The Rivalry Issue

Namari Lock // Alligator Staff

Break off a branch: Gators score 52 between the hedges

Members of the 1995 Florida football team reflect on their historic trip to Athens

ByJoseph Henry Alligator Staff Writer

The pitch-back hand-back pass. That was the name of the play called by Florida head coach Steve Spurrier in the closing moments of the 1995 meeting between Florida and Georgia.

The Gators led 45-17 when Eric Kresser — backup quarterback to eventual Heisman Trophy winner Danny Wuerffel — took the snap and tossed it behind him to tailback Terry Jackson. As Jackson rushed towards the line, he handed the ball back to Kresser, who then took off rolling to his right. He threw a strike downfield to wide receiver Travis McGriff.

“We practiced it all the time,” Kresser

said. “Spurrier was a big trick play guy.”

Florida, who was 6-0 and the No. 3 team in the nation, ended the game with five straight passing plays. These included the trick play and a touchdown pass, also from Kresser to McGriff.

The Gators beat the Bulldogs 52-17. To this day, no team has scored more points in Sanford Stadium than the 1995 Gators.

The circumstances of this game were special. The annual neutral site meeting between the Southeastern Conference rivals had to shift away from its normal setting in Jacksonville for two seasons. The National Football League had just granted Jacksonville an expansion team, and the city needed to make major modifications to its current stadium — the Gator Bowl.

A home-and-home series was put in place for the 1994 and 1995 seasons; the former would be played in Gainesville and the latter in Athens, Georgia. The Gators handily one won both matchups, but the players involved knew the weight of getting the unique opportunity to go play “between the hedges.”

James Bates, a linebacker at Florida from 1992-1996 and a current UF adjunct professor, said the trip to Sanford Stadium wasn’t daunting. There was such confidence around the program at that time, he said, that it didn’t even feel like a test.

“Coach Spurrier was swagger before everyone was using it. He was so confident and he’s so competitive. It was contagious throughout the building.”

- James Bates, former UF football player

The story goes that someone on the Florida sideline told Spurrier late in the game no team had ever scored 50 or more points against Georgia in its home stadium. This “new” information was what prompted him to call the aforementioned string of plays with Kresser at quarterback, pushing the Gators past 50.

“Of all the head ball coach stories that everybody tells, that’s got to be the best,” Bates said.

However, he does have one hang up with the scenario. Bates doesn’t believe someone would have to remind Spurrier that no team had never crossed the half-century mark. Kresser supports this, and said he remembers Spurrier bringing up the score during practice.

“I’m pretty darn sure that was mentioned before the game,” Kresser said.

Wide receiver Chris Doering, who is a lifelong Gainesville resident and Gator, doesn’t remember it being mentioned before the game, but it’s just the type of thing Spurrier would know, he said.

“I’m sure he was aware of it on the sideline and didn’t need any reminding from anybody else as it got close to the half century mark,” Doering said.

Florida’s star pass catcher was a major factor in the game becoming so lopsided. Doering caught three touchdowns in just the first half, along with two more that got called back on the same drive he got his third. It was his second straight game with three scores, also doing so against Auburn the weekend prior.

Doering and Wuerffel had a prolific connection during their time at UF, and the trip to Athens was just one of many examples. Both of them were inducted into the FloridaGeorgia Hall of Fame: Wuerffel in 1997 and Doering in 2001. Additionally, Bates was inducted in 2014.

“The fact that it has a Hall of Fame just for that game speaks to what a big game it is,” Doering said.

Florida had already put the game away by the time the starters checked out. The stadium was nearly empty by the fourth quarter, Doering said, as only the Gators fans who made the trip remained. The celebration was on.

The victory would’ve been storied regardless of the final points — the feat of scoring more than 50 was the cherry on top.

Both Bates and Doering recall Gators players breaking off and taking pieces of the famous hedges that border the field inside Sanford Stadium; the branches were the ultimate keepsake from Florida’s lone trip to Athens since the game became a Jacksonville staple in 1933.

“Somewhere I got some hedges. I took them and put them in a book and pressed them back in my college house,” Doering said. “I was definitely getting a little to-go memento.”

