The Red & Black | 2023 Rivalry Issue

GEORGIA

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VOL. 131 | No. 10 | Athens, Georgia

R I VA L R Y

10.28.23

Wednesday, October 25, 2023

I S S U E

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Georgia quarterback Carson Beck prepares to throw the ball in Athens, Georgia, on Sept. 9, 2023. M A D Y M E R T E N S / S T A F F

Sizing up the signal-callers

New quarterbacks face off Tori Newman In this year’s edition of the Georgia-Florida game, both sides will arrive in Jacksonville, Florida, with quarterbacks who are starting for their current teams for the first time.

Georgia quarterback Carson Beck will return to his hometown as a starter for the first time since his collegiate career began.

Beck and Florida quarterback Graham Mertz each earned their positions this offseason, but had different paths to get there.

Transfer versus patient prospect For Beck, his promotion came after waiting almost four years behind previous starter Stetson Bennett.

The Jacksonville native garnered national attention and a four-star rating during high school. Beck first committed to Alabama. Less than a year later, Beck decommitted and signed with Georgia.

After enrolling in January 2020, Beck inched up the depth chart. In August, the junior beat out Brock Vandagriff and Gunner Stockton for the starting spot.

Mertz shared similar loyalty to his former program of Wisconsin, where he went 19-13 as a starter before transferring to Florida.

Also a four-star prospect, Mertz declined an offer from Georgia and committed to Wisconsin in 2019. From 2020 to 2022, he was the starting quarterback for the Badgers. He threw for 5,405 yards, 38 touchdowns and 26 interceptions at Wisconsin.

Mertz entered the transfer portal in December 2022. Florida, looking to replace former quarterback Anthony Richardson, emerged as a suitor for the redshirt junior.

Mertz debuted in Florida’s spring game, and became the official starter in August.

Florida quarterback Graham Mertz in action in Gainesville, Florida, on Sept. 16, 2023. C O U R T E S Y / U A A C O M M U N I C AT I O N S / J AY M E T Z

First day out Beck’s starting debut came in Georgia’s 48-7 season opening win over UT Martin at Sanford Stadium.

Beck threw for 294 yards, going 21-for-31, and even scoring himself on a 4-yard scramble. Georgia’s backfield dominated the majority of its scoring, but Beck connected with walk-on receiver Mekhi Mews for a 54yard pass to score in the third quarter.

For Mertz, his campaign as the Gators’ starter opened with a rough 24-11 loss to then No. 14 Utah in Salt Lake City.

Mertz’s start was overshadowed by offensive line and run game struggles that saw the Gators give up five sacks and only rush for 13 yards. Mertz finished the game with 333 passing yards, going 31-for-44 with a touchdown and an interception.

Campaign continues Since the victory over UT Martin, Georgia’s offense has had its fair share of first half struggles to work out, but Beck has shown progress over the season.

He threw for a career-high 389 yards in Georgia’s Week 6 win against Kentucky.

In his first road game as a starter, Beck willed Georgia past another lackluster start with the help of Brock Bowers to earn a come-from-behind victory over Auburn.

After falling to Utah, the Gators rallied behind Mertz to pick up three straight wins and the No. 22 ranking heading into their matchup against Kentucky. However, the Gators suffered a 33-14 loss on the road against the Wildcats.

In the loss, Mertz went 25-for-30 for 244 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Similar to the struggles against Utah, the Gator offensive line allowed Mertz to be sacked three times.

While Mertz’s in-game experience outweighs that of Beck, momentum and overall team performance favors Beck as both teams prepare to meet again in EverBank Stadium.

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4 THE RED & BLACK FALL 2023 STAFF EDITORIAL 706-433-3027 LEADERSHIP EDITOR IN CHIEF Liz Rymarev PRINT MANAGING EDITOR Lilly Kersh DIGITAL MANAGING EDITOR Jim Bass DEI CHAIR & SENIOR GUIDES EDITOR

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Wednesday, October 25, 2023

Rivalry rewind

Looking back at Georgia’s 2013 victory over Florida Samuel Higgs The game between Georgia and Florida has, at least according to Georgia, been around since 1904 with the Bulldogs up 55-44-2 in all-time matchups. Although both SEC rivals were unranked during the 2013 season, the game was still a 60-minute brawl in Jacksonville, Florida.

The Bulldogs were led by quarterback Aaron Murray, who completed 16 of his 25 passes for 258 yards and a touchdown on the day. Murray’s performance was outshined by the dominance of running back Todd Gurley. Not only did Gurley lead the team in rushing yards with 100 yards and a touchdown, he also led the team in receiving with three catches for 87 yards and a touchdown.

At the time, Georgia extended its win streak over Florida to three straight, which the current 2023 team is one win away from achieving. Murray said the game provided a different energy compared to all the other opponents they faced that year.

“It’s awesome. You always say, ‘every game is the same, every game is the same,’ but this one is different,” Murray said after the game in 2013. “There’s a different feel to it.

The atmosphere is different. To go out and beat these guys three years in a row, which hasn’t happened in 24 years, is

Blackout blues

How to drink responsibly at the ‘World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party’ Lindsay Mutzman On Oct. 28, the Georgia Bulldogs will take on their rivals, the Florida Gators, in Jacksonville, Florida. However, the festivities begin the day before.

Many University of Georgia students spend the weekend celebrating the rivalry game on St. Simons Island at an event deemed the “World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.” On the Friday before the game, when UGA cancels classes for fall break, students don wacky costumes and party on the so-called Frat Beach.

Day drinking is the main activity. The next morning, many students travel south to Jacksonville to watch the rivalry game. As fans plan how to fill their borg, or “blackout rage gallon,” it’s important to drink responsibly to protect health and safety.

There are many factors to account for when drinking responsibly, including age, gender, alcohol concentration, body type and metabolism..

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, blacking out typically occurs when a person’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is 0.16%. When a person blacks out, they have gaps in their memory. Drinking alcohol temporarily blocks the transfer of memories

Former Georgia running back Brendan Douglas (22) avoiding a tackle by Florida player during a game in Jacksonville, Florida, on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2013. F I L E / S T A F F just an awesome feeling.”

The final score might have led many to believe the game was much closer than it was. Georgia got out to a 17-0 lead after the first quarter, then finished the half up 23-3 over Florida. The Bulldogs were held scoreless in the second half but their early lead gave them just enough to hold off a late Florida rally.

The Gators cut the lead to three points early in the fourth quarter, but a long Georgia drive burned the final eight minutes off the clock, which sealed the victory for the Bulldogs. Former head coach Mark Richt was aware of from short-term to long-term storage, which is also known as memory consolidation.

There are two types of blackouts: fragmentary blackout and en bloc blackout, according to the NIAAA. The most common form is fragmentary blackout — when you are only able to remember parts of the event. En bloc blackout is when you are unable to remember any part of the event that you were drinking at A B B I E H E R R I N / S TA F F — a “complete amnesia,” according to the institute.

The amount of alcohol it takes to black out typically varies between sexes — for people assigned female at birth it takes about four drinks and for people assigned male at birth it takes five drinks, according to the NIAAA. However, everyone has different tolerance levels. Female people tend to get drunk off fewer drinks than male people because of their biological difference in body water content, according to the NIAAA. Female people have a higher fatto-water ratio than male people, and their BAC increases at a faster rate.

