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Georgia vs Florida final score: 2 late touchdowns pull Bulldogs out of murky waters

marc weiszer and sara tidwell, athens banner-herald
·11 min read

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A nerve-wracking Georgia football win Saturday keeps the No. 2 Bulldogs' season chugging along.

The red and black came out of a rough first half to rally back and defeat the Gators, 34-20, with two touchdowns to solidify it in the fourth quarter by Dwight Phillips Jr. and Dominic Lovett. Nate Fraizer and Cash Jones scored the other two touchdowns, which were also both in the second half.

The Bulldogs will finish their conference road schedule at Ole Miss next Saturday, with kickoff slated for 3:30 p.m. on ABC.

Pregame

A Florida upset as a more than two-touchdown underdog would breathe new life into Billy Napier’s three season-run in Gainesville.

The annual rivalry game—shown nationally this time on ABC—returns to EverBank Stadium with half the seats designated for Bulldog fans and the other half to Gators fans.

“I’d probably say it’s personal,” Georgia senior wide receiver Arian Smith said. “You already know it’s going to be a physical game, so obviously it feels like a good win when we come out of there and our fans are right there cheering for us and you see the other side clearing out.”

Two Georgia secondary starters, safety Dan Jackson and nickel back Joenel Aguero, are set to sit out the first half as suspensions for targeting calls in the second half at Texas.

That is expected to push KJ Bolden, the 5-star freshman safety from Buford, into the starting lineup.

“The biggest thing for him is to realize you’ve been doing it for a while,” safety Malaki Starks said. “A start is a start however you look at it. He’s been playing really good ball this year, and he just needs to go out there and be himself. …He’s a such a great athlete. He wants it so bad. I have no doubt he can go out there and do his thing.

7:36 p.m. Final | Georgia 34, Florida 20

Georgia escapes a disastrous first half and bounces back to beat Florida, 34-20. The Bulldogs will finish their 2024 season road schedule next Saturday at Ole Miss. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. on ABC. From then, they'll be home.

7:21 p.m. Georgia adds padding to board in final minutes

Georgia lined up on the 7-yard line and got a touchdown in two plays by Dwight Phillips Jr., who made the 4-yard rush to add padding to the scoreboard. Georgia now leads 34-20, all but surviving a scare in Jacksonville with 3:03 left on the clock.

7:16 p.m. Dominic Lovett finds the end zone

A 21-yard pass from Carson Beck to Lawson Luckie and then a short 7-yard rush by Nate Frazier sets up a Dominic Lovett touchdown as Georgia pulls ahead again. Georgia is up 27-20 now with 4:01 to go in the game.

7:10 p.m. Florida ties it up again, game is even

Florida's Ja'Kobi Jackson scored a 15-yard rushing touchdown to tie the game at 20-20 with 7:29 left on the clock.

6:38 p.m. Florida's "trouble with the snap" sets up Georgia scoring drive

Florida was set up for a field goal to take the lead when it had trouble with the snap and the ball went rolling for a loss of 31 yards to the Florida 36 before getting recovered by Jalon Walker.

The Georgia drive went three plays as Carson Beck found Cash Jones for a 22-yard scoring pass. Georgia leads 20-13 now in the final minute of the third quarter.

6:19 p.m. Nate Frazier finally adds touchdown for Bulldogs to tie game

Set up by a solid 11-yard reception by Dillon Bell, Nate Fraizer scored the first touchdown of the evening for the Bulldogs on a 1st and goal. He was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct after the play for taunting by doing the signature "Gator chomp." Georgia ties it 13-13 with 7:01 left in the third quarter.

5:35 p.m. Florida pushes lead back to 7 after field goal

Florida went 40 yards and got a 53-yard Trey Smack field goal with 3 seconds to go in the first half. Florida leads at the half 13-6.

5:27 p.m. Peyton Woodring boots long field goal

Georgia closed the Gators lead to 10-6 with a 53-yard Peyton Woodring field goal with 43 seconds to go in the first half.

5:03 p.m. Florida QB DJ Lagway carted off with injury

Florida freshman quarterback DJ Lagway was carted off the field after a second-quarter run. He was on the field with a possible hamstring injury.

