With the upcoming matchup between the Georgia Bulldogs and the Florida Gators probably being the deciding factor in the winner of the SEC East, the game is more than likely to be an intense one. Over the course of many decades, the Georgia vs. Florida battle has been filled with exciting, historical moments for each team’s football program.
Here is a composed list of the top 5 greatest moments of Georgia football while playing the Florida Gators:
5. Beating Coach Steve Spurrier (1997)
On November 1, 1997, Coach Jim Donnan and his Georgia Bulldogs marched to Jacksonville and shocked the nation. After a seven-year drought, Georgia finally prevailed over their rivaled Gators, but what makes this win so important is who was coaching Florida at the time. Recently retired and former South Carolina coach, Steve Spurrier, was coaching the Gators back in 1997. This win was Georgia’s one and only win against Spurrier as the head coach at UF. Robert Edwards scored four touchdowns to put Georgia 37-17 over Florida. Quarterback Mike Bobo, former offensive coordinator for UGA, and Hines Ward played outstanding games to help ensure the victory. This win also prevented Coach Spurrier from achieving is 100th win as a college coach.
4) The Gator Stomp (2007)
Heading into this game on October 27, 2007, Georgia had only beaten Florida twice out of the previous fifteen matchups. One could say Mark Richt was a little ticked off, so he came up with a plan. After Georgia running back Knowshon Moreno found the end zone and scored their first touchdown of the game—which happened to be the first touchdown in the game—the entire UGA sideline rushed the field. That’s right. The entire team. Emotions went haywire. All of the Florida players, coaches, and fans couldn’t believe their eyes. What had Georgia just done? The Gator Stomp. Penalty flags were thrown and Mark Richt wasn’t fazed a bit. His team had done exactly what he told them to do, and UGA would go on to beat Florida 42-30.
3) Murray to Mitchell and the Jarvis Strip (2012)
After teammate Shawn Williams spoke his mind about Georgia’s defensive play, a new team was born on October 27, 2012. The no. 10 ranked Georgia Bulldogs upset the no. 2 ranked Florida Gators 17-9 in a game that will be remember for years. This was the first time Georgia had consecutively beaten Florida two years in a row since 1989. With seven minutes and eleven seconds remaining, quarterback Aaron Murray found wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell for a 45-yard touchdown that extended the lead over the Gators by eight points; however, this was not the ending of the game. With two minutes and five seconds left in the game, linebacker Jarvis Jones stripped the ball from Florida’s Jordan Reed on the 5 yard line. Jones had himself a game with 13 tackles, 3 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles. This win allowed the Bulldogs to grasp the SEC East and play for the SEC Championship.
2) Appleby to Washington (1975)
Typically, the quarterback throws the ball to the wide receivers, but on November 8, 1975 that was not the case. A 10-point underdog, Georgia only completed three passes throughout the game; however, one of those passes was an eighty-yard tight end to wide receiver touchdown throw with three minutes and twelve seconds left in the game. Already run twice in the game, Georgia set up in the Y Reverse Run for the third and final time to trick the Gator’s defense. Quarterback Matt Robinson handed the ball off to Richard Appleby who perfectly executed the play by faking the run and then hitting Gene Washington to put the Bulldogs 10-7 over the Gators. Larry Munson made one of his most famous calls during this play, “Appleby! The end around! Just stopped, planted his feet and threw it! And Washington caught it. Thinking of Montreal and the Olympics, and ran out of his shoes down the middle – 80 yards! Gator Bowl! Rocking! Stunned! The girders are bending now! Look at the score!” The “Junkyard Dawgs” held the Gator’s offense scoreless for the three final quarters and sealed the deal when offensive coordinator Bill Pace called the legendary trick play.
1. Run Lindsay, Run! (1980)
One of the most legendary plays in all of college football occurred on November 8, 1980 and involves a scrambling quarterback, a sideline, and a passionate commentator.
Behind 21-20 with just a minute remaining in the game, the Georgia Bulldogs perfect season and number 2 ranking was in great jeopardy. Third and long from their own 7 yard, Georgia needed a miracle to happen.
Scrambling in his own end zone, quarterback Buck Belue hit wide receiver Lindsay Scott around the 25 yard, and the rest is history:
“Florida in a stand-up five, they may or may not blitz. They won’t. Buck back. Third down on the 8. In trouble. Got a block behind him. Going to throw on the run. Complete to the 25, to the 30. Lindsay Scott 35, 40. Lindsay Scott 45, 50, 45, 40. Run Lindsay! 25, 20, 15, 10, 5. Lindsay Scott! Lindsay Scott! Lindsay Scott! … Well, I can’t believe it. 92 yards and Lindsay really got in a footrace, I broke my chair, I came right through a chair, a metal steel chair with about a five inch cushion … Do you know what is gonna happen here tonight? And up at St. Simons and Jekyll Island and all those places where all those Dawg people have got those condominiums for four days? Man, is there gonna be some property destroyed tonight! 26 to 21, Dawgs on top! We were gone. I gave up, you did too. We were out of it and gone. Miracle!”
After beating Florida 26-21, Vince Dooley and his 1980 Georgia Bulldog team would finish the season out and go on to win the National Championship.
Honorable mentions:
A look back in history that is sure to give any Georgia fan chills. The century long rivalry never ceases to be filled with upsets, miracles, and legendary plays. The 2019 matchup is sure to be one for the books. But why stop with five? Here’s some Honorable Mentions that couldn’t be left out:
Honorable Mention:
#17 Georgia upsets #1 Florida (1985)
On November 9, 1985, undefeated, No. 1 ranked Florida had just beaten Georgia the previous season in 1984. Georgia, however, had a different outcome in mind this time. Ranked 17th, UGA, with outstanding performances from freshmen running backs Tim Worley and Keith Henderson who both rushed for over 100 yards, marched down to Jacksonville and handed the Gators their only loss of the season. After the clock hit zero and the Bulldogs prevailed 24-3, the fans stormed the field and attempted to tear down the goalposts, just as Gator fans had done before. Emotions exploded, fights broke out, and the police had to get involved. It just goes to show how wild the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party can get.
Fourth and Dumb (1976)
Oh, the arrogance. Florida had confidence in their running game and decided to go for a fourth-and-one on their own 29 yard line. They only led by a touchdown at the time of the play, and the Junkyard Dawgs stopped Gator tailback Earl Carr in the backfield.
Georgia scored four unanswered touchdowns and won 41-27. To his credit, then-Florida head coach Doug Dickey admitted “I made some dumb calls. They assaulted us and took the game away.” This one makes me laugh, but I hate the Gators.