Race also plays a part in how much a person can drink.

People of Asian or Native American descent show reduced levels of alcohol dehydrogenase, meaning alcohol will stay in their blood longer and high concentrations will build up faster, according to Bowling Green State University’s Department of Recreation and Wellness.

Signs of a blackout include experiencing dizziness, headaches, muscle spasms, vision changes and difficulty speaking. To avoid a blackout and drink responsibly, keep track of how much you’re drinking, eat before consuming any alcohol and drink at a slow pace, according to Health Direct.

Alcohol is most often consumed as either beer, wine or

how valuable the first half was to the outcome of the game.

“I’m thankful for the win and I’m proud of the effort from everybody,” Richt said. “We played tremendously in the first half, then gave them some life and got their blood pumping. It could’ve turned bad, but we got some big stops on defense and the offense finished with that beautiful drive. ... Any time you can get out of here with a win, it’s special.”

Georgia defensive tackle Garrison Smith had two and a half sacks in this game, after only having one and a half the entire season leading up to it. Linebacker Ramik Wilson finished the game with 11 total tackles, one of his five games that year with at least 10 tackles.

Quarterback Tyler Murphy started for Florida and finished the game off with 174 passing yards, 91 of which went to receiver Quinton Dunbar. In the rushing category, Kelvin Taylor led the Gators with 76 total rushing yards. Murphy and running back Mack Brown scored Gators’ only touchdowns with one each.

The Gators had a miserable 2013 season and finished the year 4-8 under current Bulldogs co-defensive coordinator and then-head coach Will Muschamp. They suffered one of the biggest upsets of the season with a loss to Georgia Southern near the end of the year, bringing their record against the state of Georgia to 0-2 on the year.

The Bulldogs ultimately finished the 2013 season with an 8-5 record and ended the season with a loss in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl against Nebraska. Hiring current head coach Kirby Smart brought about new life for Georgia within the rivalry. The current team has a two-game win streak over the Gators, and a possible third straight win looms in the future when the two meet on Oct. 28 in Jacksonville.

FAST FACTS X Glynn County Commission placed a two-day alcohol ban on St. Simons Island during the 2021 Georgia-Florida football game for the second year in a row X Keep Golden Isles Beautiful hosts an annual Community Georgia-Florida beach sweep on Saturday morning to clean up trash X Public intoxication is a misdemeanor offense. If convicted, you can serve up to one year in jail and face a fine of up to $1,000

spirits. Beers, light hard seltzers and kombucha tend to have lower alcohol percentages, ranging from 0.5% to 12%, according to American Addiction Centers.

Vodka, tequila, rum and whiskey have much higher alcohol percentages, ranging from 36% to 95%. Many people celebrating the Georgia-Florida game on Frat Beach choose a borg as their drink of choice. Borgs are typically made up of vodka, water and a liquid flavor-enhancer to overpower the alcohol flavor.

Some students go so far as to name their borgs something creative, such as “Borganic Chemistry” or “Borgan Donor.” Drinking a borg requires extreme caution, as the high and often unknown concentration of alcohol can increase the probability of blacking out.

If you’re hitting the beach on rivalry weekend, make sure to keep track of what’s in your borg, drink water and drink responsibly for yourself and your friends. Don’t be the reason you all have to go back to the hotel room — or the hospital — before the game even begins.

Wednesday, October 25, 2023

A B B I E H E R R I N / S TA F F

OPINION: Public vs. private Ivy League education doesn’t add up Gabrielle Gruszynski Although rivals on the field, the University of Georgia and University of Florida are united in their commitment to high quality academics for a state school price tag. My own experience has taught me the value of a public university degree over the prestige and cost of a private, or even Ivy League, education.

Before I decided to attend UGA, I was at a college crossroads. In the spring of my senior year, I’d narrowed my choices to UGA and the University of Notre Dame — two drastically different schools. My father had received a degree from Notre Dame and always spoke fondly of his years there.

When I got accepted, I was ecstatic.

However, earlier that year, I also got into UGA through early action and was applying to the Morehead Honors College. My mother had attended the University of Florida for undergraduate and graduate degrees.

She also completed her Ph.D. at UF in speech and language pathology.

My parents have always instilled in me a yearning for higher education. I’m currently double majoring in English and journalism, and I am considering a path in law or public relations, with plans to continue my education after I get my bachelor’s degree.

I was faced with an impossible choice — the ivy-covered walls, brazen winters, rigorous education and ornate architecture of Notre Dame or the Saturdays in Athens,

THE RED & BLACK beloved Grady College, picnics on North Campus and full-ride as an in-state student with the Zell Miller Scholarship at UGA. Due to the finances and the perfect balance of school and social life, I ended up at the greatest school on earth. In my second year, I still couldn’t be happier with my choice.

Nonetheless, I’ve found myself wondering from time to time — what if? I’ve often feared that attending UGA would render me a less competitive candidate for graduate school than I would’ve been had I attended Notre Dame.

My queries were answered recently when my grandparents visited me in Athens. My grandpa, whom my family affectionately calls ‘Poppy,’ brought a printed copy of an Insider article titled “9 state universities that could help you earn just as much money as an Ivy League education.”

Both UF, my mom’s alma mater, and UGA were listed among schools such as the University of California, Berkeley, UC Los Angeles and others.

The article was based on a recent study

by Opportunity Insights, a group of Harvard-based economists. Researchers pooled a group of students waitlisted by Ivy League schools and compared the estimated future earnings of those who eventually got off the waitlist to those who did not.

The ones who did not get off the waitlist instead attended one of nine state flagship public universities.

Researchers found that compared to state flagship universities, Ivy League schools had only a “small and statistically insignificant impact” on admitted students’ average future earnings, boosting their projected income at age 33 by an average of 3%, according to the article by Insider.

I was beyond excited to see my school listed amongst some of the best public schools in the country. However, I wasn’t surprised. Throughout high school and after listening to advice from my parents, I was aware of how difficult it was to get into UGA, especially in recent years. According to the UGA Factbook for 2003, my birth year, UGA accepted around 75% of freshmen applicants. In contrast, in 2022 UGA had an acceptance rate of 43%.

I can thank my Poppy for putting my concerns to rest and, more importantly, giving me more pride in attending a state university like my mom did by attending UF. My journey to UGA has been rewarding and filled with moments of doubt and clarity. The choice between Notre Dame and UGA was challenging, but looking back, I couldn’t be happier with my decision. It’s been a journey shaped by my parents’ unwavering commitment to higher education and my own pursuit of academic excellence.

Gabrielle Gruszynski is a sophomore English and journalism major at UGA and serves as The Red & Black’s assistant opinion editor.

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Wednesday, October 25, 2023

The Dawgs are out Shoes to wear on gameday Avni Trivedi The average college football game lasts around three hours and 20 minutes.

That’s three hours of standing, jumping or stomping your feet, if you’re an avid football fan like many of the students at the University of Georgia and University of Florida.

The SEC has its own dress code when it comes to football games. Whether you opt for cowboy boots or a pair of Jordans, here’s a few options for your next gameday.