Lagway is viewed as the future of the Gators. He was 2 of 6 for 47 yards and a touchdown Saturday.

Walk-on Aidan Warner replaced Lagway. Starter Graham Mertz was lost for the season with a knee injury.

4:34 p.m. Florida opens a touchdown lead over Georgia

Florida went 37 yards and got a 32-yard Trey Smack field goal after Carson Beck's second interception.

The Gators lead 10-3 with 7:22 to go in the first half.

4:34 p.m. Georgia defense gives up big play after Carson Beck interception

Carson Beck forced a pass into double coverage for his ninth interception, and Florida needed just one play to get points off it.

DJ Lagway connected on a 43-yard pass to Aidan Mizell, beating Malaki Starks with KJ Bolden also back in coverage. Florida leads 7-3 with 13:42 to go in the second quarter.

4:27 pm. Malaki Starks showing his return skills for Georgia

Georgia star safety is serving as the punt returner for an injured Anthony Evans.

Starks fielded two punts in the first quarter, returning his second 9 yards.

4:18 p.m. Georgia grabs first-quarter lead over Florida Gators

Peyton Woodring's 23-yard field goal put Georgia up 3-0 with 2:10 to go in the first quarter. The Bulldogs bogged down in the red zone and settled for 3 after a 13-play, 83-yard drive over 6 minutes and 15 seconds. A Carson Beck third-down pass was batted down at the line.

Tate Ratledge is playing at right guard for an injured Micah Morris.

3:25 p.m. Where Tate Ratledge lined up pregame for Florida

Tate Ratledge was working at second-team right guard behind Micah Morris, who has started the last four games while Ratledge was sidelined after TightRope surgery for a high ankle sprain.

“He’s had a tough injury road," coach Kirby Smart said Thursday night on his radio show. "He’s fought his way through it. I’m just amazed at how fast he’s been able to come back from a very significant TightRope injury. He worked really hard; he was aggressive in his rehab. He’s gotten back faster than we thought in terms of being in a position to contribute and play. We’ve still got to see where he is and how he is pregame.”

2:29 p.m. Mike Bobo, Russ Callaway catching up

Georgia offensive coordinator Mike Bobo was on the field just now chatting with Florida tight ends coach and co-offensive coordinator Russ Callaway, son of Neil Callaway, under whom Bobo worked when he first was on Mark Richt's coaching staff. Callaway is an Oconee County graduate.

2:12 p.m. Jordan Hall, Tate Ratledge Georgia gameday availability report update

Georgia offensive guard Tate Ratledge (ankle) and defensive lineman Jordan Hall (legs) have been upgraded from probably to no longer listed on the final SEC availability report. So they are at least available to play.

2:07 p.m. NFL scouts on hand for Georgia-Florida

In a game in an NFL stadium, representatives from nine NFL teams are credentialed. They include the Panthers, Bears, Cowboys, Jaguars (easy trip), Rams, Dolphins, Patriots, Jets and Commanders.

1:13 p.m. Tate Ratledge a game captain on day he's likely to return

Georgia offensive guard Tate Ratledge is one of four game captains as he looks like he'll be available to return after missing four games with a high ankle injury. The other captains are Carson Beck in his return to his hometown of Jacksonville, Chad Chambliss and CJ Allen.

Coach Kirby Smart said of Ratledge on the SEC Network this morning: “We’re hoping he’ll be able to play at least in some role.”

1:02 p.m. Kirby Smart on missing Dan Jackson for the first half

On a video interview with the SEC Network's SEC Nation show Saturday morning, Kirby Smart addressed not having Dan Jackson for the first half due to the targeting suspension.

“Dan is a critical piece man," Smart said. "He keeps everybody on the same page, he communicates across the board. He and Malaki have been best buddies for three years now. We’re going to be without him for a half. The good news is we’ve played KJ Bolden, a young, really talented player all year. He’s rotated and played a lot of football. In our mind, he’s a starter so we’re repping to plug and play a guy who’s played a lot of snaps.”

