Gameday: Florida vs. No. 2 Georgia (Saturday, 3:30 p.m.)

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Gator Nation has been talking about this for months The Month.

Welcome to November.

In most years, the open schedule leading up to it and the week-long hype surrounding the annual Florida-Georgia game would dictate the day(s), but Saturday's showdown between the Gators (4-3, 2-2) and No. 2 Bulldogs (6-1, 4-1) at EverBank Stadium, as big as it is for both teams, represents Coach's first hub – admittedly, a fast-whipping one – of a brutal five-game shovelwheel Billy Napier's squad.

(Read senior writer Scott Carter's comprehensive “Opening Kickoff” breakdown here)

With UF taking on a UGA team that has won 53 of its last 56 games, dating back to the Gators' last win in the series in 2020, the schedule includes an away date at No. 6 Texas and then back-to-back home games Games against No. 16 LSU and No. 18 Ole Miss, followed by the season-ending rivalry game at Florida State, where the Gators have won just once in 11 years.

Napier and his players, of course, are not looking beyond the Bulldogs' immediate and monumental challenge. UGA has won three straight in the series (none of them close, by an average margin of 24.0 points) and six of the previous seven dating to 2017. The impressive 53-3 record since UF's last win here (as Kyle Trask led the Gators). ' to a 44-28 victory) is marred only by three losses to Alabama, most recently a 41-34 shootout in Tuscaloosa on September 28, from which the Bulldogs have rattled off four straight wins, including a lopsided knockout of then- No. 1 Texas on the road two weeks ago.

Florida, meanwhile, has won three of four games since playing at home against two CFP contenders, Miami (Week 1) and Texas A&M (Week 3). The latter was the only undefeated team remaining in the Southeastern Conference, The Gators, despite the loss of their starting quarterback and sixth-year senior Graham Mertzhave looked much better in all three phases of the last four games, but the three teams they beat in those four games – Mississippi State, UCF and Kentucky – are a combined 7-19, while MSU and UK are 1-10 overall in league play.

Translation: The soft part of the schedule is over.

Translation II: Everyone will know at the end of this month whether Florida is really, really a better team than it was a month ago.

Maybe even until Saturday evening.

The Bulldogs' ranking isn't necessarily reflected in their conference stats, but that shouldn't fool anyone. Quarterback Carson Beck (1,993 yards, 15 TD, 8 INT) leads an offense that is ranked 41st^st nationally and eighth in the SEC with 427.9 yards per game and an average of 33.0 points (35th).^Th NCAA, 6^Th SEC). Excited UF fans point to UGA's struggles – and anxiety – in its 13-12 win at Kentucky, an opponent the Gators beat 48-20 two weeks ago in Gainesville.

Don't take too much of it with you.

These same fans will be looking for some sort of revenge for the Traitors' jam Trevor Etienne (82 attempts, 422 yards, 7 TD), who transferred from UF to Georgia and had a three-touchdown performance in the win at Texas.

Freshman quarterback from Florida DJ Lagway (1,024 yards, 5 TD, 5 INT) will get his first taste of the split-stadium rivalry, not to mention the wildest pass rush he's ever faced as a college student. Lagway completed just seven of 14 passes in his final game, but overwhelmed Kentucky with 259 yards — or 37.0 per completion — while targeting surging wideouts Elijhah badger (22 catches, 525 yards, 2 TD) and Chimere Dike (21, 420, 2). Of the 476 yards UF gained against the Wildcats, 197 came on the ground, including 105 yards and a school-record five touchdowns by a first-year tailback Jadan Baugh (259 yards), filling in for the injured senior starter Montreal Johnson Jr.and exceeded.

Defensively, the Gators have a rating of 73^approx in the country and second-to-last in the SEC (370.9 yards per game) with 65^Th in scoring (23.6 points per game), but over the last three games they have dropped those numbers to just 298.0 yards and 18.7 points.

However, it involves raising the level of competition in extremely challenging ways. As in the most demanding schedule in the country for next month.

Will it be an unforgettable November?

The direction of Florida's program likely depends on it.

Coverage begins at 3:30 p.m. on ABC, with the A's crew of Chris Fowler on play-by-play, Kirk Herbstreit on analysis and Holly Rowe on the sideline. The Gators Sports Network broadcast from Learfield will air with pregame coverage starting at 12:30 p.m., ultimately leaving Sean Kelley and Shane Matthews in the locker room while Tate Casey reports from the field. For GSN stations click here.

The game will be re-aired Tuesday at 2:30 a.m. and Thursday at 12 p.m., both on SEC Network.

Finally, follow senior writer Scott Carter (@GatorsScott) for commentary and analysis during the game. FloridaGators.com will provide full coverage of the game late Saturday night and follow-up content on Sunday.

Email Chris Harry at [email protected]