Wedges and Platforms A classic style that evolved throughout the years, the wedge adds height and some classiness like a normal heel, while also being easier to stand and jump around in.

But as wedges cycle out of style, a popular trend replacing them are platform shoes. You can spot them in a variety of shoe styles, from sneakers to loafers.

However, according to Lane Banta, a store associate at Fab’rik, the cowboy boot and sneaker still remain the most popular shoe choices, with the store carrying four different styles of each shoe in gameday colors.

Cowboy Boots Worn by both farmers and SEC sorority girls, the cowboy boot is praised for its functionality and style. You can find cowboy boots at a variety of stores such as Tecovas, who

specialize in cowboy boots, or Athens boutiques such as Cheeky Peach.

Kira Carruthers, assistant manager and the co-head of merchandising at Cheeky Peach, said the store has created an entire section of their floor catered to gameday outfits.

The collection has six shoe options specifically for gameday, but the store itself has more than 40 different shoe styles.

A best- seller at Cheeky Peach is the Free People “Brayden” boot, a red, ankle-length boot with a steel toe.

“It’s super fun, but it kind of works for any aesthetic.

[You can] do it with a sundress or do it with leather pants,” Carruthers said.

The boots are easy to pair with a variety of outfits and can be accompanied with mini dresses, skirts or denim shorts. Adding a Southern flair to any outfit, the cowboy boot remains a top contender for gameday shoe of the year.

Spirited Sneakers Sneakers are a great pair of shoes to wear to a game if you’re looking for the maximum amount of comfort. However, many sneakers don’t necessarily represent the Southern prep that a lot of students lean toward when picking out their gameday outfit.

To keep these sneakers gameday appropriate, students may opt for something more stylish like a pair of Nike Dunks or New Balance 550s in a team-appropriate color.

Home Town Kicks, a footwear store in downtown Athens, has been providing shoes for sneaker enthusiasts since their opening in August 2022. On their Instagram page, the store highlights some new arrivals suitable for gamedays.

“You gotta think, we’re surrounded by UGA so that’s just a popular colorway that sells well,” Anthony Sims, owner of Home Town Kicks, said.

If you’re looking for a “cool-girl sneaker,” Carruthers said,

GRACE JOHNSON/CONTRIBUTOR

Cheeky Peach has a few options as well. Carruthers’ go-to gameday shoe choice is the Oncept sneaker in a bright red and white. “[I] do it with a graphic tee and a skirt to keep it more casual, but there’s also still something that your eye gravitates toward because it’s bright red and really cool,” Carruthers said.

One of Sims’ go-to pair of sneakers is the Air Jordan 1 Low Travis Scott Phantoms in black. He likes to “UGA-ify” them by switching out the black laces for red. But Gators fans may opt for orange and blue accessories. No matter which team you’re standing and stomping for, footwear is an opportunity to show team pride from head to toe.

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Wednesday, October 25, 2023

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The University of Georgia football team defeats the University of Florida 42-20 at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Florida, on Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022. J E S S I C A G R A T I G N Y / S T A F F

Famed football foes

Recapping the Georgia-Florida rivalry Virginia Miller On Oct. 28, the Georgia Bulldogs will meet the Florida Gators in Jacksonville, Florida, for the alleged 102nd meeting in the Georgia vs. Florida football classic. The Georgia-Florida rivalry goes so deep into history that the teams cannot even agree on when their first meeting was — 1904 or 1915.

According to any Georgia Bulldog, they first matched up with the Gators on Oct. 15, 1904, when coach Charles Barnard’s Bulldogs took on a team representing the University of Florida.

The Bulldogs blew Florida out 52-0. However, the Gators argue that the University of Florida was not even established until 1905 so that game doesn’t count and they didn’t meet until the next game in 1915.

From the mid ‘60s to the late ‘80s — with Vince Dooley as the head coach — the Georgia football team dominated Florida.

Dooley went 17-7-1 against Florida in his career.

Florida’s luck finally began to change in the Steve Spurrier era, which began in 1990.

As Florida’s head coach, Spurrier won 11 out of 12 games against the Bulldogs, dominating just as Dooley once had.

A rivalry this large deserves awards to recognize the moments and great athletes who have participated over the years. The Georgia-Florida Football Hall of Fame was

created by the city of Jacksonville in 1995 and honors inductees including Tim Tebow, Herschel Walker, Jarvis Jones and Vince Dooley.

If having its own Hall of Fame wasn’t enough, every year since 2009, the winning school’s student body president receives the Okefenokee Oar: a 12-foot wood oar carved from the remains of a 1,000-year-old Cypress tree in the Okefenokee Swamp.

This rivalry has gone by many names, such as The River City Showdown and the Georgia vs. Florida Football Classic.

However, the rivalry’s raucous celebration is most widely known as the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party by both teams.

From 2000 to 2016, the Florida Gators won 12 of the 17 matches, but the tide would soon turn for the Bulldogs with the arrival of current head coach Kirby Smart.

Smart is on his way to having more victories for Georgia than Spurrier had for Florida. He currently holds a 5-2 record against the Gators and has been victorious the past two seasons.

The rivalry between Georgia and Florida football is full of controversy and unknowns, but underneath it all is a passion for football and competition that will forever bring both teams to meet, wherever that may be, for a classic game of Saturday football.

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10 THE RED & BLACK

Isabel Davis

Wednesday, October 25, 2023

Fit check

Students discuss costumes at Frat Beach

Students at the University of Georgia are preparing to head to St. Simons Island for a weekend of fun in celebration of the Georgia-Florida game. Over fall break, the island is transformed into the annual event, colloquially named Frat Beach.

As the weekend falls just days before Halloween, many students choose to dress up in costume to hit the beach. In previous years, students have worn inflatable costumes or chosen a group theme, like onesies. This year will be no different. The Red & Black asked UGA students about their thoughts on Frat Beach costumes and their expectations for the outfits.

Aidan Iglecias

Grace Pridgen

Carly Gaines

JU N I O R R I S K

J U NI OR P S YC H OL OG Y

S OP HOMORE FI NA NC E

M A N AG EM EN T A N D

A ND E NG L I S H M A J OR

MA J OR

“I want to see some creativity on my feed this year.

I want to see people doing things I have never seen before. This is an unpopular opinion — I don’t want to see ‘Barbenheimer’ costumes.”

“I was talking about it with my friends recently. ... For Frat Beach, people try to have super funny costumes.

People usually go all out.”

I N S U R A N C E M A JO R

“

“

“[There’s] a lot of gimmicky costumes. I saw … a group of guys were dressed as crayons [last year]. So I expect to see a lot of collaboration among frats.”

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Done deal River City Showdown staying put through 2025 Owen Warden On May 24, 2023, the Georgia and Florida Athletic Associations announced their decisions to continue to play the two teams’ annual game in Jacksonville, Florida, during the 2024 and 2025 seasons.

“We are pleased with the decision to exercise the option that will keep the game in Jacksonville for 2024 and 2025,” Georgia athletic director Josh Brooks said. “We look forward to discussions that I’m sure will continue over the next couple years exploring all the options for 2026 and beyond. We continue to be appreciative of the working relationship we have with the University of Florida and the city of Jacksonville.”

