Rivalry derailed many championship seasons in its history

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - There is clearly more at stake for top-ranked Florida than Georgia when the teams meet Saturday at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium.

The Gators (7-0, 5-0 in the Southeastern Conference) can clinch at least a share of the SEC Eastern Division title and remain in the hunt for the national championship with a victory.

The Bulldogs (4-3, 3-2) are clinging to slim chances in the division race and would need a victory to remain in the hunt to finish the season ranked.

Florida is a 16-point favorite and has the No. 1 scoring offense, scoring defense, total offense, total defense, rushing offense and pass defense in the SEC. Georgia has the SEC's worst rushing offense and scoring defense. So it should be an orange-and-blue cakewalk.

Not if you know anything about the history of this series. Each school has ruined the other's seasons before.

Here are some of the more notable examples:

► The year: 2002

► The result: Florida 20, Georgia 13.

► The game: Unranked Florida lost WR Taylor Jacobs to a knee injury on the first series, but backups Kelvin Kight (nine catches, 115 yards) and Carlos Perez (12 catches, 115 yards) responded with career days in the Gators' victory. QB Rex Grossman rebounded from two first-half interceptions to complete a career-high 36 passes in 46 attempts for 339 yards and two touchdowns. Florida's defense stymied Georgia's offense, recording four sacks and keeping the fifth-ranked Bulldogs from converting a single third down (0-for-13).

Grossman's 10-yard touchdown pass to Ben Troupe with 11:32 remaining was the game-winner. Georgia had a chance to tie the game with less than three minutes remaining, but WR Terrance Edwards dropped a potential touchdown on a post pattern.

► The heartbreak: That loss is what kept Georgia from playing for a national title. The Bulldogs finished 13-1, beating Arkansas in the SEC championship game and Florida State in the Sugar Bowl.

► The year: 1985

► The result: Georgia 24, Florida 3.

► The game: Florida entered the game ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press poll for the first time in school history. The Gators were led by QB Kerwin Bell, who would complete 33 of 49 passes for 408 yards against 17th-ranked Georgia. But the Bulldogs ran for 344 yards behind Keith Henderson (145 yards) and Tim Worley (104 yards). Henderson scored on runs of 76 and 32 yards, and Worley added an 89-yard TD run in the fourth quarter that capped the scoring in the Bulldogs' upset. Georgia's defense had noticed during film study that Florida's linemen put their hands on the ground differently for running and passing plays. That information helped the Bulldogs keep the Gators out of the end zone.

► The heartbreak: Glorious Georgia fans fell to the ground and kicked their feet in the air while screaming, "Four days!" That was the length of time the Gators stayed atop the poll. Georgia didn't win another game that season and finished 7-3-2.

Florida beat Kentucky and Florida State, but couldn't play in a bowl game because of NCAA sanction. The Gators (9-1-1) would have been able to claim at least the AP title had they beaten Georgia.

► The year: 1976

► The result: Georgia 41, Florida 27.

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