GatorCountry brings you a new podcast as we you our Friday predictions before the Florida Gators take on the Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday.
Andrew Spivey and Nick de la Torre break down the keys for both teams in the game and what they expect both teams to try and do.
Andrew and Nick also give you three players to watch for both teams on Saturday, plus predict several games around the country.
TRANSCRIPT:
Andrew: What’s up, Gator Country? Your man Andrew Spivey, here with Nicholas de la Torre. Nicholas, Friday before Georgia hate week, before Georgia-Florida, Florida-Georgia, however you want to say it. I got smack talked to me on XM Radio with our guy Barrett Sallee, because I said that it was not Georgia-Florida. It is Florida-Georgia. I don’t care what anybody says. It’s alphabetically correct, and it sounds better.
Nick: Maybe growing up in a Florida household, I always heard Florida-Georgia. Like you said, saying Georgia-Florida just sounds wrong to me. I’ve always called it Florida-Georgia. I don’t think it’s a big deal, but people will argue about anything.
Andrew: They will argue about anything. That is very correct, my friend. This game, Nick, it’s taken off. It’s gotten to the point that I thought we would, where fans are getting chippy on social media. They’re getting chippy at each other. They’re getting chippy about comments that Kirby Smart made about Dan Mullen. Listen, I kind of think they were a little, yeah. You tweeted it out during the teleconference, and the quote that some people kind of took off about was Smart said, “Dan Mullen does a good job of changing the game and dictating the game as a play caller, but at the end of the day, it boils down to the guys making plays, not the guys calling the plays.” I understand what Kirby was saying, but I also think he was taking a shot at Mullen.
Nick: He was not taking a shot at Mullen at all. That was like the overwhelming response that I got on Twitter, that he was taking a shot at Mullen. He wasn’t at all. He’s basically, he’s not taking shot at Mullen, he’s saying it’s myself too, I can call great plays for the defense, but it doesn’t matter. I can call a great play. If somebody misses an assignment, it doesn’t mean the play was bad.
Andrew: Yeah. No, I understand what you’re saying.
Nick: Dan Mullen can call a great trick play at the perfect time, and the ball gets dropped or somebody fumbles. It doesn’t mean it was a bad play. It’s just it wasn’t executed. I think that’s all he was saying.
Andrew: Yeah. But I also kind of took it too as him saying, Florida doesn’t have as good players as we do.
Nick: I didn’t take it that way at all.
Andrew: I go back to Steve Spurrier’s old quote. “During the off season, Georgia recruits the best players, but when it comes time to play each other, they don’t have the best players anymore.” That’s where it is. Kirby Smart is not the most classy guy in the world in the first play, so whatever. Again, I think that this is a game that will start out chippy. It usually has a little smack talk in the game, and I think this year might be a little more.
Nick: You’re saying that from the players’ standpoint then.
Andrew: Yes.
Nick: So, what makes you say that, I guess?
Andrew: Just the way the week has gone on both sides. Again, a lot of it is fans on fans, that kind of stuff. You see now this with the coaches kind of making remarks that way, and it’s a big rivalry game. It’s a top 10 game. There’s no love lost between these two schools.
Nick: Okay. I see that then. Certainly, you’re not going out a limb. You know what I mean? You’re not going out on a limb saying that it will be chippy.
Andrew: I want to see Vosean pull a Brandon Spikes. That’s what I want to see. I want to see that this weekend.
Nick: You want to see him stay down there and let either Swift or let somebody know about it.
Andrew: I want him to let Holyfield know all about it. All about it. Let him know about it. Why not?
Nick: I hear it.
Andrew: Why not? Make it happen a little bit. Let the Bulldogs know this isn’t the same Gator football team that’s been around last few years. That’s kind of where I see it. I see this game being a very, very close game. We were talking with Barrett, and he makes some good points. It’s a little more important for Florida to get the running game going than Georgia, and I do agree with that. I think that if you’re Florida you have to go in there, and you have to set the tone early with the running game. There’s zero questions in my mind, and I think in anyone’s mind that’s going to watch or cover this game, who the better running team is in this game, with the better running backs. That’s Florida.
