Florida vs. Georgia: What Would a Win Mean for Mark Richt?

As Georgia prepares for their annual showdown in Jacksonville against rival Florida, there are more questions than answers surrounding the program, especially coach Mark Richt.

Georgia’s disappointing start to the season had many fans and media personnel questioning whether Richt was the right person to lead what has traditionally been one of the SEC’s top teams.

Georgia has rebounded well from its early losses, but there will be no consensus of the season until the game with Florida. A win would go a long way towards restoring faith in Mark Richt. A loss would start the doubting all over again.

Here are five ways in which a win on Saturday would boost Richt's resume and salvage Georgia's season.

Pacify Fanbase

It seems as if every year, fans are clamoring for Mark Richt’s job after the first few games of Georgia’s season. 

This year was no different as the Bulldogs began their 2011 campaign with two straight losses. The fact that those defeats were to Boise State, a Top-Five team, and South Carolina, the odds on favorite to win the SEC East, were of no consequence.

The stories about Richt being on the hot seat and that maybe this really would be his last year at Georgia began again with a vengeance.

Fortunately for the head coach and the crazed fans, Georgia responded to the two defeats by winning five straight games. After pulling their record up to 5-2 and 4-1 in the SEC, the fans have quieted down somewhat. 

It is clear that Georgia faces the toughest portion of the schedule (except for their first two games), starting this weekend against Florida. If the Bulldogs can begin this stretch with a win, the chatter about Richt’s job security will become even quieter.

Solid Win

After dropping the first two games of the season, Georgia has not played particularly tough opponents.

Tennessee, despite the rivalry between the two teams, is in a rebuilding year. Vanderbilt has surprised a lot of people, but is still not known for being a tough SEC football team.

Florida is a good team. Their record suffered because of the extended absence of senior quarterback John Brantley because of a sprained ankle. The Gators were 4-0 before losing to one of the best teams in the country in Alabama. During that game, they lost Brantley to injury and then proceeded to drop their next three games without him.

If Georgia can beat Florida with Brantley as their quarterback, the Bulldogs will have made a statement that the beginning of the season has been forgotten and that they will finish strong. 

SEC East Standings

With a win against Florida and a South Carolina loss to Tennessee, Georgia would be in first place atop the SEC East.

Georgia has not won a division championship in three years and especially after last season’s 6-7 debacle, Richt could use a division win to boost morale in Athens.

The Bulldogs caught a break when star South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore went down for the season with a torn ACL. South Carolina has had to deal with the benching and subsequent release of their starting quarterback and now an injury to their most important player.

Georgia should be able to capitalize on South Carolina losses and pull ahead to win the east division.

Complete Game from Offense and Aaron Murray

Despite winning five in a row, this Georgia team has not put together a complete game yet. Again, this is a cause for concern when it comes to Mark Richt. It seems that he has the talent, but cannot figure out the best way to utilize it.

The Bulldogs have struggled to put points on the board, too often settling for field goals instead of touchdowns. Their running game has been inconsistent as freshman running back Isaiah Crowell has had some great games and some very mediocre ones.

Most concerning, however, is the play of Aaron Murray. Last season, Murray was outstanding, completing over 60 percent of his passes and throwing 24 touchdowns with just eight interceptions. This season’s stats are not awful by any means. His completion percentage is slightly worse than 2010, but still over 60 and Murray has thrown for 16 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

However, the quarterback has been inconsistent. Most thought that after his breakout freshman season, he would be able to build on his success and become one of the top quarterbacks in the SEC, if not the country. Murray has played well in spurts, but has not put together a full game that would cause fans and his coach to breathe a sigh of relief.

A complete game from the offense, but especially Aaron Murray, would give Georgia fans and more importantly, the players, confidence for the end of this season and next. 

Rivalry Game

Georgia has lost three straight to Florida and 18 of the last 21 meetings. Rivalry games are hyped in locker rooms, on television and among the fans. Head coaches' careers can be cemented or ruined based on wins against certain teams. If Richt can finally deliver a win in Jacksonville, he will certainly be able to quiet doubters.

The game against Florida can be seen as a statement game for many reasons. Florida is a good team, Georgia's offense will have a chance to live up to its preseason hype and the team can get an emotional win.

The game will also prepare the Bulldogs for their season ending game against Georgia Tech. Georgia has a number of rivalries and the games are momentum changers for a whole season. Georgia and especially Mark Richt, could definitely use some momentum on their side.