With Florida and Georgia set to meet this week, we look back at 2012’s classic battle between these SEC teams in our weekly Throwback Thursday column.
When Florida and Georgia get together each season, they always offer some great moments. This year both teams are ranked in the top 10, looking to battle for a spot in the SEC Championship Game. This similar scenario took place back in 2012. Both were ranked and produced one of the best games of the year and in this historic rivalry.
Will Muschamp entered his second season as the Gators’ head coach. Like Urban Meyer before him, Muschamp had goals of challenging Alabama for an SEC title and leading Florida to another national championship. The Gators began the year ranked No. 23 in the AP preseason poll. Florida shot up the rankings after starting 7-0 which included wins over ranked Tennessee, LSU and South Carolina. Heading into the battle against the rival Bulldogs, the Gators were ranked No. 3 in the country.
Before Mark Richt took his talents to south beach and Miami, he was trying to lead Georgia to a third SEC title under his reign. His Bulldogs looked like they were up for the challenge at the start. After coming into 2012 ranked No. 6 in the preseason poll, Georgia started 5-0. Unfortunately, a blowout loss to ranked South Carolina and a five-point win against unranked Kentucky dropped Richt’s team to No. 12 heading into Jacksonville to face Florida.
A young Todd Gurley opened the scoring for Georgia, but it would be the only points of the quarter in what turned into a slugfest. Two Caleb Sturgis field goals brought Florida to within one heading into halftime. With both teams having great defense and ball control offenses, a 7-6 game was not surprising. It would be more of the same in the second half.
The only points of the third quarter came on a Marshall Morgan field goal to put Georgia up 6-10 heading into the last quarter. It was still anyone’s game. Another field goal brought Florida back to within one, but Aaron Murray hit Malcolm Mitchell for a 45-yard touchdown. It appeared to be the last blow, but Florida still had a chance.
On the last drive with just over two minutes left and the ball inside the 20-yard line, Jeff Driskel completed a pass to Jordan Reed. Reed turned upfield and attempted to hurdle into the endzone, but Jarvis Jones knocked it out. Georgia recovered it in the endzone for a touchback and the game was over.
The loss was a huge blow for Florida’s SEC title hopes. Both teams finished 7-1 in conference play, but Georgia owned the tiebreaker due to their victory in this game. Therefore, Georgia faced Alabama in the title game where they lost 32-28.
Georgia would play No. 23 Nebraska in the Citrus Bowl where they won 45-31. The team finished tied for fifth in the final AP poll. Florida faced No. 22 Louisville in the Sugar Bowl, but lost 33-23. The Gators finished ranked ninth in the final AP poll.
With both teams ranked and looking to challenge Alabama in the SEC, this is a must-see game in college football this week. Will we see flashes of the 2012 game? The world will find out this Saturday.