Florida football has not been a contender in the college landscape in some time. The last time they were ranked in the CFP rankings was in 2020, under Dan Mullen. Mullen was fired the next year, and Billy Napier was not the answer. Now, it is the job of Job Sumrall to turn things around. There is confidence around the Florida program in the direction Sumrall is taking it, including from former coach Urban Meyer.

Still, Sumrall came in with pressure. The last time the school hired from a group of six schools, Napier went 22-23 with two bowl games before being fired. Then, there were the fanbase expectations that Lane Kiffin would be coming to Gainesville. Regardless, Sumrall was fully ready to deal with the crazy fan base, according to Brandon Marcell0 of CBSSports.

“You know, some people might say the Florida fans are crazy. The good news is so am I. We're equally yoked in that regard probably,” Sumrall said.

Crazy is good, but winning is what keeps the crazy fans on a coach's side. Florida has some big wins under their belt already, including on the road against Auburn, at home against Ole Miss, and on the road agaisnt Texas. Still, they come into this game with two losses and cannot afford another one if they want to make a playoff run. After being off last week, the Gators have their biggest test to date: Georgia.

This will be meeting number 105 between the two schools. Georgia has won 58 of the games, with 44 wins for Florida and two ties. Still, the Bulldogs have won five straight games between the two schools. Napier never got a win over Georgia, as the Bulldogs are on a five-game winning streak, something that Sumrall looks to end.

“It's our job to educate the guys about what the game means now,” Sumrall said. “Roughly half our roster has not played in this game.”

Article Continues Below

Adding to the crazy factor of the game will be the location. The game between the two has consistently been played in Jacksonville, Florida, including every game since 1996, which has been played at EverBank Stadium. Due to stadium renovations in Jacksonville, this year's contest will be held at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, giving Georgia an edge. Next year, the game will be played in Tampa before returning to Jacksonville in 2028.

The Top 25 matchup between Florida and Georgia is set for a 3:30 pm ET kickoff on Saturday.