The two teams have been playing in October in the neutral site of Jacksonville since 1933, excluding the 1994 and 1995

THE RED & BLACK seasons due to the then-ongoing construction of EverBank Stadium. The most recent agreement, reached in 2019, ensured that the two teams would play each other in Jacksonville through the 2023 season.

However, beyond this year, the historical showdown’s location was uncertain.

The 2019 agreement held an option to extend the game two more seasons. Both parties had to notify the city of Jacksonville of their decision before June 30, 2023.

“The City of Jacksonville has been a historic host for one of the great rivalry games in all of college football,” Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin said. “We are excited to have the game in Jacksonville for another two seasons.”

Georgia and Florida will battle it out for the 101st time on Week 9 of the upcoming season on Oct. 28, 2023. Georgia has won four of the past five matchups in the storied rivalry, and each of the last two.

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart has had a contentious relationship with the city of Jacksonville due to the NCAA rules about recruiting at neutral site games. At SEC Media Days this past July, Smart said that he would prefer a more traditional homeand-home schedule for the Florida game.

“When it comes down to it, there’s a very, very basic element of everything comes

Gameday munchies Simple snacks for your Saturday spread Lilly Kersh Whether fans are watching from home or tailgating beforehand, every college football Saturday needs a spread tasty enough to fuel a day of cheering, chomping and barking. Here are five snacks to satisfy the gameday munchies.

Natty Champ Charcuterie What you need: Crackers, fresh fruit, sliced meats and cheeses, olives and nuts.

How to make it: Arrange the ingredients on a wood en bo ard.

To cater to your team, opt for a red and black-themed board, with red apples, black olives, strawberries and blackberry jam to top your crackers. Or, if you’re a Gator fan, add blueberries, candied apricots, orange jam, Goldfish and green grapes.

Pigskins in a Blanket What you need: A tube of crescent roll dough, cocktail sausages and optional seasonings.

How to make it: Wrap each sausage in a triangle of dough and brush with butter or a mixture of egg and water.

Bake at 375 de grees for 12 to 15

11

Georgia mascot Uga sleeps during the University of Georgia game against the University of Florida at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Florida, on Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022. J E S S I C A G R A T I G N Y / S T A F F back to — number one money and number two, recruiting and getting good players,” Smart said. “I firmly believe that we’ll be able to sign better players by having it as a home-and-home [game] because we’ll have more opportunities to get them to campus.”

Smart may get his way after the contract expires. With the Jacksonville Jaguars planning construction on EverBank Stadium, the site location could potentially be in jeopardy after 2025. However, for the next two seasons, the Bulldogs and Gators will face off in Jacksonville.

minutes, until golden brown. To add more flavor, consider seasoning with sesame seeds, offering a mustard dipping sauce or sprinkling with cheese.

How to make it: Combine chopped ingre dients and mash with avocados.

Serve with your favorite tortilla chips.

First Down Fried Pickles What you need: P i c k l e s , f l o u r, buttermilk, seasoning and oil.

How to make it: Combine flour and seasonings such as garlic p o w d e r, p a p r i ka, salt and pepper. Cut pickles into thin slices and pat them dry. Dip them in the flour mixture. You can also add cornstarch to the mix to absorb moisture, or dip the pickle slices in a mixture of buttermilk and egg between layers of flour. Fry the slices until golden brown. Consider serving with ranch or adding different seasonings and hot sauces to the flour mixture.

Gator Guac What you need: Avocados, onion, tomatoes, cilantro, jalapeno, lime, garlic, pepper and salt.

Dawg Chow What you need: Cereal squares, peanut butter, chocolate chips, powdered sugar and M&M’s.

How to make it: Melt equal parts chocolate chips and peanut butter together and stir until smooth.

Pour the mixture over the cereal and let cool. In a plastic bag, combine the coate d ce re a l w it h powdered sugar and shake. For a gameday twist, add M&M’s in your team’s colors.

B L A K E C A M P B E L L / S TA F F

12 THE RED & BLACK

Wednesday, October 25, 2023

It’s time to get #VoteReady We’re competing off the field with some of our biggest rivals to see who can register the most students to vote!

Help your team rank #1 on the leaderboard; Scan the QR code or visit your school’s link to register your team pride.

VS VOTE.ORG/UF

VOTE.ORG/UGA

VS VOTE.ORG/OLEMISS

VOTE.ORG/LSU

VS VOTE.ORG/UA

VOTE.ORG/AUBURN

Patricia Pascual & Diego Perdomo // Alligator Staff

2 RIVALRY EDITION SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2023

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2023 RIVALRY EDITION 3

Kirby Smart created a monster and became Florida’s next great villain The Bulldogs have won five of six against the Gators

By Topher Adams Alligator Sports Writer

Florida-Georgia is a rivalry of era-defining coaches. Vince Dooley dominated the Gators in the 1980s, and Steve Spurrier flipped the series with an 11-1 record against the Dogs. Urban Meyer kept the dominance alive in the late 2000s with five wins against Georgia in six years.

The Bulldogs needed to consistently clear their Gatorshaped hurdle to reach the heights expected of a program loaded with resources and talent.

“That’s why they fired Jim Donnan, and that’s why [they] went to Mark Richt [and] had moderate success against Florida but still didn’t really flip the rivalry,” said Chip Towers, a longtime Georgia beat reporter at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

After two decades of inconsistent success against Florida, the Bulldogs found their new savior — and the Gators’ new boogeyman — in Kirby Smart.

Smart’s tenure between the hedges started on shaky ground.

Inheriting a 10-win Bulldogs team, the first-year head coach led Georgia to a mediocre 8-5 record in 2016 that included a 2410 drubbing by Florida.

Things changed almost overnight for Smart’s program the next season. After the Gators won the SEC East in 2015 and 2016, Georgia started a new reign of terror over the division — and the sport — in 2017.

The Bulldogs started the year 9-0 and eventually won the SEC Championship, the Rose Bowl and nearly defeated Alabama in overtime of the National Championship. Among the many highlights of the 2017 season came in Jacksonville.

Georgia lost three straight to the Gators entering the season, but Smart’s team walked away with a cathartic 42-7 drubbing of a listless Florida team in Jim McElwain’s last game at the helm.

“I remember after falling 0-3 to the Gators, all I wanted my

senior year was to beat [Florida] and be able to play for the SEC Championship,” said former Bulldogs tight end Jeb Blazevich.

The Bulldogs continued to roll through the season and won their first SEC title since 2005 and fell a touchdown short of a national championship.

Even as Dan Mullen returned to the Swamp and led Florida to two New Year’s Six wins in 2018 and 2019, it was clear the tide had turned at the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. Smart’s Bulldogs won the division three years in a row and beat the Gators all three years.

Georgia’s ascension is largely attributed to one defining thing: recruiting.

“We get caught up all the time and schemes and coaching strategies and all that, but the bottom line is you got to have better players,” Towers said.

UGA’s signed seven top-five recruiting classes since Smart took over in 2016. Georgia signed

the top class in the country twice in that time.

The sheer dominance on the recruiting trail has not only made winning at a high level possible, it’s become almost inevitable.

The Bulldogs have ranked in the top two of the 247Sports Team Talent Composite every year since 2020.

