Florida vs. Georgia: Will Muschamp Needs a Win over Georgia Bulldogs

Florida Gators head coach Will Muschamp needs to make his mark on the program. This weekend's rivalry game against the Georgia Bulldogs would be the perfect time to do it.

The world of college football can be an unfair one, but for a coach at one of the elite programs in the SEC, Muschamp has had to be on guard since day one. After starting the season with four straight wins, the Gators have lost to three straight Top 25 opponents and face a fourth in No. 22-ranked Georgia.

The Gators played in a bowl game last season with five losses, so another loss here may not be detrimental to such chances, but it may negative for Muschamp in the long run.

This program has not lost to the Bulldogs in the last three seasons, and it would be a shame if that run were to end in Muschamp's first season as head coach.

Without further ado, here are a couple reason why Will Muschamp and the Florida Gators need this win.

Get the Season Back on Track

There is no doubting the talent within the squad, and as mentioned, the team's progress has been halted because of injuries.

The Gators have lost three games in a row against Top 25-ranked opponents so far this season, and Georgia will be the fourth. Last season, the team encountered a very similar situation.

Three consecutive losses to Alabama, LSU and Mississippi State were followed by a bye week and then a game against Georgia.

Previous head coach Urban Meyer seemingly had Georgia in his pocket, and even after those losses the game was somewhat of a given.

Muschamp has the chance to follow a similar route and end the team's losing streak with a win over a major rival. Last season's team still suffered two more losses against ranked teams—South Carolina and FSU—but appeared in a bowl game.

In any case, coming into this game off a bye week may be a perfect chance to get the season back on track.

Continue Rivalry Dominance

Florida has definitely not been at its best this season, and injuries haven't helped the cause, but a win here would show who is still the boss in this rivalry.

Will Muschamp is not new to being a major component on the sidelines in a rivalry game—he participated in the Red River Rivalry quite a few times—so his experience will be a major bonus for him.

The Gators may go into the game as underdogs, but there is still enough talent on the team to get a win. Players like Chris Rainey have been around for Florida's previous wins in the annual game, and they should be able to lead the team into this clash with some bravado.

Continue SEC East Dominance

Okay, maybe dominance isn't really the right word, but the Gators have rarely lost to its fellow SEC East compatriots in the past few seasons. Only South Carolina—and of course, Georgia—have managed that feat on the odd occasion.

Florida's SEC record right now is currently 2-3, with those three losses having come from ranked SEC West opponents Alabama, LSU and Auburn.

The Bulldogs are the first SEC East team back on the schedule, with Vanderbilt and South Carolina to come. Although one cannot predict a certain win in any of these games (minus possibly Vanderbilt), the Gators could at least go even in the SEC and have a winning SEC East record with at least two wins in these last three games.

Bowl Appearance

This program has gotten used to the bowl scene in recent years, and there is no reason that that should change. However, every win or loss at this point in the season can impact a possible bowl appearance for the Gators.

While bowl appearances like the Outback Bowl may not be as lucrative as the major BCS bowls, the overall effect is still an important one.

It is clear that Florida's program is changing, and that can have an effect on possible recruits. This is not to say that all the talent will suddenly leave the Gators, but a lack of postseason play will not be a positive in a recruit's mind.

Will Muschamp's Credibility as Head Coach

Sometimes when a person goes from being a long-time assistant coach to being full-time head coach, the results are not always positive—Muschamp's offensive coordinator, Charlie Weis, can attest to that.

While the Georgia game is just one game in his first season as the new head coach, it is a major component of being a Florida head coach.

So far, Muschamp has shown his fiery attitude on occasion this season, but that alone cannot help the Gators win this game.

The Florida offense has been without quarterback John Brantley for some time now, and even with Jeff Demps coming back, they are still not at full strength.

Muschamp may be noted as a defensive mind, but he is still the coach that oversees everything—so he must be able to get some productivity from his offense.

Either that, or make sure his defense puts up its best performance of the season.

What Will Happen?

It is anyone's guess, really.

The Gators are underdogs, and that may just be what is needed to get them the edge in this game.

The players who have been around for some time are not used to that feeling going into the game, and they will make sure that they—and their teammates—play as hard as possible for the win.

Georgia is coming off the back of five straight wins, and its two losses were also to ranked opponents.

Anything can happen this Saturday in Jacksonville, and it will most likely be a close and exciting game.