12:46 p.m. Your referee for Georgia-Florida

In case you are wondering, Matt Loeffler isn't the referee today. It's Daniel Gautreaux. Loeffler, who headed the crew for Georgia-Texas with the controversial reverse pass interference call, did not work a game last week, but the SEC did not say that was because of any discipline.

Georgia vs Florida score updates

This section will be updated when the game begins

Georgia vs Florida time today

  • Date: Today

  • Time:  3:30 p.m.

  • Location: EverBank Stadium, Jacksonville, Fla.

What channel is Georgia vs Florida game on today?

NOTE: Georgia vs. Florida will be broadcast nationally on ABC. Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit will call the game from the booth at EverBank Stadium, with Holly Rowe reporting from the sidelines. Streaming options for the game include ESPN+. (Subscription needed) and FUBO, which offers a free trial to new subscribers.

Georgia vs Florida history

  • Series record: Georgia leads 56-44-2.

  • Georgia's last win: 43-20 in 2023.

  • Florida's last win: 44-28 in 2020.

Georgia vs Florida predictions

Georgia 34, Florida 20

The Gators three losses have all come against College Football Playoff contenders Miami, Tennessee and Texas A&M, but its best win is probably Kentucky. Georgia is 14th in the SEC in rushing at 130.3 yards per game but former Gator Trevor Etienne is coming off a three touchdown game at Texas and the offensive line could be back to full strength.

Georgia vs Florida betting odds

Game lines and odds from BetMGM as of Saturday:

  • Spread: Georgia -14.5

  • Over/under: 52.5

  • Moneyline: Georgia -700, Florida +500

Georgia vs Florida injury updates

Georgia: OG Tate Ratledge (ankle, probable), ILB Smael Mondon (foot, out) DL Jordan Hall (legs, probable), RB Roderick Robinson (toe, out), RB Branson Robinson (foot, out), DL Joseph Jonah-Ajonye (lower extremity, out), WR Anthony Evans (undisclosed, out).

Florida: WR Eugene Wilson (hip, out), DB Ja'Keem Jackson (undisclosed, out), DB Jason Marshall Jr. (shoulder, out), QB Graham Mertz (knee, out), DB Asa Turner (undisclosed, out), WR Khaleil Jackson (knee, out), OL Devon Manuel (knee, out), OL Roderick Kearney (undisclosed, out), DL Jamari Lyons (ankle, out), RB Montrell Johnson Jr. (knee, questionable), OL Damieon George Jr. (undisclosed, questionable), RB Treyaun Webb (undisclosed, out).

Georgia vs. Florida weather update

The forecast calls for party cloudy skies with a high temperature of 81 degrees and dropping to 74 near the end of the game, according to weather.com.

Georgia football 2024 schedule

  • Aug. 31: Georgia 34, Clemson 3

  • Sept. 7: Georgia 48, Tennessee Tech 3.

  • Sept. 14 Georgia 13, Kentucky 12

  • Sept. 28 Alabama 41, Georgia 34

  • Oct. 5 Georgia 31, Auburn 13

  • Oct. 12 Georgia 41, Mississippi State 31

  • Oct. 19 Georgia 30, Texas 15

  • Nov. 2 vs. Florida in Jacksonville

  • Nov. 9 at Ole Miss

  • Nov. 16 Tennessee

  • Nov. 23 UMass

  • Nov. 29 Georgia Tech

  • Record: 6-1

Buy Georgia football tickets this season with Stubhub

Florida football 2024 schedule

  • Aug. 31: Miami 41, Florida 17

  • Sept. 7 Florida 45, Samford 7

  • Sept. 14 Texas A&M 33, Florida 20

  • Sept. 21 Florida 45, Mississippi State 28

  • Oct. 5 Florida 24, UCF 13

  • Oct. 12 Tennessee 23, Florida 17 (OT)

  • Oct. 19 Florida 48, Kentucky 20

  • Nov. 2 Georgia in Jacksonville

  • Nov. 9 at Texas

  • Nov. 16 LSU

  • Nov. 23 Ole Miss

  • Nov. 30 at Florida State

  • Record: 4-3

Georgia football news

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This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Georgia vs Florida final score: Bulldogs drown Gators in second-half revival