Smart and the Georgia coaching staff deserve credit for turning that talent into production on the field. From the time he arrived, the level of intensity every day in the program has helped elevate the team.

“The demands were higher, and practices were more intense, but they were intense no matter if we win or lose,” Blazevich said.

The best plan to win was put in place and not questioned, which allowed for consistent ‘buy-in’ from the guys.”

For a brief moment under Mullen, it looked like Florida could overcome the growing talent gap with some offensive

Associated Press

Georgia coach Kirby Smart looks on during an NCAA college football practice at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Ga., Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019.

magic in 2020.

The 3-1, No. 8 Gators traveled to Jacksonville to face 4-1, No. 5 Georgia. Mullen brought UF back to near the summit of the sport with two 10-win seasons, but this was an opportunity to get to the pinnacle of the sport and approach the program’s championship legacy.

Florida’s historic offense — led by Kyle Trask, Kyle Pitts, Kadarius Toney and others — torched Smart’s vaunted defense en route to a 44-28 win. The Gators amassed 571 yards of offense, more than twice the offensive output of UGA. Mullen’s first win against Smart helped Florida get to Atlanta for the first time since 2016. The season petered out with three-straight losses, but the Gators seemed to be on par with their neighbors to the north.

After UF seemingly regained its footing alongside Georgia on the college football pyramid, however, Smart’s Bulldogs blew the gap between the two programs to a new level.

When the two teams met in late October, an undefeated UGA destroyed the Gators 34-7. Georgia almost broke Florida’s national record for games without being shut out until quarterback Emory Jones scored with less than three minutes left in the game.

Through Smart’s reign of terror in the late 2010s, Florida fans could turn to one year for salvation. 1980.

That was the last time the Bulldogs were crowned national champions, and the Gators raised three national championship banners in the ensuing 40 years. That final bragging right crumbled at the end of the 2021 season.

Smart finally got Georgia over the hump and won the program’s second-ever national championship. UGA doubled down on its new dominance with an undefeated season in 2022 and a second-straight national championship.

The Bulldogs will travel to Jacksonville, winners of their last 24 games and last 34 regular season games. They’re once again the No. 1 team in the AP Poll and the 247Sports composite team recruiting rankings.

Mullen’s tenure in Gainesville petered out and ended with an unceremonious firing before the end of the 2021 season. To fight the changing hierarchy in the division, Florida took a page out of Georgia’s playbook and hired a recruiting-focused former Nick Saban assistant.

Billy Napier, like Smart, understands that to be one of the best teams in the country, the team needs to recruit the best players. He made that clear in his introductory press conference.

“If we can’t sign 25 good players at the University of Florida, then you’ll be looking for a new coach,” Napier said. “So we’ve got a plan, and we’re going to go execute our plan.”

Napier’s transition class in 2022 only ranked 18th nationally but landed playmakers like Shemar James and Arlis Boardingham. The 2023 class ranked 13th, but Florida’s already hit on evaluations such as Jordan Castell and Eugene Wilson III, who are key contributors this year.

On the field, Napier’s rebuild is still a work in progress. Georgia crushed Napier’s Gators in their first matchup last season, 42-20.

Florida went 6-7 last season but is off to a promising 5-2 start this year. More importantly, Napier continues to build on the recruiting trail.

The Gators have the No. 3 class in the 247Sports composite rankings, with several top prospects still on the board. The signs are pointing to a potential leveling of power in the SEC East, but Smart is going anywhere anytime soon.

“It’s like when you’re running a race on a track,” Towers said.

“They’ve got a long lead, and they’re not slowing down. So I mean, you really gotta go fast.”

Florida and Georgia will meet for the 101st time, according to UF, Oct. 28 at TIAA Bank Stadium in Jacksonville. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on CBS. Contact Topher Adams at tadams@alligator.org. Follow him on X @Topher_Adams.

4 RIVALRY EDITION SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2023

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2023 RIVALRY EDITION 5

Anthone Lott calls his shot: Remembering the “Timeout Game” on its 30th anniversary THE GATORS HELD STRONG TO WIN THE STORIED RIVALRY IN 1993

By Jackson Reyes Alligator Sports Writer

The year is 1993. The Florida Gators opened the season with a dominant 5-0 start and were the No. 4 team in the country before a heartbreaking 38-35 loss on the road against Auburn.

With Florida’s perfect season ruined, the Gators turned their direction to Jacksonville, to play against hated rivals, the Georgia Bulldogs on Oct. 30, 1993.

Florida had won the previous three meetings between the two teams heading into the matchup and the Bulldogs had mustered an average 4-4 record leading up to the game, but as many know — anything can happen in a rivalry game.

Florida and Georgia battled all game in rainy, muddy conditions. UF’s white jerseys turned to a dark gray by the end of the game.

Former Florida head coach Steve Spurrier remembered it as the rainiest game he’d coached in all 12 years of his UF tenure.

The Bulldogs kept themselves in the game and on the final drive of the game, they gave themselves a chance to tie it down 33-26. The Bulldogs got inside Florida’s 15-yard line before quarterback Eric Zeier spiked it with five seconds left in the game.

Zeier threw the ball 65 times that day and went 6-for-8 for 52 yards on the final drive to get Georgia in a position to tie it and looked to cap off his heroic play with a touchdown.

The ensuing play is where history was made.

Zeier dropped back and found a streaking Jerry Jerman for a touchdown, just one extra point from tying the game — except, that’s not what happened.

Gators cornerback Anthone Lott lined up on the outside, and just before the ball could be snapped, he suddenly called a timeout which negated the play.

“I don’t even know why he called timeout,” Spurrier said. “Maybe we didn’t have enough guys on the field or something.”

Lott, a redshirt freshman at the time and Gainesville native, became a hometown hero in that moment. The referee ran onto the field signaling UF called a timeout prior to the play — much to the dismay of the Georgia players pointing to the end zone because of the score.

Spurrier added how nobody was watching Lott because the teams were lined up at the line of scrimmage when he called the timeout.

“I don’t even know if I saw him call it to tell the truth,” Spurrier said. “It was fast,

but it was a smart move on his part.”

Ray Goff, Georgia’s head coach in the game, thought his team scored, he said in a previous interview.

“We thought we had scored, but then again, Florida’s defenders may have stopped because they heard a whistle,” Goff said. “It’s unfortunate that a game that was played as well as this one came down to something as controversial as that.”

While the timeout saved Florida for one more play, the chaos was far from over.

Like the Yin and Yang, Lott followed up his heroic play that gave Florida another chance to win with a decision that gifted the Bulldogs a golden opportunity to score.

Zeier dropped back on the ensuing play after the timeout. He chucked the ball up to his receiver in the corner of the endzone.

Lott smothered the defender and pushed him out of bounds as he made the catch.

The Gainesville native thought he had made the game-winning play, but a flag flew onto the field, and the cornerback was called for pass interference. Georgia would have one final play from the 2-yard line.

Zeier fired the ball to Jeff Thomas on a slant, but the pass fell incomplete and the Gators won their fourth straight as they etched another chapter in the storied rivalry.

Florida’s winning against Georgia became a staple in Spurrier’s tenure. The head ball coach went 11-1 against Florida’s rivals from across the border.