The rivalry runs deep for fans, but even more so for the players involved.

Bates and his wife Tina, who was a swimmer at Florida, never lost to the Bulldogs during their time as UF student athletes. The couple named their third child Georgia. Florida fans would tell them they couldn’t do that, Bates said, but he feels their reasoning was sound.

“We really liked the name and the Georgia Bulldogs were no trouble and baby Georgia is no trouble either,” Bates said.

The Bulldogs and players like Herschel Walker, Buck Belue and Lindsey Scott tormented his childhood, Doering said. So, when he got to play at Florida under Spurrier, it wasn’t difficult to get on the same page as his coach when it came to his number one goal each season: beat Georgia.

“You could always tell there was a little extra pep in [Spurrier’s] step when it was Georgia week,” Doering said. “It was cool being one of the few teams that ever got the chance to play Georgia in Jacksonville, Gainesville and then going up there in ‘95.”

Contact Joseph Henry at jhenry@alligator.org. Follow him on Twitter @Josephhenry2424.

Courtesy to The Alligator James Bates, a linebacker on the Florida football team from 1992-1996, tackles Georgia Bulldog Hines Ward during the 1995 game in Athens, Georgia.

Mike White looks for a fresh opportunity at Florida’s rival school

The former Florida head coach joined Georgia in the offseason

By Jackson Reyes Alligator Staff Writer

Former UF head Coach Mike White shook the college basketball world when he left Florida and crossed enemy lines to become the head coach of the Georgia Bulldogs March 13, 2022.

White left the Gators to fill the void of former Georgia head coach Tom Crean, who was the head man in Athens for nine seasons. UF hired White in 2015 as the successor to Billy Donovan, who coached in Gainesville for 19 seasons and led the Gators to back-to-back national championships in 2006 and 2007.

White never lived up to the expectations set by his predecessor. After seven seasons at Florida, he only made it past the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament once. As the years went on, he faced pressure from fans, and it all culminated in his final season.

The Gators finished 20-14 in the 2021-2022 season, and White left Florida three days after its loss to Texas A&M in the Southeastern Conference tournament. However, his offensive struggles never slowed. In his last season, his team finished 36th in 3-point attempts but 329th out of 350 teams in 3-point percentage.

The fans created a toxic atmosphere for White and his family, which led to his departure, according to a tweet from the Associated Press’ Mark Long.

In his first press conference at Georgia, White said he considered himself a family guy and emphasized it. He said the University of Georgia is a family place, and he was proud to be a part of it.

“First and foremost, more than anything in life, those are the most important people to

me,” White said. “I feel family when I’m here.”

His next chapter sets him up to rebuild a Bulldogs team that hasn’t made the NCAA Tournament since the 2014-2015 season and finished 6-26 last season. The team has to improve in every aspect, White said.

White took on a rebuild at Florida when the Gators hired him. Florida had finished the prior season with a below .500, 16-17 record. After he coached the team to the NIT tournament, his second season found major success. UF finished 27-9 and advanced all the way to the Elite 8 in the NCAA Tournament. However, his second season

would also be his peak, as the team’s performance declined in the following years.

The decision to join Georgia happened within a day, White said. Florida extended his contract last season, but the two-year extension was not enough to keep him away from one of UF’s biggest rivals.

“I just jumped at the opportunity, and before you know it, six, eight hours later, Kira and I were sitting these kids down telling them that we’re moving to Athens, Georgia,” he said.

When White left, there were mixed emotions from Gators fans about his departure, but the

overwhelming emotion around the fanbase was happiness. Calls for him to be fired started in the middle of his tenure and reached their peak in what would be his final season.

Although White’s teams failed to make deep tournament runs, his ability to recruit was on full display with Florida. In his seven seasons, the Gators secured three 5-star recruits.

In 2019, Florida landed the eighth-ranked class according to 247Sports, thanks to fivestar recruits Scottie Lewis and Tre Mann. Both of those players would go on to be selected in the 2021 NBA Draft.

In his new position at Georgia, White will have the opportunity to show off his pedigree recruiting in the Peach State. White said he will recruit throughout the nation, but his search starts within Georgia and the Atlanta area.