One thing I would disagree with Barrett on is that Georgia can throw the ball at Florida like they want to. Is Jake Fromm as bad as he was in the LSU game? No. Is he a great quarterback? No.
Nick: I saw a stat from Football Focus. I think Jake Fromm is really good. We’ve talked about that all week. The stat that they put up is this season when dealing with pressure Feleipe Franks has a passer rating of 69.7, when dealing with pressure. Jake Fromm’s is 33.6. This is PFF, Pro Football Focus, doing their stats, and they’ve got their own way. Some people don’t like it. I don’t think anyone really knows how they get their numbers. I mean, it’s probably pretty easy if you’re going back and watching film to say, that’s pressure, and figure that stuff out. Franks 4:1 touchdown interception ratio. Fromm, no touchdowns, two picks. Adjusted completed percentage is 54.2 for Fromm, and he has a PFF grade of 39.9 when dealing with pressure.
So, that to me, when you look at a Georgia offensive line and Florida with their pass rushers and the job that the defense has been doing creating pressure, not just with the down linemen, but with linebackers and safeties and corners, and just blitzing from all over the place, I think that might be the biggest edge Florida has. You have a quarterback who so far this season, through seven games, hasn’t been able to throw the ball effectively and deal with pressure. To me, Florida looks at that, looks at those stats, and says, okay, that’s what we need to do defensively.
Andrew: You’re exactly right. I think that’s the key. That’s even what I had said to Barrett. When you’re going into this game, Georgia has to figure out a way to slow down the Florida pressure. Grantham is going to get wild in this game. He just is. That’s Todd Grantham. That’s any game he goes in. He’s going to get creative. They’re not going to allow it to be a situation where it’s double-team Jachai Polite and nobody get pass rush on Fromm. Cece, Jabari, those guys are going to get there. You’re going to have different looks. You’re going to have different guys coming, whether it’s a safety, whether it’s Chauncey, whether it’s Hendo. Whoever it may be, you’re going to have different guys coming at all parts of the game. My thing, and my key, was need to slow down the Georgia running game to put Georgia in that position, to where they’re throwing the ball more. That’s where Florida feasting really over the last, what, five games since the Kentucky game.
Nick: Yeah. Jachai Polite has been just in his own world when it comes to rushing the passer since that game. Then guys like Cece, this is his last game. I think this means more to him. I asked Jordan Scarlett about that. Jordan Scarlett technically could come back next year, but he’s thinking is my last game, and he even admitted this is bigger. I do think about that. That will go for Cece.
When you and I were at SEC Media Days, Cece said, “Me and Martez kind of looked at each other a year ago this time, at the Georgia game, and said we can’t go out like this.” I think Florida, if you’re talking about like the intangible stuff, I think it really leans heavily in Florida’s favor this week too.
Andrew: I completely agree. The thing we have to remember a little bit is Ben Cleveland, starting right guard for Georgia, out this week. That’s going to put a true freshman there. Now, it’s Cade Mays, who was one of the top guys in the country last year, but still a young guy. With the pressure and the different looks that you’re going to get from Todd Grantham, that could confuse him.
One stat though, Nick, that I think we have to remember and look at, and this surprised me really a lot when I saw this, but on 3rd down this year Georgia is the third most favorable distance in the SEC with 6.2 yards, ninth best in the Power Five. But Jake Fromm is the SEC worst quarterback on 3rd down. The worst quarterback on 3rd down. The third worst in the country.
Nick: That stat, you’re saying that they’re the best team in terms of staying ahead of the sticks.
Andrew: Yeah.
Nick: They have the least amount of yards to go, is what you’re saying, on 3rd down.
Andrew: Right. 6.2 yards is their average distance on 3rd down, which it’s not great. You would love 3rd and 5, 3rd and 4, but that’s the third best in the SEC, 6.2. But even on 6.2, Jake Fromm is still the worst quarterback in the SEC in converting that. Now, that’s not all on Jake Fromm, but that goes with what you just said in the pressure.