However, winning against the Bulldogs was not always common prior to Spurrier.

Georgia had Florida’s number and won 15 of the previous 20 meetings before Spurrier’s arrival to Gainesville in 1990.

Spurrier remembered he talked to his team before the 1990 season and the message was simple — his team will be ready when they play Georgia.

“They kicked our butts,” Spurrier said when remembering what he told his team.

“They talk like they own us. If you’re okay with them owning the Gators, then you better quit, cause they’re not going to own me and hopefully none of you guys.”

Even though Florida beat Georgia 38-7 in his first season at the helm at UF, Spurrier felt his team could have made it 65-7 if it weren’t for turnovers inside the 10-yard line.

“I was a little perturbed that it was only 38-7,” Spurrier said. “That was our attitude toward Georgia for the 12 years I was here.”

Whether it was scoring the most points ever allowed in Georgia’s stadium, Sanford Stadium, or having a young player call a timeout in a one possession game, Spurrier’s Gators found ways to take down their rivals.

In the 1993 game, Florida quickly adapted to the conditions caused by the

Dave Martin // Associated Press

Florida Gators head coach Steve Spurrier is carried on the field by Cameron Davis, 56, and Jim Watson, 73, after the Gators Downed the Alabama Crimson tide 28-3 in the 1993 SEC Football Championship in Birmingham, Ala., Dec.4, 1993. weather. Florida threw the ball only 21 times, which is the fewest number of pass attempts in the Spurrier’s time as head coach.

Running back Errict Rhett became the workhorse on offense in the game. He carried the ball for a school-record 41 times.

He amassed 183 yards and two touchdowns as he helped lead UF to the rivalry victory.

The game also granted a second chance to Florida’s quarterback Terry Dean. The fourth-year junior was benched earlier in the season against Kentucky after he threw four interceptions.

The man to replace Dean was Danny Wuerffel. The eventual Heisman winner was only a freshman at the time and struggled against the Bulldogs. He started 3-for-9 with an interception when Spurrier made the move to put Dean in the game.

“I’d hit rock bottom, the low point of my life,” Dean said in a prior interview. “I really didn’t think I’d get another chance like this.”

Dean finished the game 8-for-12 for 105 yards. He also threw the touchdown pass that gave Florida a lead in the first half it

would never surrender.

“Terry Dean was a very good quarterback,” Spurrier said. “We played two quarterbacks a whole bunch. We didn’t get hung up on exactly who had to play quarterback.”

The Gators would go on to finish the season 11-2. Florida also won the 1993 SEC Championship against Alabama — UF’s first ever SEC Conference Championship game win.

Florida capped off the year with a win in the Sugar Bowl against West Virginia to finish ranked No. 5 in the country.

“I’m thankful that [1993] season worked out and we had three or four games that could have gone the other way,” Spurrier said. “’93 was an exceptional year.”

UF’s current head coach Billy Napier and the 2023 Florida Gators will look to create similar magic that occurred for UF 30 years ago on Oct. 28 when they renew their rivalry with the No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs.

Contact Jackson Reyes at jacksonreyes@alligator.org.

Follow him on X @JacksnReyes.

6 RIVALRY EDITION SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2023

The history of Florida-Georgia baseball

The Gators are 193-115-2 against the Bulldogs

By Luke Adragna Alligator Sports Writer

The battle on the gridiron between Florida and Georgia draws the most attention among fans of the rivalry. However, there is a deep-rooted history on the diamond few fans consider when discussing the rivalry between the two schools.

The Georgia Bulldogs and Florida Gators have faced one another 310 times, with Florida holding the advantage in the series, 193-115-2.

The Gators baseball team has been one of the most successful programs in the country in recent years and has made NCAA tournament appearances every season — disregarding the 2020 year, which was canceled due

to the COVID pandemic — since 2008.

On the other hand, Georgia has made just six NCAA tournament appearances since 2008 and only three in the last decade.

Origins

The Bulldogs and Gators first faced one another April 3, 1931, at Fleming Field in Gainesville.

Fleming Field was the first oncampus athletic complex at Florida and served as the home field for the Gators football and baseball teams and the site for MLB exhibition matchups, which saw players like Babe Ruth, Mel Ott and Rogers Hornsby grace the field.

The Bulldogs were one of the more successful teams in the country heading into the first

matchup between the schools and were crowned conference champions three times since their inaugural season in 1899.

Florida, on the other hand, was a relatively new program and was at the cusp of its 19th season. In the 18 years preceding the Gators’ first matchup with the Bulldogs, Florida hired 11 different head coaches and was 142-157-6 overall.

Led by head coach W.P. White, Georgia took game one of the rivalry matchup 3-2 and split the series at a game apiece. The Bulldogs continued to dominate the Gators and produced a 23-10 record against Florida until the 1948 season.

The Gators let go of head coach Sam McAllister after a 14-15 season in 1947 and hired

Ryan Friedenberg // Alligator Staff

A Florida player slides into second base in the Gators’ 13-11 loss to the Georgia Bulldogs Friday, April 14, 2023.

Dave Fuller as the new leader of the Florida baseball team. Fuller was the head coach of UF for 28 seasons and almost instantly propelled the Gators toward success.

He set the regular-season win record for the Gators in his second season, winning 17 games, and brought Florida its first regular season conference championship

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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2023 RIVALRY EDITION 7

The rivalry on the diamond BASEBALL, from pg. 6

title in 1952. Fuller produced three Southeastern Conference Championships, won SEC Coach of the Year three times and guided the Gators to four NCAA regional tournaments.

During his quarter-century career at Florida, Fuller went 67-31-1 against the Bulldogs. He marked the beginning of the Gators reign over the Bulldogs, which has continued under current UF head coach Kevin O’Sullivan, who boasts a 28-16 record against UGA. Notable Games

Despite having faced each other 310 times in history, the Bulldogs and Gators have never faced one another in a conference championship or an NCAA tournament.

The most significant matchup between the two teams occurred on May 28, 2011, in the quarter-final round of the SEC Tournament. Florida needed to win one game against Georgia to reach the championship round and lost 4-3 to the Bulldogs, which set up a win-or-go-home matchup between the two.

UGA broke onto the scoreboard first and earned a run in each of the first two innings. Florida right fielder Nolan Fontana responded an inning later and hit a two-run home run to even the score at two runs apiece.

Neither side managed to gain any momentum until the Gators opened the top of the ninth inning with a double by utility player Vickash Ramjit. Ramjit advanced to third on a bunt and was driven home by Fontana, who ran out a fielder’s choice at first.

Florida won 3-2 and defeated the Vanderbilt Commodores in the SEC Tournament championship round 5-0.

Notable players in the MLB

Florida has produced 81 MLB players across the history of its program. Under O’Sullivan, 29 players have made their MLB debuts and 99 have heard their names called on draft day.

Mets first baseman Pete Alonso is arguably the most successful former Gator in the MLB. Alonso played at Florida from 2014 to 2016 and got drafted in the second round of the 2016 MLB Draft.

He hit 53 home runs his rookie season and was named Rookie of the Year in his first season with the Mets. Alonso is a two-time MLB Home Run Derby Champion and has been named an All-Star three times in his five-year career.