“I think the state of Georgia is as fertile as any state in the country to recruit,” White said.

Despite the recruits he brought into Florida, it never resulted in NCAA Tournament success. However, the 2019-2020 season, White’s fifth season at UF, was projected to be one of his best. The team featured all three of White’s 5-star recruits and SEC Preseason Player of the Year, Kerry Blackshear Jr.

The 2019 Gators went into the season ranked No. 6 in the AP preseason poll, but after a 2-2 start, they became unranked and never re-entered the top 25. Florida finished 19-12 and never had a chance to dance in the NCAA Tournament due to COVID-19.

Living in the shadow of the coach who helped build the Florida basketball program proved to be too much for White. In 19 years, Donovan won two national championships, made four Final Fours, won six SEC regular season championships

and four SEC Tournament championships.

White never won an SEC Tournament Championship. His highest finish in the conference was second in the 2016-2017 season. In Donovan’s 19 years at UF, he only lost 10 or more games in a season eight times, while White’s teams lost 10 or more games six times in his seven-year tenure.

The decision to stay in the same conference as Florida and join the rival Bulldogs had less to do with staying in the SEC and more about being a part of the Georgia program, White said.

“This is about an opportunity and a place that I really wanted to be.”

- Head Coach Mike White, UGA basketball

It will be an uphill battle for White to get the Bulldogs back into SEC contention. In the past five seasons, Georgia has finished in the bottom three of the conference each year except for 2020-2021when it finished tied for 10th.

White left the Florida program with an overall 142-88 record and a 72-52 SEC record. Although he never lived up to the expectations set by the fanbase, he did finish his time with the Gators with a solid record against the rival school he now coaches.

The Gators dominated Georgia under White. He went 11-3 against the Bulldogs and won his last six games against them.

White did not work out for UF, but his move to Georgia adds a new layer to the historic Florida-Georgia Rivalry. The former coach will return to Gainesville Jan. 7 when Florida hosts the Bulldogs at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center.

Contact Jackson Reyes at jacksonreyes@alligator.org. Follow him on Twitter @JacksnReyes.

Samantha Harrison // Alligator Staff Mike White departed from Florida in March to become the head coach at Georgia. White ended his time in Gainesville with a 14288 record over seven seasons.

2021 Georgia defense versus 2020 Florida offense: Who wins?

Two of the best units in recent memory go headto-head in a theoretical battle for the ages

The 2021 Georgia Bulldogs defense will likely go down as one of the best of all time.

Georgia had five first round picks in the 2022 NFL Draft, including first overall pick Travon Walker. A total of eight defenders were selected.

The Bulldogs allowed just 8.8 offensive points per game, which ranks third all-time in points per game allowed. They held Michigan and Alabama to a total of 29 combined points in the College Football Playoff and didn’t allow more than 20 points in the regular season.

This defense more than earned its place in history.

But what if it had played one of the best Florida offenses ever seen?

Often forgotten due to a thrown shoe, the 2020 Gators offensive attack featured future first-round draft picks Kyle Pitts and Kadarius Toney alongside NFL players Kyle Trask, Dameon Pierce and Malik Davis. Florida averaged nearly 40 points, 510 total yards and more than 375 passing yards per game. Trask threw for nearly 4,300 yards and 43 touchdowns with just eight interceptions.

Pitts became the first tight end to ever be a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award — given each year to the nation’s top receiver. He was the first Gator to receive unanimous first-team All-American honors since cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III in 2015. Pitts’ 12 touchdowns were the second-most in SEC history.

He played in just eight games.

Toney actually led the team with 984 receiving yards and added 161 yards more on the ground. Wide receiver Trevon Grimes scored nine touchdowns and had almost 600 yards.

The Florida passing attack toasted the 2020 Georgia defense to the tune of 44 points.

The 2021 Florida squad featured a whole new cast of characters, losing Pitts, Toney, Grimes and Trask to the NFL. As a result, it mustered just eight points in a blowout loss to the Bulldogs.

The 2020 Georgia defense was nothing to scoff at either, allowing 20 points and 321 yards per game and 4.9 yards per play. All three figures ranked second in the Southeastern Conference.

