Florida Football: 4 Player Keys to Gators Victory Over Georgia

The annual "Cocktail Party" is set to kick off this weekend in Jacksonville, Florida.

The Florida-Georgia game is another game in the rich SEC tradition of college football rivalries. Both teams have known to get testy, and emotions are bound to run rampant this week, as the two teams are heading in opposite directions.

Florida has lost two in a row, while Georgia has reeled off five straight wins after starting 0-2. Florida historically has performed miserably in this rivalry, but they need these four players (among others) to step up this weekend.

4. Jeff Demps

Jeff Demps has been MIA since the Kentucky game. He's been hampered by injuries and tough matchups against LSU and Alabama. He sat out last weekend's game against Auburn to rest his injuries.

Gators fans hope Demps will be rested enough to return against one of Florida's biggest rivals.

In his final season as a Gator, Demps began the year with high hopes but has since fallen off the radar. Florida needs Demps to come back and provide that spark on offense that has been missing for weeks.

3. Chris Rainey

Speaking of final seasons, Chris Rainey is in his as well. Rainey and Demps were supposed to be a dangerous dual threat this year, but that has yet to come to fruition.

Rainey is the teams leading rusher, but like the Florida offense as a whole, he hasn't put up great numbers since the Kentucky game.

Most of it is likely going to be contributed to the shaky QB play and the matchup against 'Bama and LSU, but that meant the time for Rainey to step up would've been now.

If Rainey wants to make the most out of his final season in Gainesville, he'll need to step it up this week against Georgia.

2. Jaye Howard

One player who has not struggled the past two weeks is Jaye Howard. Florida's DT has compiled 14 tackles with five solo tackles in the Auburn game.

Howard will be key this week in stopping Isaiah Crowell and the Georgia rushing attack. Crowell isn't a game-changer, but stopping the run will allow Florida's D to focus on the real threat: Aaron Murray and the passing attack.

1. John Brantley

John Brantley is Florida's biggest key to success for this weekend.

Coach Muschamp has said Brantley will likely play this weekend, which is great news for Florida fans. The offense has spiraled out of control, only putting up 17 points in two games since Brantley's injury.

If Brantley can come back and pick up where he left off, the Gators can reopen all their playbook and look to move the ball down the field. The question on everyone's mind, however, is, if Brantley plays, will he be 100 percent?