University of Georgia Athletics
Georgia Hits The Road To Face Rival Florida
October 24, 2006 | Football
GAME 9: Georgia (6-2, 3-2) vs. Florida (6-1, 4-1)October 28, 2006, 3:30 p.m., at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. (84,000) |
Georgia-Florida SeriesThe Georgia-Florida game features a 50/50 ticket split and is under contract in Jacksonville through 2010. The City of Jacksonville estimates the annual revenue generated by the game is between $25-30 million. The series moved on campus for two years (1994-95) while the Gator Bowl transformed into Alltel Stadium for the NFL’s Jaguars. Florida won both of those meetings. When Alltel first opened in August of 1995, capacity was listed as 73,000. Through the Jaguars’ good times and the playoffs, a total of 76,877 could fit in and in 2005 for Super Bowl XXXIX, the stadium filled to 78,125. Today, the capacity for an NFL game is 67,164. However for Georgia-Florida, temporary bleachers are brought in to the South End zone and 84,000 plus can view one of college football’s annual classics. An Alltel Stadium record crowd of 84,753 saw Georgia defeat Florida 31-24 in 2004. The Bulldogs hold a 46-36-2 edge in the series which dates back to 1904 including 39-33-1 in Jacksonville. From 1993-2003 and again last year, Florida had an open date prior to the Georgia game while the Bulldogs did not. The Gators went 11-1 in this stretch. In 2004, the Bulldogs had an open date prior to the game while the Gators did not, and Georgia won 31-24. Overall, Georgia is 3-2 coming off a bye week against the Gators while Florida is 13-4. The last four meetings have been decided by seven points or less, marking the first time that has happened since 1972-75. In these tight contests, Georgia is 15-16-2 including 1-3 of late. Costly TurnoversBefore the Tennessee game, Georgia’s seven turnovers on the season had resulted in just three points. However, opponents have turned Georgia’s last 10 turnovers into 45 points. The resulting scoring drives after those turnovers covered 8, 12, 19, 25, 36, 44 and 51 yards, respectively. Georgia is 10th in the SEC in Turnover Margin at -3 while Florida ranks seventh at -1. Georgia also had two punts blocked that resulted in 10 points in games against Ole Miss and Tennessee. In yardage allowed, the Bulldogs remain one of the best defensive units in the nation. Georgia is ranked second in the SEC and 12th nationally by allowing 267.4 yards per game. The group is third in the league with just 97.5 yards rushing per game. | Bulldog Bookends Applying PressureGeorgia’s defense, which ranks second in the SEC and 12th nationally in fewest yards allowed (267.4 yards/game), is led by a pair of veteran defensive ends in junior Charles Johnson and senior Quentin Moses. Last week, the duo had its best game with seven total tackles and three sacks. Moses has 23.5 sacks for his career, which ranks sixth all time. Former three-time All-America defensive end David Pollack holds the mark with 36 while Richard “Le Sack” Tardits is second with 29. Moses is the team leader with 17 quarterback pressures, and his two sacks last week against Mississippi State were his first since the season opener. Johnson is ranked first in the SEC and 10th nationally in tackles for loss with 12, including a team-high 4.5 sacks. Against Mississippi State, Johnson made a game-saving sack with :03 seconds on the clock, forcing and recovering a fumble. Stafford Under Center For BulldogsFreshman Matthew Stafford of Highland Park, Texas, will get his fourth career start at quarterback this week, having led Georgia to a 3-0 record in his previous starts. Last week, he became the first Georgia QB this season to start and finish a game. He was 20 of 32 for 267 yards with 2 TDs and 3 INTs. His 32 pass attemtps, he said, were the second-most he’s had in one game, going back to his Highland Park High School days. Here’s a look at how other true freshmen starting QBs fared in the Georgia-Florida Classic: Johnny Rauch - 1945 |
| University of Georgia | University of Florida |
