It was a brutal time for a bye week in Athens, Georgia, after the Bulldogs fell at home to the Auburn Tigers. This loss broke Georgia’s 53-game win streak over unranked opponents. Humility is truly one week away. Georgia wasn’t alone, as chaos ensued in college football. Five of the top seven teams lost for the first time in the history of the AP Poll. And BYU and Texas Tech went down this past Saturday.

However, it’s time to scratch the loss and prepare for another rivalry matchup. The Bulldogs and Florida Gators arrive in Atlanta for what is shaping up to be quite the interesting matchup.

A far inferior Florida team kept things close last season. It took Georgia all 60 minutes, taking a lead with less than five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Yet, this year, they have made waves under new head coach Jon Sumrall. Through the first four weeks of the season, the Gators were looking like one of the top teams in the SEC. They had a defiant win over then-ranked No. 4 Ole Miss.

Then, Florida suffered two brutal losses to Missouri and South Carolina. Before the bye week, they pulled one of the major upsets of the weekend, with a win over Texas on the road. The Gators are heating up, proving that they could defeat one of the most expensive rosters in college football.

Aaron Philo, the team’s starter for a majority of the season, was out against Texas, which provided an opportunity for Tramell Jones Jr. to get his first career start. He completed 22-of-35 pass attempts for 155 yards and two touchdowns. It’s still up in the air who will get the nod against the Bulldogs.

Georgia continues to be beat up. Chauncey Bowens and KJ Bolden were both seen on the sideline during the Auburn game. Bolden’s absence had a clear impact on the ball game and Byrum Brown’s ability to use his legs. Isiah Canion remained out. The Georgia Tech transfer receiver hasn’t seen the field since the Arkansas game.

The Bulldogs hold a 58-44-2 record against the Gators. The team is also seeking its sixth straight win over Florida. It’s been less than a year since Georgia played in Mercedes-Benz Stadium and over five years since the Gators were featured in the Atlanta stadium. Florida’s last matchup in the Benz was against Alabama in the 2020 SEC Championship Game.