Let’s run the numbers to predict what would’ve happened if the 2020 Gators and the 2021 Bulldogs clashed in reality.

Through the air

The closest team Georgia played with Florida’s level of offensive talent was Alabama, who it played twice: once in the SEC Championship and once in the College Football Playoff Final.

Alabama quarterback Bryce Young had a slightly better statistical season in 2020 than Trask, throwing for 4,872 yards, 47 touchdowns and seven interceptions. In the SEC Championship against Georgia, Young completed 59% of his

passes for 421 yards, three touchdowns and an interception.

As previously alluded to, Trask had his way with the 2020 Georgia defense, tossing for 474 yards, four touchdowns and an interception — 53 more yards and one more touchdown than Young. The Crimson Tide quarterback struggled the second time he played the Bulldogs last season, though, tossing two interceptions, one touchdown and 369 yards.

If Young’s numbers across both games are averaged, he threw for an average of 395 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions (rounding up 1.5). Trask’s totals can be added to this statline, given the similarities the two quarterbacks had statistically year over year. Add in Trask’s 2020 figures against Georgia, that average is 435 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions (again, rounding 1.5 up).

The argument can be made that Trask had better weapons to throw to than Young did last season, so his figures could be stronger. The talent gap between the Georgia defense in 2020 versus 2021 accounts for the offensive talent gap between Jameson Williams and John Metchie versus Pitts

and Toney. Not to mention, the Gators only had Pitts for less than a half in 2020 against the Bulldogs, as he left the game with a concussion.

So, by these metrics, Florida would’ve been able to move the ball through the air against Georgia.

What about the ground game?

@Michael_Hull33 mhull@alligator.org

The Gators weren’t exactly a runfirst offense in 2020 — Pierce had 503 yards on the ground over 12 games, while Davis had 310. However, Davis was effective in the pass game, hauling in 31 receptions for 377 yards.

The Bulldogs run defense, meanwhile, was already strong in 2020, allowing 2.4 yards per attempt and 72.3 yards per game. In 2021, Georgia was just a tad weaker, but not by much: 2.6 yards per attempt and 78.9 yards per game. Possibly the best front seven of all time featured Walker, Jordan Davis, Quay Walker, Devonte Wyatt, Channing Tindall, Nakobe Dean and Jalen Carter. No one was running on that squad.

Considering the strength of Georgia’s rushing defense in

Samantha Harrison // Alligator Staff

Quarterback Kyle Trask was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy in 2020. Trask finished with the most passing touchdowns in the country that season (43) while racking up the second most passing yards (4,283).

Michael Hull

Hypothetical heavyweight battle

2020, it’s reasonable to use Pierce’s numbers from the 2020 game as a decent indicator. He had 15 carries for 52 yards and a touchdown in Jacksonville that season.

However, Georgia only allowed three rushing touchdowns all season in 2021, so for this projection, take away Pierce’s touchdown. Davis added 21 yards on nine carries and Nay’Quan Wright added 15, so in total the Florida running backs totaled 88 yards on the ground.

Factoring in the stinginess UGA had against a better Alabama rushing attack in the 2021 National Championship — Brian Robinson Jr. went for more than 1,300 yards on the year and had just 68 against Georgia — it’s reasonable to assume Florida would’ve had even less success in this hypothetical.

As a result, pencil in Florida for 75 rushing yards and no touchdowns as opposed to 97 yards (including QB scrambles) and a touchdown.

Overall totals:

Four hundred and thirty-five passing yards, 75 rushing yards, two turnovers and three touchdowns.

When the 2021 Georgia offense had the ball versus the 2020 Florida defense, it would’ve swung heavily in favor

of the Bulldogs. Georgia averaged 38.60 points per game, while Florida allowed 30.83 points per game. The meter leans toward UGA, and it would more than likely hit the season’s 38-point average.

Unfortunately, not everything is predictable, such as how Georgia would guard Pitts, the rivalry itself or Stetson Bennett’s performance.

Conclusion

Judging by the makeshift algorithm used to predict Florida’s offensive production, it’s reasonable to assume kicker Evan McPherson would’ve put some points on the board. In 2020, he made three field goals. In this fictional matchup, UF will stall in the red zone a few times based on Trask’s yards versus the touchdowns scored. The current Bengals kicker will knock through three in this game as well.

