.

This game is the biggest rivalry on Georgia’s schedule, but given the Gators enter this season with a new coach, issues with recruiting and a team still trying to find a quarterback to lead the team — are the Gators as big a competitor as South Carolina, Kentucky or Tennessee?

What we do know just now is that the highly expectant and unrealistic Florida fan base is in something of a tailspin at the progress, or lack thereof, that new head coach, Billy Napier, has made with recruiting. Many recruits who expressed intent or even committed to Florida have backtracked. Which, as we know, is the cardinal sin for an SEC coach.

The recent inability to secure quarterback Jaden Rashada has got Gators fans in a state of apoplexy and underlines Napier’s first real problem. Florida’s quarterback position, this time last year, was stacked, or so experts believed.

Emory Jones, who many thought and still think was the answer – was not, but the argument is moot given that Jones transferred to Tempe, Ariz., to become a Sun Devil.

Anthony Richardson was the heir apparent last season and got thrust into the spotlight after a slow start from Jones. Richardson, who will likely start Napier’s tenure in Gainesville as the starting quarterback, didn’t exactly impress. Will he be the player the Gators recruited or who buckled under the pressure last season?

Despite the slow start to recruiting, the Gators’ roster is full of talent. However, as Gator fans will testify, there is little depth on this roster, which is why Gator fans are hot under the collar and demanding quick action.

So much so that Napier issued an open letter to Gator Nation this week to rally the fanbase and bring everyone back together — which sounds like a program on the brink of implosion.

Outside of Gainesville, expectations for Napier’s first year are low. If he wishes to build the best program in the SEC, putting the building blocks in place will take time. Napier needs time. It kind of sounds like Butch Jones and his brick-by-brick debacle.

So why do I rank this fixture as one of the hardest on the Bulldogs’ schedule? It’s Florida, and it’s a rivalry. Since 2010, Georgia has had a healthy 7-4 lead in the series. However, this series is not as one-sided as it sounds.

Georgia won three in a row, followed by Florida’s three straight wins, and then came the Dawgs’ dominance. So this rivalry swings back and forth, which is why Georgia should never treat this game lightly.