The location change for the first time in more than three decades for Georgia football’s annual game with rival Florida coincides with another added wrinkle for the matchup.

It will feature ranked opponents for the first time since 2020.

The No. 3 Bulldogs face a No. 20 Gators team at Mercedes-Benz Stadium Saturday in Atlanta.

The game is being played outside of Jacksonville for the first time since 1995 due to stadium construction.

First-year coach Jon Sumrall’s Florida team smashed Ole Miss 52-28 to go to 4-0 before getting trounced by Missouri and South Carolina and then snagging another top 10 win at Texas.

“Coach Sumrall's done a great job putting a lot of energy into the program, a lot of physicality in the program,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. “They play really hard. When you turn on the tape, you see the physicality they play with on both sides of the ball.”

Smart is 8-2 against Florida but 2-2 against ranked Florida teams, with the losses in 2016 and 2020.

Georgia and Florida was a top 10 matchup for three straight years from 2018-2020 when Dan Mullen was Gators coach.

Georgia (6-1, 4-1 SEC) is a half game behind first place Kentucky in the SEC standings and is coming off a 27-24 upset to unranked Auburn.

“The message is just always never harp on one game or the past,” Georgia linebacker Raylen Wilson said. “Just to learn from it and not to make the same mistakes.”

Florida (5-2, 3-2 SEC) is 2-1 on the road this season.

Sumrall isn’t viewing this game exactly as a neutral site.

“We have to travel further so, yeah, it's more road-ish,” he said. “It's in Atlanta. This is my first experience around this game. I know it's traditionally in Jacksonville. I think you have to know that Atlanta is not necessarily our backyard, right? But the 50-50 thing is a unique deal that I think is exciting for our guys because you're in kind of a different environment than a normal SEC game, which is fun."

Georgia vs. Florida predictions

Georgia is back in its home away from home.

The Bulldogs are 9-5 in Mercedes Benz Stadium including 8-1 against everyone except Alabama.

Smart has coached 9.7% of his games in the venue.

“It don’t matter where it is,” Florida linebacker Myles Graham said. “We’re excited to play this game. It can be in the parking lot, we’re going to be ready to play.”

Florida hasn’t played in the home of the Atlanta Falcons since the 2020 SEC championship game, but the Gators have several Georgia Tech transfers who have: wide receivers Eric Singleton and Bailey Stockton, tight end Luke Harpring and quarterback Aaron Philo (who won a state title there in 2023 with Prince Avenue Christian).

The game matches two of the SEC’s highest scoring teams.

Georgia is third nationally at 43 points per game and Florida is ninth at 39.6, way up from 21.6 last season.

The Bulldogs have scored 20 and 24 the last two games and the Gators 17, 19 and 27 the last three.

“When you play them, the one thing you have to do is be efficient in all facets of the game because they’re going to be efficient,” Florida offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner said. “That’s what they strive to be.”

Both teams are coming off an open date on its schedule.

Georgia spent practice time working on limiting turnovers and tackling better.

“How do we not turn the ball over? How do we stay away from dumb penalties? How do we tackle better?,” Smart said. “How do we get more turnovers, so that our turnovers are less glaring? Because if you get three and give three, you're net zero, and you're a lot better off.”

Georgia vs. Florida scouting report

Why Georgia has an advantage: Missouri, South Carolina and Auburn have all scored 38 or more points against Florida. Georgia will take aim at a Gators defense that ranks second to last in the SEC in passing yards allowed at 255 per game. The Bulldogs are explosive in the passing game to make plays downfield .

Why Florida has an advantage: Jadan Baugh is a workhorse running back who will go up against a Georgia defense that gave up 161 rushing yards to Alabama and 192 to Auburn but still ranks 10th in the nation in run defense. Baugh rushed for 136 or more yards in each of his first four games but was held to 13 by Missouri and 59 by South Carolina before rushing for 91 in the win at Texas.

