Florida vs. Georgia: Former Gators react to disastrous loss to No. 1 Bulldogs in rivalry game

Football

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Image Credit: Georgia Athletics

Entering as a 14-point underdog to the No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs, it was not expected that the Florida Gators would shock the world and upset the nation’s top team. Also not expected was Florida being obliterated by Georgia with a late first-half implosion that completely took it out of the game before the final 30 minutes could even be played.

The Gators fell 34-7 to the Dawgs on Saturday in the 99th meeting of these SEC East rivals.

Florida fans had a level of excitement entering the game with redshirt freshman quarterback Anthony Richardson making his first career start, but that optimism was short lived. Richardson committed three turnovers in the final 2:35 of the first half, fumbling near the end zone, throwing a tipped-ball interception and adding insult to injury with a pick six on three consecutive series.

Georgia converted all three of those turnovers into touchdowns, turning a 3-0 lead to a 24-0 bludgeoning entering halftime. Florida never recovered even losing Richardson to an injury late in the third quarter with redshirt junior QB Emory Jones finishing out the game.

Jones did lead an 11-play, 89-yard touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter, scoring on his own from 2 yards out. All that did was continue Florida’s now-418 game scoring streak, which remains an NCAA record. It also prevented UF’s first shut out loss to UGA since 1982.

Let’s take a look at what a bunch of former Gators had to say while watching their alma mater get obliterated by the Dawgs on Saturday. Florida falls to 4-4 (2-4 SEC) on the season with losses in four of its last six games and an 8-7 record since its 2020 win over Georgia.