Georgia vs. Florida- Why Georgia Won't Be Celebrating 11/1/08

We all remember the play like it just happened.

Georgia QB Matthew Stafford hands the ball off to star RB Knowshon Moreno near the Florida goal line, and he jumps into the end zone for the score.

What happened next was a serious hand-smack to the Gators that would make a pimp jealous.

Suddenly, the whole Georgia team runs onto the field and begins celebrating in the Gators end zone, and star DE Derrick Harvey and his Gators teammates could do nothing but stare in anguish.

Cameras flash to Gators coach Urban Meyer, my favorite coach I might add, and he doesn't look the least enthused. Neither did Georgia coach Mark Richt once he saw that he'd made a immature mistake.

Even freshman T Trinton Sturdivant got into the act, dancing like he was auditioning for "Dancing With the Stars." It was quite an embarrassment for Florida, and Georgia too.

Mark Richt issued an apology to the Gators, but the damage was done. What started as a thing to get the momentum going in Georgia's favor ended as an offensive gesture that would get Urban Meyer's blood boiling past 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

Georgia went on to win the game 42-30, and the stage was set for a dynamite meeting between these two teams for 2008.

Enter last week, when Urban Meyer announced his plans to release his book titled, "Urban's Way."

Although he didn't elaborate far on the issue last season, he made it clear how he felt about Georgia's excessive National Championship-like celebration last year.

In Urban's words, he said, "That wasn't right. It was a bad deal," and that, "It will forever be in the mind of Urban Meyer and in the mind of our football team... So we'll handle it. And it's going to be a big deal."

Whoa, nellie!

Mr. Meyer is one upset Gator, and I'm sure his football team feels exactly the same way. Talk about chalk-board material, as if the Gators needed more of that.

So it will be a showdown this November in the SEC, and I'll be salivating on that faithful day.

And so will Tim Tebow and his Heisman talents.

Let's break down the positions of Quarterback, Running Back, Wide Receiver, and Overall Defense to show why the Gators will be the ones celebrating this season, and yes Urban it will be a big deal.

Quarterback- Tim Tebow vs. Matthew Stafford

Mr. All-College America Tim Tebow wins this match-up, and he has a Heisman Trophy in his room to explain just why, but I'll elaborate anyway.

Matt Stafford is no slouch, and his 2523 passing yards and 19 touchdowns as a sophomore solidifies that. He will be even better this season, and with another year under his belt and RB Knowshon Moreno, he may throw for 3000 yards and 28 touchdowns this season.

However, Tebow had one of the most successful seasons in recent memory, passing for 3286 yards and 32 touchdowns, to only 6 interceptions. Not to mention, he won the Heisman Trophy as a Sophomore, setting a new precedent. The kid can also run the ball when the pocket breaks down, as he ran for nearly 900 yards last season.

 Tebow is basically a better Michael Vick at this point, and he's downright scary.

Advantage: Florida

Running Back- Knowshon Moreno vs. Percy Harvin

After watching Knowshon Moreno last season blow up against Vanderbilt, I said to myself, "this kid is the man." That Moreno was, racking up 1334 yards off of 248 carries and scoring 14 touchdowns.

Did I mention that he did this as a freshman? A FROSH? yes, a frosh.

Moreno could be the second straight sophomore to win the Heisman this season, as he has the chance to run for 1500 yards and score 20 touchdowns. He clearly has the edge over Harvin, but when you throw in Tebow's running ability, it kind of evens this one out. Percy ran for 764 yards in 11 games last year on just 83 carries to qualify for second on the team rushing to Tebow.

His speed and agility make him very slippery for defenders, and with Tebow's running ability that defense has too much to worry about.

This one's even.

No Clear Advantage

Wide Receivers

The wide receiver position is hard to gauge in this match-up.

Florida has Percy Harvin returning, their speedster who runs trick and option plays, but also plays wide receiver. Andre Caldwell was second in receiving last year, but he is gone.

Cornelius Ingram will probably be the replacement to Caldwell, as he had a great season last year and will be improved as a primary target.

Florida has one of the top recruited wide receivers in college football, Nu'Keese Richardson. He is small and quick, similar to Percy Harvin. If he can develop quickly like Harvin did, and senior Riley Cooper can step up and improve on his 182 yard, 3 touchdown season last year, the Gators will be fine at WR.

Georgia's receiving attack will start with the senior Mohamed Massaquoi and Tony Wilson.

The departed Sean Bailey caught 39 balls for 615 yards and 5 touchdowns, and the Bulldogs hope Wilson can replace him. Massaquoi caught 32 for 491 and 4 touchdowns. With the experience Massaquoi has, he'll be sure to improve on those numbers this season, and with Michael Moore and TE Tripp Chandler, Georgia should have weapons aplenty for Matthew Stafford.

I give a small edge to the Bulldogs.

Advantage: Georgia

Defense

Last season's match-up didn't feature much defense, as the teams put up 72 points together.

Florida didn't stop a lot of teams, as they gave up 41 points to Michigan in the Florida Citrus Bowl.

In fact, the Gators gave up 31 points to Troy, 37 points to Kentucky, 31 to South Carolina and 20 to Florida Atlantic. Despite that, the Gators finished 9-4 because they had such a prolific offense. That won't change much this season. With the departure of Derrick Harvey and loss of S Dorian Munroe, the Gators may find themselves in a lot of dogfights.

Georgia faithful are excited about their Bulldogs, and for good reason. The defense gave up over 30 only three times, including games to SEC powerhouses Tennessee and Florida. Other than the fact Georgia gave up more points to Troy than Florida, the Bulldogs held Hawaii to 10 points in the Sugar Bowl.

Hawaii may have been overrated, but the Bulldogs made them look like an AAU or Division III team. CB Asher Allen will be very good to watch this year as the leader of that secondary. DT Jeff Owens will also be a player to watch for Georgia. Florida may have lost too many keys on defense, and Major Wright will not be enough to make the Gators a top-flight defense.

I hand the advantage to Georgia.

Advantage: Georgia

Intangibles- Florida Offense and Anger From Last Season vs. Georgia Solidarity and Fallout From Last Year's Game

This game will be good. Have I said that already? Well if not, I'll say it again. This will be good television, and cause for a November 1st Tailgate at the 'ole apartment with the guys.

Making Urban Meyer angry was a bad move by Mark Richt, and he knows it. That's why he again is apologetic and acting as if he didn't know that his players actions after that TD on that Saturday afternoon weren't going to set the Gators off.

With that said, the extra motivation is all the Boys from the Swamp needed to swiftly kick Georgia where it doesn't rain.

Although the Bulldogs are more balanced on both sides of the ball, the Gators are too much on offense and Tebow will burn this team to shreds. The score will be close, something like 38-34, but I like the Gators chances, and at the end of that Saturday afternoon I believe they will be celebrating.

Freedom at last Urban, freedom at last. And a SEC upset, too.

As Fall Out Boy said in the song, "Saturday", "I can't sleep in the wake of Saturday." Well Pete Wentz, neither can Urban Meyer.