Georgia vs. Florida injury updates

Georgia: Wide receiver Isiah Canion (lower extremity, questionable), running back Chauncey Bowens (lower body, questionable), safety KJ Bolden (leg, questionable), wide receiver Thomas Blackshear (collarbone, out), defensive back Tyriq Green (leg, out), RB Dante Dowdell (multiple injuries including collarbone, lung and arm, out), outside linebacker Amaris Williams (knee, out).

Florida: Quarterback Aaron Philo (shoulder, questionable), quarterback Tramell Jones (undisclosed, questionable), RB Duke Clark (foot, questionable), wide receiver Bailey Stockton (foot, doubtful), wide receiver Vernell Brown (knee, probable), LB Jaden Robinson (undisclosed, doubtful).

Prediction

Georgia 34, Florida 24: The Bulldogs haven't had back-to-back regular seasons losses since Kirby Smart's first season in 2016 and that won't change. Buster Faulkner has put a charge into Florida's offense and beaten top 10 teams with quarterback Aaron Philo and Tramell Jones Jr, but Florida is allowing nearly 35 points a game against SEC foes. Georgia's offense and Gunner Stockton minimize turnovers and get the win.

Georgia vs. Florida scouting report: What we're watching

Florida's QBs: Does Florida go back to Aaron Philo from Prince Avenue as starter after Tramell Jones Jr. made plays with his arm and feet in a combeack road win at Texas? Both are listed as questionable on the SEC injury report. Jones passed for 155 yards and 2 touchdowns and rushed for 41 yards against the Longhorns and would face a Georgia defense that gave up 115 rushing yards to Auburn QB Byrum Brown. "It won’t change for us," linebacker Raylen Wilson said. "The plan is the same with whoever plays.”

Gunner Stockton: How will the Georgia quarterback bounce back after his two interception, one fumble game in the upset loss to Auburn? Stockton came out of the game early for three snaps when observers wondered if he was concussed and played through a shoulder stinger. The fifth-year senior was 20 of 29 for 223 yards with 2 touchdowns and an interception in a 24-20 win over Florida last year.

Glenn Schumann and Kirby Smart vs. Buster Faulkner: Georgia Tech's offense with Haynes King at quarterback stayed within striking distance in one score games against Georgia three times with Buster Faulkner as coordinator including the 44-42 eight overtime game in 2024. The former Georgia offensive analyst is still looking for his first win against the Bulldogs.

Who wins in the red zone?: Florida ranks 13th in the nation in touchdown percentage in the red zone at 75.7%. Georgia is 125th in stopping opponents from scoring touchdowns in the red zone at 73.3%. The good news for the Bulldogs that it's not allowing teams to get in the red zone often with just 15 trips in seven games. That's tied for fourth fewest, according to cfbstats.com.

Bold predictions for Georgia football vs Florida

Florida will hit big plays against Georgia: Big-play wide receiver Vernell Brown is in line to return after missing three games with a knee injury to add to a receiving corps that includes Dallas Wilson, Bailey Stockton and Eric Singleton. Brown has 17 catches for 271 yards and 2 touchdowns. He had 3 catches for 30 or more yards in four games. “He can take 5 yard catches and turn them into 15, 20 yard gains," Faulkner said.

Nate Frazier will look more like himself: Nate Frazier returned after battling a ribs injury against Auburn but was held to 19 yards rushing on 9 carries. Florida ranks ninth in SEC games against the run, allowing 133.8 yards per game. Two weeks since Georgia's last game should benefit Frazier.

Georgia wins matchups outside in passing game: Georgia wide receivers Craig Dandridge and Talyn Taylor have made plays downfield and can win vertically against Florida cornerback Cormani McClain and a secondary that includes safety Bryce Thornton.

Bulldogs clean up costly penalties: Georgia had killer personal foul penalties against Auburn. Look for the Bulldogs defense to keep hitting but be smarter when a shot can draw a 15-yard penalty. The Gators are the team that have had more penalty problems this season. They rank last in the SEC in penalty yards per game with 76.

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Georgia football vs Florida scouting report, bold predictions, injury updates

Source: Yahoo Sports