Thus, it can be concluded that the 2021 Georgia Bulldogs would’ve beaten the 2020 Florida Gators 38-30.

A one possession game. The 2020 Florida offense would’ve given the 2021 Georgia defense all it could handle, but the Bulldogs would still come out on top due to critical interceptions and a stingy run defense.

Samantha Harrison // Alligator Staff

Tight end Kyle Pitts was a unanimous first-team All-American in 2020. He finished the year with 43 catches for 770 yards and 12 touchdowns, despite only playing in eight games.

The case for Jacksonville: How Florida-Georgia extends outside the stadium Future location may change after 2025 contract expiration

By Jackson Castellano Alligator Staff Writer

The neutral-site game is one of college football’s dying arts.

In the age of drastic changes to college football, many teams are moving away from the concept. Few neutral-site rivalries — the Red River showdown, Army vs. Navy — as well as one-off neutral site events serve as the lingering examples of an old tradition.

Florida-Georgia is one of those examples. However, the rivalry exists as more than just the biggest athletic event of the year for each school. It’s also arguably the most important event in its host city: Jacksonville.

Alongside the game, multiple events are hosted by the city throughout the weekend to attract tourists and vendors alike. Florida-Georgia has been played in the River City every year since 1933, excluding two seasons when it temporarily shifted to Gaiesville and Athens. The games in 1994 and 1995 couldn’t be

play in Jacksonville since major stadium renovations were necessary to house the city’s newly awarded NFL expansion team: the Jacksonville Jaguars

While the game is contracted to remain in Jacksonville until 2025, talks of moving the game are increasing, and Georgia head coach Kirby Smart has made it clear he’d rather the game split time in either team’s home stadium.

Smart recognizes the game is special, but he claims the game being away from Athens hurts UGA’s recruiting.

“It’s an opportunity for us to bring these kids who fly in from all over the country,” Smart told SEC Now at Southeastern Conference media days. “What game do they want to see? They’d like to see Georgia play Florida, but they can’t do that.”

There’s certainly a case to be made for moving the game to a home-and-home format. However, the impact the game and the weekend as whole has on the city of Jacksonville is undeniable and is a necessity for the city’s economy.

Jacksonville mayor Lenny Curry told

Action News Jax in 2021 the game has an economic impact of at least $30 million.

In 2015, the Jacksonville Daily Record reported on a city survey estimating the game produces a 10-to-1 return on investment to the city.

“The positive results from the annual Florida-Georgia game underscore the importance of this event to our community,” Curry said in a 2015 statement. “This event drives economic impact benefits and amplifies our community as a leading destination for major events.”

Another wrinkle in the negotiations to keep or move the game from Jacksonville is the forthcoming mayoral election. Curry, the incumbent, has reached his term limit and will be ineligible to run for reelection. The Jacksonville mayoral election is set for March 2023.

College football’s landscape changes on a near-daily basis. As new traditions are formed right before the eyes of the sport’s audience, old traditions die off.

For Jacksonville, the relocation of Florida-Georgia would mean much more than lost tradition. It would mean lost

Courtesy of the Associated Press TIAA Bank Field, the home stadium of the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars, also serves as host for the annual Florida-Georgia game.

jobs, lost opportunities and a lost event that is a signature of the city. Without the game, there’s a hole in Jacksonville’s identity.

This year’s rendition of the rivalry kicks off Saturday, Oct. 29 at 3:30 p.m in TIAA Bank Field. The game will be broadcast on CBS.

Contact Jackson Castellano at jcastellano@alligator.org. Follow him on Twitter @jaxacastellano.

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Florida gymnastics adds two Georgia talents in offseason

Rachel Baumann, Victoria Nguyen joined prior to 2023 season

By Brandon Hernandez Alligator Staff Writer

On Jan. 21, out on the floor in the Stegeman Coliseum, Georgia senior Rachel Baumann sat patiently, knees down, in the middle of 6,759 fans. She wore a black and white leotard. Illuminated with bedazzled rhinestones, the marble-like additions to her outfit used the gymnasium lights to put on a show of their own.

