Anything and everything can happen in the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. However, unranked Florida would have needed to play a near-perfect game to beat No. 1 Georgia. This game is far from over at the time of this writing, but Florida head coach Billy Napier certainly did not help his team out with a series of decisions around the start of the second quarter. Here is what happened...
Florida looked to have completed a third-and-medium firmly inside their own territory as the first quarter wound down. Georgia head coach Kirby Smart was right there to see the spot. Florida was initially given the first down, but Smart challenged it. After a lengthy review, the call on the field was overturned and it was fourth-and-inches for the Gators. Keep in mind where the ball was on the field.
Napier went for it from his own 34-yard line. He went with a trickery play involving running back Trevor Etienne out of the Wildcat. He tried to attempt a pass, but was brought down for a three-yard sack and a turnover on downs. Georgia would take up 10-7 and then scored on the ensuing possession to make it 17-7 Dawgs. Florida quarterback Graham Mertz fumbled on the next drive. UGA scored again.
Things snowballed considerably for Florida, as the Gators squared a 7-0 lead to start to give up 26 unanswered points after a blocked punt. This is how you cannot play vs. the best team in the SEC.
Florida falls to pieces after Billy Napier's two horrendous decisions
I understand fully that this game is far from over, but you have to have a little more composure if you are trying to pull off the upset bid as the lesser team. I have seen both Florida and Georgia do this in my years closely following this game. However, when the lesser team gets cute and does something dumb like this, a little snowball becomes an avalanche. This can be brutal to endure when it happens.
The worst part about this for Florida is the Gators have seemingly started to make the turn under Napier. I mean, they are 5-2 overall and 3-1 in conference play. They have another signature victory under their belt with the home upset of major rival Tennessee. But for this game to go to hell in a handbasket in a matter of minutes under Napier's watch feels eerily similar to how last year's game went.
Eventually, Florida will beat Georgia in this game again. It could be today. It could be next year. But keep in mind that neither the Dawgs or the Gators have won more than seven in a row in this epic rivalry series. It is one of those games where you can throw out the record books because it just means more. Once again, the Cocktail Party never seems to disappoint. This is college football.
Napier will be asked about this play in particular, and what the hell happened afterwards for Florida...