Nick: Exactly. Even with the running backs they have, if you’re getting a consistent 3rd and 6, Florida is going to be dialing up pressure. That’s not necessarily a running down, 3rd and 6. When you got 3rd and 1, 3rd and 2, your whole playbook is open. We can run play action if we want. We can run the ball up the gut. We can do whatever we want on that 3rd and short, but 3rd and 6 you’re kind of limited to passing the ball, and Florida will dial up pressure.
I really expect to see a very aggressive defense, defensive plan. I even think something that plays into that is probably Grantham. He seems to me like a guy that kind of wears his emotions on his sleeve, and he might be dialing it up.
Andrew: You think he does, or you know he does?
Nick: I know he does.
Andrew: He tried to choke Chaz Henry out.
Nick: What I’m really saying is I think he lets that affect his game plan. I’m going to really dial it up this week, even more so than I normally would.
Andrew: Right. Completely agree. That’s the thing that I think you look at when you look at Georgia. We’re talking about Fromm under pressure. Then we’re talking about their 3rd down. Don’t give him much time. I say that, and I mean this respectfully for Florida’s defensive backs that I think is much, much improved, but if you give Jake Fromm all day, he’s going to find one of their talented receivers. That’s just what will happen. Put pressure on him, and do that, and I think you’ll look at this game at the end of the day, and you’ll say, I think we did well. Georgia, in that LSU game, Nick, 5 of 14 on 3rd down. That was a big, big stat, because LSU was keeping them behind the chains.
Nick: Yeah. Listen, I don’t care how good your offense is. You can be Alabama’s offense, but if you’re going to get a consistent 3rd and long, you’re not going to be successful that day.
Andrew: Right. Exactly. We talk about Justin Fields. He’s going to play. I think he’s going to play meaningful snaps in the game. The question then becomes how much he plays. How much does he throw the ball when he’s in the game? That kind of stuff. For some reason, Nick, I just think he’s a key.
Nick: Yeah. Who is that guy, Fauda? That started the one game. I can’t remember.
Andrew: Yeah. The kid that was the punter at one time.
Nick: Yeah. That was weird. It’s always weird, there’s always weird things that happen. Maybe. I’m not sure if I’d be more surprised if he’s taking meaningful snaps or less surprised if it was more just the status quo. When I looked it up, Justin Fields has played like 9% of Georgia’s offensive snaps this year.
Andrew: Wow.
Nick: That’s it. They’ve run like 457 plays, and he’s played 45 plays. Maybe it’s just because they show him so much on TV that you think you see him a lot, but maybe most of that is just on the sidelines. To me, someone who’s only played 10% of the snaps, are you throwing him into this game?
Andrew: I think so. I don’t know why. Again, I might be the dumbest man on the planet on Monday. He could get two rushes in the game, or whatever. It might be. I just for some reason feel like Georgia knows and understands that at the end of the day Florida is going to get pressure on Fromm. They’re going to have to mix it up a little bit. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if it was a 3rd and 3, and they brought Fields in the game, and they faked a quarterback run and threw a pass. That stuff wouldn’t surprise me at all in the game. Again, I could be completely wrong. I’ll admit it on Monday if I am. I just feel like Kirby knows it’s going to take something. Listen, Kirby is not dumb. He understands what Todd Grantham is going to do.
Nick: Yeah. I think there’s some familiarity there. He definitely knows. There’s a lot of matchups going back with these coaches. They’ve gone up against each other. Chaney and Grantham. I think Mullen and Kirby. Kirby was defensive coordinator at Alabama back in ’07-’08, when Mullen’s offense was running. So, there’s a lot of familiarity with this coaching staff, both of them.
Andrew: Oh yeah. Absolutely. I mean, you got Alabama and Mississippi State. You’ve had the Georgia-Alabama games, when Grantham was at Georgia. You’ve got plenty of matchups. I think the one thing that many people will tell you is Mullen does very well with his bye week, with going in and preparing, self-scouting. That’s a big, big thing for Dan Mullen. I haven’t found the weakness that Dan Mullen will pick on in the game per se. The whole swing pass in the LSU game. Excuse me, the swing pass in the, what game was that? Vandy? Was that Vandy they went the swing pass? Then the option was in the LSU game, and the stand pass in the Mississippi State. Haven’t figured out what’s going to be yet, but I’m sure there’s something he has prepared that he knows is going to work in big key situations on Saturday.