Baumann stood tall, displaying elegance as she began her floor routine that Friday night.

AC/DC’s “Back in Black” scored her vibrant routine of flips, jumps and dance moves. Meanwhile, Florida’s squad was laser focused on its performance on the balance beam. Only a few feet away from Baumann, the Gators continued to hold a marginal lead in their meet

against the Georgia Bulldogs in Athens, Georgia.

As Baumann ran into a double backflip, landing in front of her UGA teammates, the crowd erupted into a frenzy. She scored a perfect 10. However, it wasn’t enough to win the meet. Florida took the victory 196.975194.475.

After the dust settled, a moment was shared between the Baumann sisters, Rachel and Alyssa, who competed for Florida. The two embraced each other in tears, knowing it would be the last time they would compete against each other in the sport they’d dedicated their lives to.

Alyssa, a graduate student for the Gators in 2022, had just a few months remaining in her collegiate gymnastics career. However, it wouldn’t be the last time a Baumann would represent Florida.

Rachel transferred to UF for her last year of eligibility in July, joining a Gators gymnastics team that was 0.1125 points away from a national title the previous season.

Now, as a graduate student in pursuit of earning a masters in information systems and operations management, Rachel brings four years of collegiate experience from the Bulldogs to their Southeastern Conference rival.

“I’m very blessed to have the opportunity to pursue my dream graduate program in ISOM at the University of Florida and get one more year to do the sport I love.

Hope y’all are ready for another Baumann in the O’Dome! Go Gators!”

- Rachel Baumann, UF gymnast

In her 2022 season at UGA alone, Rachel led the Bulldogs on the floor averaging a 9.816 performance and earning the highest vault mark of Georgia’s season against Louisiana State with a 9.95 score. She competed in every meet for Georgia last season, with 12 performances on the beam and 11 on the floor and vault.

Joining Rachel in moving from the Peach State to the Sunshine State is junior Victoria Nguyen, who transferred to Florida in May.

Nguyen, a Texas native, represented Team USA at the 2017 London World Cup, taking second in all-around and winning the Jesolo Trophy, an international unofficial artistics gymnastics competition, that same year.

She began her collegiate career at Georgia with a strong performance on the uneven bars and a 9.95 score. Nguyen finished her first meet against the Missouri Tigers with an all-

around score of 39.40.

Elevating her skill set, primarily in the uneven bars and balance beam under UGA head coach Courtney Kupets Carter, Nguyen thrived in her sophomore year. She was named an All-SEC gymnast after leading the SEC Championships’ opening session with a 9.90 performance on the uneven bars.

Now in Gainesville, UF head coach Jenny Rowland believes Nguyen will be a great addition to her highly experienced squad.

“Gators Gymnastics is grateful that [Victoria] has made the decision to finish her NCAA career with the Gators,” Rowland said when Nguyen transferred officially May 10. “We are excited to welcome this super talented and passionate new Gator to our family. Her work ethic and intrinsic motivation will only elevate our Gator standard both in and out of the gym.”

With the additions of Rachel and Nguyen, the Gators’ arsenal will be dynamic once again. The

Bulldogs, on the other hand, will try to replace the losses with two key contributors: Graduate student Sandra Elsadek, a transfer from Ball State, and senior Vanessa Deniz, a transfer from Oklahoma.

Florida, which has taken the regular season title in the SEC the past four years, has dominated the past decade against Georgia. UF has won nine of the last 10 meetings. Despite this fact, Georgia holds the overall record in the rivalry with a 90-66 mark over the Gators.

In what seems to be a see-saw affair between the two programs, trading times of success during the other’s sorrows has become an expected trend.

Florida will write a new chapter in its recently superior history in 2023. This time, it’ll be with a small amount of red and black ink.

Contact Brandon Hernandez at bhernandez@alligator.org. Follow him on Twitter @BranH2001.

Kathryn Skeean // Red and Black Staff Rachel Baumann will carry on her sister’s legacy for one more season after transferring to Florida from Georgia as a graduate student.

Kathryn Skeean // Red and Black Staff

Victoria Nguyen transferred to Florida after two seasons competing with the Georgia Bulldogs.