Rayshad Jackson called it a distraction.
Josh Hammond referred to it as mental confusion.
And Feleipe Franks could only vaguely recall the flurry of controversial events that led to last year’s Florida-Georgia matchup.
But with far fewer distractions and much more preparation, the No. 9 Gators need to excel in three areas to ensure a win over No. 7 Georgia at TIAA Bank Stadium on Saturday.
Stay sound on defense
Nick Chubb and Sony Michel looked like track and field runners the way they sprinted over, past and between the Florida defenders a year ago. They easily ran up and down the field for a combined 214 yards when Georgia pounded the Gators 42-7 last season.
And even with the departure of their powerful one-two punch, the Bulldogs have another elite pair of running backs in Elijah Holyfield and D’Andre Swift, who will exploit even the tiniest hole the Gators leave open on the line.
Todd Grantham’s defense understands the challenge of containing a guy in Holyfield who can power through defenders for extra chunks of yardage and Swift, who’s just as explosive when he gets to the edge.
And there’s one thing Florida has pinpointed in game planning for the pair of tailbacks.
“Play assignment football,” defensive tackle Adam Shuler said. “We hold our gaps, they won’t be able to run up the middle, and we have more than enough pass rushers. So if we stop the run, then it’s over with.”
Being stout on defense won’t stop at closing the perimeter, though. The Gators will need to be disciplined in their tackling to eliminate those big plays, and they’ll need to make Georgia throw the ball.
Florida’s pass defense is ranked sixth in the nation and is headlined by defensive end Jachai Polite, who has a sack in each of his last five games and has combined with linebacker Vosean Joseph for 17 tackles for loss this season.
They’ll have to prepare for quarterback Jake Fromm, who can hit a bevy of receivers for big plays, and freshman Justin Fields, who has been an efficient tool in Georgia’s run game.
Win one-on-one matchups on offense
The Bulldogs gave up 275 yards on the ground (475 total) in their loss to LSU two weeks ago.
But they won’t be so forgiving on Saturday.
With a stout Georgia front seven aching for redemption, Florida’s receivers will need to get separation and win the one-on-one matchups down the field.
That’s where the Gators should find success in receivers like Freddie Swain and Van Jefferson.
Swain’s move into the slot has allowed him to be a deep threat, and Jefferson leads the team with 265 yards and four touchdown catches.
The passing game has worked best for the Gators when their receivers have been able to exploit opposing cornerbacks down the field.
Coach Dan Mullen told reporters that a focus of this week’s practice has been seeing if guys can make one-on-one plays.
Franks will need to keep the Bulldogs guessing by spreading the ball around the way he has all season.
Making those plays will be a particular focus for wideout Tyrie Cleveland on Saturday.
“Catch them on surprise,” Cleveland said. “Just come out there and just give it my all every play, just blocking, catching the ball, making plays. Either it’s special teams or offense.”
Match Georgia’s physicality
Winning those one-on-one matchups will mean that Florida establishes the toughness early in the game.
An already-physical Georgia team will look to set the tone immediately after getting out-toughed by LSU two weeks ago.
But the Gators will need to embrace each challenge Georgia presents to avoid being pushed around like they were by running back Benny Snell and the Kentucky Wildcats in their Week 2 loss.
Many of these Florida-Georgia battles have yielded lopsided wins in favor of the team that takes the momentum. But if Florida matches the mental, physical and emotional toughness of the Bulldogs for the whole sixty minutes, it’ll be the program that rides that momentum to a victory.
“This is why you want to come to Florida,” coach Dan Mullen said, “to be a part of this game and a part of these kind of rivalries and play on the biggest of stages.”
Follow Alanis Thames on Twitter @alanisthames or contact him at athames@alligator.org.
Former Georgia running backs Nick Chubb (pictured) and Sony Michel ran for a combined 214 yards in last season's Florida-Georgia game in Jacksonville.