Nick: It’s every week. We’ve talked about it a bunch, I think. It’s every week that it seems to be something. I’ve said I don’t think that the stand pass was the game plan for Mississippi State. It’s just something that showed up, and you were able to say this is working, let’s run it until it stops working.
Andrew: Right. It’s there every week. It’s a situation where Feleipe has that option every week to do it. I don’t think Georgia is giving that to them this week. If Georgia gives them to them this week, it’s going to be a long day.
Nick: Yeah. I think Georgia will play, it’s interesting, because you’ve got some young guys out there, including Tyson. Are they going to trust those young guys out there and press, play man? I would expect so.
Andrew: I would expect so. I mean, if you’re playing Kirby Smart defense of the past, then yeah. I mean, that’s what Saban’s going to do. I mean, that’s what Saban would do, and I’m sure that’s going to be the same thing that Kirby is going to do, and that’s going to get up there, and they’re going to play man coverage and going to be in your face. They’re going to make you beat them off the line of scrimmage and make Feleipe make that tough throw. I think that’s the biggest key in the game. The one way to get away from that is start hitting some long runs.
Nick: Are you more confident in Florida’s defense or Georgia’s offense? Both have been very good this year.
Andrew: That’s tough. I’m not confident at all in Jake Fromm. I’ve told you that. I’m not a believer in Jake Fromm. I think Jake Fromm is a game manager quarterback, and I don’t think Jake Fromm wins you the football game, just like I don’t think Feleipe Franks wins you a football game.
Nick: Okay. So …
Andrew: I would lean towards Florida’s defense when they’re playing disciplined football. When they’re playing disciplined football, I would lean to Florida’s defense.
Nick: I feel like you’re kind of taking like a cheap out there.
Andrew: No. I’m taking Florida’s defense. I’m just saying, and that’s especially true when they’re playing fundamentally good defense. When they’re shooting up the field and not playing gap control football, when they’re just running to run, then that’s when they get in trouble, and that’s when a team like Georgia starts hitting things. If that’s the case, then Georgia is going to have good day. If they’re playing like they did against LSU and Mississippi State and really every game, with the exception of a few drives against Vanderbilt, but Florida’s shown they’ve been a disciplined football team.
Nick: What you’re kind of saying is when Florida’s defense keeps their wits about them, plays fast and physical, but also controlled. Not just hairs on fire running around going crazy.
Andrew: Exactly. How many times last year did we say it? Jabari, Jachai, Cece, you name it.
Nick: No contain. Up the field.
Andrew: Yeah.
Nick: Missed assignments. Missed some tackles.
Andrew: Just let me get to the quarterback as fast as I can, to hell with everything else that I’m supposed to do. What would you say?
Nick: I think I’m leaning towards Florida’s defense. It’s a question that I don’t know if I have a 100% super confident answer to. I think I’m leaning towards Florida’s defense, and it’s really only because, right now, because of that pass rush.
Andrew: Yeah. Now, if you ask me vice versa, I think I’d probably take Georgia’s defense. Just because, again, I’m still shaky on how Feleipe will do against the man coverage, and I think Georgia will be ready to put pressure on him. I think Georgia is going to go into this game putting eight guys in the box, and saying, you’re not going to run the football for 200 yards against us.
Nick: Yeah. Do you think Florida gets to 200 yards?
Andrew: No. That’s what I’m saying. They’re going to go into this game, and that’s what their whole thing is going to be. You’re not going to run for 200 yards against us. You’re going to throw the ball to beat us.
Nick: I think both teams will say that. That’s what you’re saying. Then, I guess, you would say you’d pick Franks over Fromm then?
Andrew: I don’t know. I mean, I don’t know. Can I take Justin Fields? I don’t know, Nick.
Nick: Take Justin Fields as a freshman. If that’s what you’re saying, and what you’re saying right now is …
Andrew: I just don’t trust either quarterback to win me the football game.
Nick: Yes. I’m not saying I disagree with you either. I’m saying what you’re saying is you think both defenses have the edge over the other offense, and that they’re both having the same game plan, which is stop the run and force the other quarterback to beat you. Now I’m saying which quarterback do you trust more to do that?