Johnny Burnett is a name seldom referenced when discussing former Gator MLB players, but he holds one of the most significant records in baseball history. Burnett is known for achieving nine hits in a single game on July 10, 1932, an MLB record which stands to this day.

David Ross is the current manager of the Chicago Cubs and had a 15-year career in the MLB after he wrapped

up his collegiate career with Florida. He won an MLB Championship with the Boston Red Sox in 2013 and with the Cubs in 2016, which broke the longest championship drought in American professional sports history.

Georgia has produced 49 MLB players across the history of its program, and 23 Bulldogs have been drafted in the last five seasons. There are three currently signed to MLB rosters.

Former New York Yankees pitcher Spud Chandler is easily the most successful Georgia player to step foot on an MLB field. Chandler played for the Yankees from 1937 to 1947 and is a six-time World Series champion. His success is often overshadowed by Hall of Fame teammates Joe DiMaggio and Lou Gehrig.

Alex Wood is a former Georgia pitcher who was selected in the second round of the 2012 MLB Draft. Wood boasts a 3.74 earned run average across his career and has a 76-65 record on the mound. He currently plays for the San Francisco Giants.

Emerson Hancock pitched three seasons with the Bulldogs before being selected No. 6 overall by the Seattle Mariners in the 2020 MLB Draft. Hancock made his MLB debut Aug. 6 against the San Diego Padres and pitched five innings and surrendered just three hits and one run. He made three starts before being put on the 60-day injured list, which ended his season.

Contact Luke Adragna at ladragna@alligator.org.

Follow him on Twitter @lukeadrag.

8 RIVALRY EDITION SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2023

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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2023 RIVALRY EDITION 9

Napier’s connections to the Peach state FLORIDA HEAD COACH BILLY NAPIER WAS ONE OF FOUR KIDS GROWING UP IN NORTHERN GEORGIA

By Brandon Hernandez Alligator Sports Writer

On any given Saturday at 3:30 p.m. in 1990s Chatsworth, Georgia, Kurt Napier and his family would gather around the TV to watch Southeastern Conference teams duke it out on CBS. To them, football was tradition. The SEC in some parts of their northern Georgia town was religious.

No one would’ve imagined that on that same television, 30 years from those moments, someone in the family would have an impact on what they saw on Saturdays.

However, Kurt’s older brother Billy Napier, who grew up with him and their brother Matt and sister Whitney, not only progressed as a coach to have his hands in the SEC but is now in his second year as the head coach for the Florida Gators football team.

“It’s incredible,” Kurt said. “It’s definitely one of those things that’s surreal. It’s really cool, you can’t put it into words.”

Napier never attended the Florida, Georgia rivalry game prior to joining UF as head coach, but his connections to the Peach State are strong. Not only from his family in UGA territory, but also professionally with current Georgia head coach Kirby Smart.

The Napier siblings were raised by Bill and Pam Napier.

Bill, a high school football coach, immersed himself and his family in the sport by having it year-round.

Billy was a quarterback for Murray County High School. In 1998, he graduated from Murray County and went on to play college football at Furman.

The Paladins quarterback won two Southern Conference titles and was named a four-year letter winner.

While in college, Billy aided his younger brother Kurt as he took the reins at Murray State. The older brother of six years tested Kurt in everything football to keep him sharp on the field, Kurt said. Even when Kurt went on to college.

“He would always challenge me to be to know every possible defensive front, know what kind of coverages you’re looking at as I was going into my early college days at quarterback,” Kurt said.

Kurt still sees these traits today when watching his brother on Saturdays work with Florida redshirt junior quarterback Graham Mertz.

“Mertz’s development, first year as a quarterback transferring to a new offense, I know Billy’s probably been pushing him hard to get there to get on top of his game,” he said.

Nowadays, the two retired from their playing careers and moved on to coaching. Napier with the Gators, and now Kurt coaching Murray County High School’s football program.

A head coaching job in football makes things difficult when it comes to planning family get-togethers. The Napier boys are all head football coaches but still try to visit one another if possible.

Usually, during summer family vacations along 30A near the Gulf Coast of Florida or during the dead weeks of the football season with no action on the field, they’ll come together to mingle and talk ball like their father before them.

Being coaches and former quarterbacks, the brothers talk a lot on the offensive side of the game. Some plays they draw

up together even make their way into their games, Kurt said.

“I saw a few concepts that we run at my high school that they ran against South Carolina this past week,” Kurt said.

“Like the spacing concept in the passing game. It’s neat, and he’ll call me on his way home from work occasionally, usually in the late evenings.”

The Napier family’s SEC roots run deep through the southeastern United States. Billy’s father’s family comes from Tennessee, and his mother is from Huntsville, Alabama.

Growing up, the Napier family would always be told by their mother to root for the Alabama Crimson Tide, Kurt said.

“There’s probably pictures, hate to say it, but with Billy in Alabama gear,” Kurt said.

Napier’s mother wouldn’t be the only reason he would wear Crimson Tide later in his life.

After stints as an assistant coach and offensive coordinator at Clemson and a quarterback coach at Colorado State, Billy transitioned for the first time in his career to the SEC as an analyst and assistant coach with Alabama in 2011 and from 2013 to 2017.

During his tenure, he worked as the wide receivers coach, aiding future NFL first-round draft picks like Amari Cooper, Jerry Juedy, Calvin Ridley and others toward national championships.

Working alongside him on the same practice field was then-Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart.

Smart, who has now been Georgia’s head coach since 2015, worked with Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban

toward four national championships before he left for UGA. Napier credits Smart for getting him his first job in the conference.

“Heck, [I] wouldn’t be standing here today without Kirby,” Billy said last season. “We didn’t know each other extensively, but because of our dads being coaches, seeing each other on the road, I mean, heck, I was 29 or something like that.”

For the second time in both of their SEC head coaching careers, Napier and Smart will match up against one another for the annual Florida-Georgia game at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville Oct. 28.

Last year the No. 1 Bulldogs took the Gators down in lopsided fashion with a 42-20 performance.

This time around, the Gators hope for a different outcome in the 101st edition of this rivalry. Napier and UF prepare for this game with time as they progress in practice through the bye week.

Despite being surrounded by UGA and Georgia Tech fans out in Northern Georgia, the Napier family will be in attendance, including Whitney and her husband, who are both Georgia graduates.

No matter whichever SEC connection they have; Alabama, Tennessee, or Georgia, one thing is for certain. The Napier family will come together at the greatest cocktail party south of the Florida-Georgia line.

“There’s a lot of connection to [UGA] as well, but I know how Billy is,” Kurt said. “My mom is sitting in our section — the Florida section — for that game decked out in orange and blue and cheering for the Gators.”

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

Rae Riiska // Alligator Staff

Florida head coach Billy Napier greeting fans during Gator Walk Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022.

10 RIVALRY EDITION SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2023

Gators transfers make immediate impact

From Graham Mertz to Jalen Kimber, transfers have helped on both ends of the ball

Ryan Friedenberg // Alligator Staff

Redshirt freshman defensive lineman Caleb Banks and redshirt sophomore linebacker Scooby Williams celebrate after a play in the Gators’ 49-7 win against the McNeese State Cowboys on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023.

