If Florida Football wants to silence the doubters, beating Georgia is step one

The Gators have lost the last three seasons by a combined 127-47
Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart and Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier talk before the game at mid field at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, FL on Saturday, October 29, 2022. [Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun]

Ncaa Football Florida Gators Vs Georgia Bulldogs
Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart and Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier talk before the game at mid field at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, FL on Saturday, October 29, 2022. [Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun] Ncaa Football Florida Gators Vs Georgia Bulldogs / Doug Engle / USA TODAY NETWORK
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Coming off a stretch of three wins in their last four games, there is a hint of belief that Florida Football is starting to piece some things together. The Gators blew out Kentucky 48-20 before heading into the bye week to get ready for Georgia.

As many have pointed out, beating the likes of Kentucky, UCF, and Mississippi State is fun, but it is not the standard by which the Gators are judged.

If Florida wants to convince everyone they are a new-look team to close out the 2024 season, beating Georgia is the standard to make fans believe.

Florida Football: Dog To The Dawgs

From 1998 through 2016, Florida was 14-5 against Georgia. That has now shifted to a stretch of 1-6 since 2017, with five of those defeats coming by at least 19 points.

Entering this year's matchup, the powers that be in Gainesville have been trying to sell tidings and good cheer, but the reality is that all empirical evidence would tell you there is minimal reason to trust Florida this Saturday in Jacksonville.

In two tries against Georgia, Billy Napier has lost 42-20 and 43-20.

Florida's four wins this season are against teams with a combined record of 10-21.

Florida lost by 24 points to Miami. Virginia Tech, Cal, Louisville, and FSU all gave the Hurricanes a more competitive game.

Florida lost by 13 points to Texas A&M. Bowling Green, Arkansas, and Mississippi State all gave the Aggies a more competitive game.

Georgia, meanwhile, has wins over 6-1 Clemson and 7-1 Texas.

Once upon a time, that was the standard for Florida, too, and it is why the skeptical side of Florida's fanbase isn't willing to give Napier his flowers just yet.

As we pointed out last week, only three of Napier's 15 wins as Florida's head coach have come against teams who finished the season with a winning record. He is 0-6 as a double-digit underdog.

So Napier and crew can tell us all week how well practice went and why he thinks things are going to be different this Saturday, but until you have done it, you haven't done it.

Two and half years into his tenure, Napier hasn't done it, which is why most of Gator Nation won't believe it until they see it.

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