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Georgia vs. Florida score, takeaways: No. 2 Bulldogs overcome mistakes, survive scare from rival Gators

Georgia overcame three Carson Beck interceptions to pull ahead late in an ugly affair

No. 2 Georgia survived a scare from Florida on Saturday, rallying from a 7-point halftime deficit to knock off the Gators 34-20. Led by walk-on quarterback Aidan Warner, Florida tied the game at 20-20 midway through the fourth quarter before the Bulldogs hit the gas late in an unexpectedly tense rivalry showdown.

Georgia quarterback Carson Beck threw three interceptions before the Bulldogs scored their first touchdown midway through the third quarter. Beck overcame his fourth multi-interception game in Georgia's last five contests to lead a go-ahead 75-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter. 

Florida looked well-positioned to compete with the struggling Bulldogs until freshman quarterback DJ Lagway exited with a hamstring injury in the second quarter. Without their five-star phenom, the Gators were forced to insert redshirt freshman Aidan Warner at quarterback. 

The Yale transfer helped lead Florida to a field goal just before the half, which gave the Gators a 13-6 lead. But the Gators struggled to throw the football in the second half without Lagway or veteran quarterback Graham Mertz, who was lost for the season due to injury in a Week 7 loss at Tennessee.

Still, Warner did enough to give the Gators a shot. His 26-yard completion to Elijhah Badger in the fourth quarter jump-started a touchdown drive that tied the game. But from there, Georgia showed a rare glimpse of its championship mettle to close out a mostly ugly SEC showdown.

  • Carson Beck has now thrown 11 interceptions in eight games this season after throwing 11 in 14 games last season.
  • Georgia running back Trevor Etienne, a former Florida star, left the game due to injury in the first half and did not return.
  • Georgia has won four straight games in the series, improving its all-time record in the rivalry to 55-44-2.
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Billy Napier's hot seat

Third-year Florida coach Billy Napier started the season on the hot seat. That heat only intensified following a 1-2 start marked by double-digit home losses against Miami and Texas A&M. But the Gators have won three of their past four games, and the only loss was an overtime defeat at Tennessee after starting quarterback Graham Mertz and top running back Montrell Johnson were each knocked out of the game with injuries. Are the Gators making the sort of on-field strides needed to buy Napier another year? Showing it here would go a long way toward stabilizing the program. Here's more on Napier's situation from Richard Johnson:

Resetting where Florida Gators stand as Billy Napier enters make-or-break five-week stretch
Richard Johnson
Resetting where Florida Gators stand as Billy Napier enters make-or-break five-week stretch
 

Carson Beck's blemishes

Georgia quarterback Carson Beck has thrown eight interceptions over Georgia's past four games, which is two more than he threw all of last season. The Bulldogs have twice finished with under 300 yards of total offense after never finishing with fewer than 300 yards in any game during the 2022 and 2023 campaigns. The Dawgs have been electric in spurts, but their offensive production on the whole has been inconsistent. It's not all Beck's fault, but his recent imprecision is a concerning issue that needs to be rectified if UGA is going to reach its potential.

 

Familiar foe for Trevor Etienne 

Florida is a familiar foe for Georgia running back Trevor Etienne, who totaled 1,472 yards rushing and 14 touchdowns on the ground while spending his first two seasons with the Gators. Etienne's decision to transfer to a rival program after playing a pivotal role for Florida was a shock, but he's made the most of it. After splitting carries with Montrell Johnson at UF, he's been Georgia's top back, leading the Bulldogs in rushing with 422 yards and seven touchdowns. He's added another 20 receptions, which is just one off his career high.

 

Georgia vs. Florida prediction

All three of Florida's losses have come against teams currently ranked in the top 10 that are a combined 21-2. The Gators now get a fourth crack at a team in that stratosphere, and there is mounting evidence suggesting they can compete. The Gators have won three of their last four games -- all against Power Four competition -- by an average of 18.7 points. The only loss in that stretch was an overtime defeat at Tennessee. Though they were written off after a poor start, the Gators have a pulse and can make this a competitive game against a team that has been inconsistent. If sports betting apps are willing to give you the Gators and two-plus touchdowns, take them. Pick: Florida +16

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