Georgia football: Reflecting on the 25th anniversary of 1997 Florida game

Georgia football fans, stop me if you’ve heard this statement before — a defending national champion coming into Jacksonville to play its rival as a 20-plus point favorite.

That situation happened in 1997. However, Florida was the defending national champions and was a 20.5-point favorite over Georgia. What happened that day was nothing short of amazing. It has been 25 years since that game, and it’s one of my favorite, if not my favorite, between these two teams.

Coming into Jacksonville that year, Georgia dropped seven straight games to the Gators. In the previous three matchups, Georgia saw the Gators outscore them 151-38. Georgia, however, was on the upswing. They had a 7-1 record with second-year head coach Jim Donnan. The only blemish on the Bulldogs’ record was a beat down in Knoxville, where Tennessee beat Georgia 38-13.

Reflecting on the 25th anniversary of Georgia football beating the Gators in 1997.

After those last seven straight losses, most expected the outcome of the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party to have a similar result at the hands of Florida and hated head coach Steve Spurrier.

It was no secret the former Florida quarterback and Heisman trophy winner hated Georgia. When Spurrier was the quarterback for the Gators, it was Georgia who cost Florida a chance at a national championship in 1966 with a 27-10 win in Jacksonville.

When the 1997 edition of Worlds Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party kicked off, something was different. The Georgia sideline had a buzz. There was energy coming from the Bulldogs — the losing streak had to end.

So what all went down in the first quarter? Oh, you know, just a 50-yard kickoff return to start the game for Hines Ward, two Mike Bobo interceptions, a Ward pass on an end around, a reverse to Champ Bailey, an interception by Bailey, an attempted onside kick by Georgia, and a fourth down stand by the Dawgs.

To top off all that madness, Robert Edwards gashed Florida for a 27-yard touchdown, and Georgia led after the first quarter 7-0.

Florida’s first possession of the second quarter was cut short as Kirby Smart picked off the Gators. Bobo cleaned up the interceptions, and Edwards added a one-yard score. All the mighty Gators could muster was a field goal, and the Dawgs led at halftime 14-3.

As expected, Florida wouldn’t go quietly. Spurrier replaced his starting quarterback, and the backup would put Florida ahead with a 17-14. Edwards would add another one-yard score, and Georgiclunged to a 21-17 lead after three quarters

Early in the fourth quarter, Georgia added a field goal to take a 24-17 lead with nine minutes or so left on the clock. Smart recorded his second interception, both teams traded punts, and with 6:07 remaining — Georgia took over on the Florida 37-yard line.

On the first play of that drive, Edwards took a sweep all the way to the endzone for his fourth score of the game. The Bulldogs now led Florida 30-17, and the energy inside the stadium was exploding for the fans in Red and Black. Georgia’s Orlandis Gary would add one more rushing touchdown to finish the Gators.

The 37-17 victory at the time was the biggest win of the decade for Georgia. It was the Dawgs’ first win over Florida since 1989, and it snapped Florida‘s 25-game win streak against SEC East opponents. Georgia’s 1997 win knocked Florida out of the championship hut and put the Dawgs back on the. map

Georgia finished that 1997 season with a 10-2 record after drumming Wisconsin in the Outback Bowl. We cannot believe it has already been 25 years since this game, but with the Dawgs heading to Jacksonville as defending national champions, it felt right to relive this classic matchup.