The Georgia Bulldogs travel to EverBank Field Saturday afternoon to face the Florida Gators in a huge SEC matchup. The Bulldogs will look to keep momentum rolling after beating Missouri, and they will look to add their sixth win of the season in Jacksonville Saturday. The Gators are trying to hold onto the top spot in the SEC East division, and a win against the Bulldogs will get them one step closer to a SEC Championship.
Both head coaches Mark Richt and Jim McElwain know what's at stake this Saturday, as a win for either team gets them one step closer to winning the SEC East division. The Bulldogs will replace starting quarterback Greyson Lambert with junior quarterback Faton Bauta this weekend.
Lambert struggled in the Bulldogs' last outing and only threw 178 yards with an interception. Lambert has some great numbers, but against tough competition, he has yet to prove himself. Richt likely felt it was time to make a change at quarterabck, and it will be interesting to watch how Bauta plays in his first career start.
The Bulldogs lost their star running back in Nick Chubb after he reportedly damaged multiple ligaments and cartilage in his knee earlier this season. Since Chubb's injury, sophomore running back Sony Michel has stepped up to be the lead back. Michel has rushed for 508 yards this season and is averaging 5.7 yards per carry. Richt will get the ball to Michel early, as their ground game will open up holes in the passing game for Bauta.
The Bulldogs aren't the only team in the SEC to lose a significant player this season, as the Gators lost their starting quarterback Will Grier after he was suspended for reportedly taking performance-enhancing drugs. Sophomore quarterback Treon Harris has filled in nicely as the starting quarterback, but he was unable to get a win against the LSU Tigers. Harris and the Gators are trying to shake off their only loss of the season, and McElwain will probably try to instill confidence in his sophomore quarterback. Against LSU, Harris passed for 271 yards and threw two touchdowns but failed to get the win.
The Gators have heavily relied on defense this season and are hold opposing teams to an average of just 17.2 points per game. The Gators defense is led by defensive back Vernon Hargreaves III. The junior defensive back is expected to be a first round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft and continually produces on the field. Hargreaves has 22 tackles this season and three interceptions, as well as a forced fumble. The Gators secondary will look to force Bauta to make tough decisions on Saturday, and the Gators defense could be the deciding factor.
Both teams know what's at stake this weekend, as they both know a win Saturday will put either of them in the top spot in the SEC East. The game starts at 3:30 p.m. Eastern time, and you can watch the live broadcast here. To listen to the Gators' radio broadcast, click here, and for the Bulldogs' radio broadcast, go here.