Gators’ Van Jefferson Ready For Georgia

Nineteen points.

That’s all that separated the Florida Gators from a victory against their arch-rival, the Georgia Bulldogs, last season.

Previous Meetings

However, nineteen points is nothing when compared with Florida’s 35-point loss to Georgia two years prior. In fact, the last time either team won the annual game in Jacksonville by less than double-digit points was when the Bulldogs won 23-20 in 2013.

Having lost the previous two matchups, Florida enters its next meeting with Georgia on Saturday, Nov. 2, with their sights set on a season-defining victory.

Wide receiver Van Jefferson experienced the rivalry last season for the first time after transferring from Ole Miss prior to the season. He expects improvements from last year’s 36-17 defeat.

Despite the loss, Jefferson acknowledged that the game was a necessary kick in the butt to the Gators’ season.

This Season

As for this season’s matchup, Jefferson is optimistic that Florida can pull out the team’s first win over Georgia since 2016, even though the Bulldogs are ranked eighth in the country.

One of the reasons behind Jefferson’s optimism is the return of athlete Kadarius Toney. Toney has been recovering from a shoulder injury that he suffered against Tennessee-Martin on Sep. 7, so he has not seen much action this season.

However, Toney’s performances last season and in the Miami game suggest Toney will be a difference-maker for the Florida offense. After what he’s seen in practice from Toney, Jefferson agrees that Toney will be a huge addition for the Gators.

Implications

If Florida beats Georgia, they could have a straight shot to the SEC Championship on Dec. 7.

How can the #Gators reach the SEC Championship? There's a couple paths they can take…

(Another cool thing I had to make for my class today #RTV2100) pic.twitter.com/13QNRlIEMG

— Zach Cohen (@ZachCohenFB) October 25, 2019

A loss could spell trouble for the Gators, as they would need some help from other teams if they were to reach the conference championship.

Georgia’s lone loss this season was to an unranked South Carolina team led by former Florida head coach Will Muschamp. As for Florida, they fell to No. 5 LSU, who have since claimed the top spot in the AP Top 25.

How to Watch

To see if Jefferson, Toney and the No. 6 Gators can defeat the No. 8 Bulldogs, tune into CBS on Saturday, Nov. 2 at 3:30 p.m.