Ashley Hicks // Alligator Staff

Redshirt junior cornerback Jalen Kimber celebrates a defensive stop in the Gators’ 49-7 win against the McNeese State Cowboys on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023.

Ashley Hicks // Alligator Staff

Redshirt senior linebacker Teradja Mitchell makes a tackle in the Gators’ 38-14 win against the Vanderbilt Commodores on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023.

Ryan Friedenberg // Alligator Staff

Redshirt junior quarterback Graham Mertz throws the ball in the Gators’ 49-7 win against the McNeese State Cowboys on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2023 RIVALRY EDITION 11

Gators vs. Bulldogs: Hypothetically, who would win?

The English bulldog and the American alligator are from two different environments

By Brandon Hernandez Alligator Sports Writer

Two historic programs in college football will meet once again along the Saint Johns River at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Oct. 28. The Florida Gators and the No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs have been playing this cross-state football rivalry game for more than 100 years.

Whenever these two teams play one another in any sport, it always becomes a must-see for the two respected fan bases.

However, what if it wasn’t the Gators against the Bulldogs? What if it was a gator against a bulldog?

As mascot battles are a common argument in the Southeastern Conference based on looks, we never talk about what they might look like on the field, court or out on the diamond. If you ever wondered about this going into gameday this article is for you.

Before we jump into the specifics of each sport, I must address what the matchup will be.

For the bulldog, we’ll refer to it as Georgia’s current mascot UGA X; a wrinkled, squatted-down English bulldog with bundles of personality.

For the gator, we’ll use the average American male alligator.

Weighing in at nearly half a ton, 11.2 feet long and with a heavy diet of anything alive and small, the gator will be called “Albert.”

Volleyball: bulldog

Volleyball is a game where six players are separated by a net, and the goal for each side is to ground the ball onto their opponent’s court. Now you may be wondering how an alligator or bulldog executes an underhand serve. Well, they don’t.

Instead, Albert will use his tail as if he’s defending himself from enemies to bat the ball over the net. This will be the only thing Albert can do as he is unable to

spike or hit the ball. UGA X, on the other hand, is capable of doing this by jumping vertically into the air to receive the serve and loft it over the net.

The team of English bulldogs would win in sweeping fashion through three sets unless the American alligators were able to get 75 aces consecutively.

Swimming and diving: alligator

This should be a quick one.

The average American male alligator can swim up to 20 mph, according to Fauna Facts. No human breaststroke can even match the capabilities of Albert in the water. Diving would be another story. The alligator would probably win in a Carnival Cruise Line belly-flop contest, though.

UGA X most likely is fighting for his life. The unathletic dog breed will paddle his stubby legs until exhaustion takes over and it would need to leave the pool with the help of a lifeguard.

Tennis: alligator

Knowing an alligator can use his tail for a backhand swing, Albert can pierce the ball at any angle on the court with ferocious speed. UGA X will be competitive at first, fetching the ball around in a frenzy, but then tucker out on the court due to his difficulties with breathing. By the second set, Albert would be serving to a sleeping dog.

Track and field: bulldog

The English bulldog is not built for long distance events. Its short legs and breath wouldn’t allow itself to break 400m without a water break. An American alligator can run a consistent speed of 11 mph for about 100 feet. However, gators are considered to be pretty lazy creatures and often won’t exert more energy than needed, according to Surf Research.

So realistically, none of the animals would finish a race more

than 1600m and be disqualified for taking too long. Short-distance races are the best time to see them in action.

A healthy English bulldog in suitable conditions can hit top speeds of 17 mph, according to the American Kennel Association.

The fastest English bulldog ever recorded by the AKC reached 24.11 mph.

That means UGA X with these numbers is hypothetically faster than Albert. The English bulldog would take points in relays, short distance and be competitive in long distance with the American alligator.

Albert only has the field events to rely on.

Soccer: bulldog

Neither animal is capable of kicking a ball. This would mean that the only movement possible on offense would be based on who can roll the ball efficiently from one end of the pitch to the other.

The English bulldog is a house pet with experience dealing with balls such as tennis balls, footballs and soccer balls. With the advantage of experience, UGA X hypothetically is more comfortable controlling the ball and not popping it on his way to the net.

Albert would most likely be less coordinated and try to devour the ball.

score goals in the game of lacrosse.

Gymnastics: alligator

An American alligator can jump up to six feet vertically in the air straight out of the water and onto land, according to Untamed Animals. With this power and ability to land horizontally after jumping such a height means Albert can get on a balance beam, which is 4.1 feet above the ground.

UGA X can only clear three feet and never make it onto the beam.

In the floor event, the American alligator and English bulldog can do a lot of similar stunts to impress the judges. Rolls, flips and twirls would be the main course of their routine. However, the Death Roll of the American Alligator is lethal to all opponents and in this case, would be a spectacle to see in person.

Softball and Baseball: bulldog

Lacrosse: bulldog

Similar to lacrosse, the American alligator would most likely break more bats than hits in a game. The English Bulldog, in contrast, can swing a bat in his mouth, run at top speeds straight along the diamond and defensively can catch fly balls in the outfield better than an average American alligator.

Albert stands no chance either on the mound. American alligators can’t throw baseballs with their mouths, while a dog is able to move a ball by rolling it with their nose.

An American alligator’s bite force is one of the strongest in the animal kingdom. With more than 2,000 pounds per square inch, Albert can snap just about anything in half — including a lacrosse stick.

UGA X, on the other hand, is capable of holding on a lacrosse stick with his mouth and keeping the ball in the pocket of the stick.

Albert has no chance of scoring any points and would have to rely on his defense to win.

Unfortunately, defense doesn’t

Have you seen Air Bud recently?

Like the golden retriever in the movie, dogs can surprisingly shoot the basketball with accuracy with the help of their owners. This gives UGA X an advantage as his team of English bulldogs can bite onto the basketball, toss it into the air and alley-oop it to one another until they score a basket.

Of course, this may not be the

Basketball: bulldog

most efficient shooting form, but it’ll get the job done in terms of ball movement and getting shots up on the floor.

Albert, the American alligator, rarely jumps vertically toward prey. Gators are more commonly lunging at their opponents, meaning that Albert might commit an offensive foul more often than former New York Knicks forward Charles Oakley does in a game.

The final score would not be pretty. Bulldogs by 20.

Football: alligator

The American alligator has tough, scaly skin that can cause difficulty for any dog to grab a hold on to them as they run to the endzone. The English bulldog, with its experience of playing with balls in the house, probably knows more about how to secure the ball and is familiar with the game watching the TV every Sunday beside its owner and also participating in the Puppy Bowl.

The game itself would put the annual Army vs. Navy game to shame. Each side will rely heavily on their run scheme to score touchdowns. The only thing that can save them is defense.

For Albert, his skin and muscle mass compared to the UGA X gives him the advantage. Ideally, a gator can take down any form of bulldog. Hypothetically, let’s say the American alligator in question understands good sportsmanship and won’t attempt to eat UGA X. This means Albert is the only animal on the field that can tackle.

Meaning that there won’t be any fourth-down stands anytime for UGA X. The American alligator could possibly shut out the English bulldogs.

In terms of the actual human game Oct. 28? We will have to see.

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

12 RIVALRY EDITION SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2023