Andrew: Here’s what I’ll say to that, and that is I trust Dan Mullen more than I do weirdo Chaney to adjust.
Nick: Yeah. He doesn’t seem to have a great reception among Georgia fans right now.
Andrew: He’s a weirdo. I mean, he’s weird. Came from like the University of Pittsburgh Southeast Northeast Missouri or something like that. You’re just not going to convince me either way that the passing game can win this game with no running game. Stats in the past prove that. You run the ball to win the game in these types of games. That’s me. That’s where I’m going to go. I’m going to have to see it on Saturday for myself to see either quarterback throw for 350 yards and win a game.
Nick: Yeah.
Andrew: That’s just what it is going to be. Now, do I think one of them can hit some play action once the defense creeps up? Absolutely. So, we’ll see.
Nick: Okay.
Andrew: Give me this, Nick. The key, outside of the running game, for both teams is?
Nick: It’s probably the same. The same key for both teams. It’s win the turnover battle, run the ball, stop the run.
Andrew: Okay. Would you say either team can overcome mistakes and win the game?
Nick: I want to say no, but also, you know, if you throw an early interception and the other team doesn’t capitalize, and you lose the turnover battle that way, or you have a fumble. Let’s say Florida’s going in, and they fumble on the goal line. Then hold Georgia to a punt, and now start their drive near the 50. Well, that’s overcoming a mistake, just because of good defense. I also think that both of these teams are going to be pretty conservative in the sense of, like when Florida and Mississippi State played it was almost like 4th and 1 at the 50, but I think Tommy can down them inside the 5, and then we might start at the 50 next drive.
I think you’re going to get a lot of that. I think almost like a feeling out phase. If you’re a member on our site, we do that newsletter every week, and I said that much, where I thought it was going to be that. Listen, I’ve been told and know and believe that if the time presents itself Dan Mullen has trick plays ready.
Andrew: Oh, he’s got one ready. Don’t worry about it.
Nick: He’s got it ready. I think it’s almost like in a heavyweight fight, when fighters come out and that first round is boring. You’re like, I paid $80 for this? Well, they’re timing their opponent. They’re feeling him out. I think there’s going to be a feeling out period in this Florida-Georgia game. That’s just what I think. I think there will be a feeling out period. I don’t think this is a game where Florida comes out and Georgia come out throwing the ball all over the field and taking huge shots. I think it’s going to be a game that is a little conservative.
Andrew: Okay. I agree with that. On the year, Georgia has 44 penalties. Florida’s committed 56. That can’t be. That’s a situation where neither team you really want to have that happen either, where you get into long penalties and that kind of thing. You don’t want to start that either. I’ll say, Nick, my key will be whichever team makes a big play on special teams. That will be my key.
Let’s go ahead. Let’s move ahead. Let’s start picking some players here. You picked first last week, or against Vanderbilt, and straight up trashed it with Jachai Polite. So, I’m going to help Retire Mom out and let him be #1 again.
Nick: Yeah. That’s the smart play every time.
Andrew: There it is. That’s my play.
Nick: I’m going to take your boy. I’m going to take Lamical Perine this week.
Andrew: You asshole. You know what, I’ve talked about quarterbacks enough. Put my money where my mouth is.
Nick: Wow. You went three weeks in a row picking Feleipe.
Andrew: Oh, no, no. You picked Feleipe last time.
Nick: I think you started the year picking him the first three weeks.
Andrew: No. I didn’t pick him. You picked him the first time against Kentucky, and we all know what happened. I didn’t pick him for the first time until Tennessee. Then I ran with him for Tennessee, Mississippi State, and LSU. You picked him against Vandy, and we all know what happened. He didn’t have a good game.
Nick: No. I just got to stop picking him.
Andrew: 13, pick #2.
Nick: Okay. You’re picking 13.
Andrew: I’m picking 13.
Nick: I’m going to go big plays from Mr. David Reese, leading the team in tackles.
Andrew: Okay. I am going to go with #11 to get me a big game and talk some trash.
Nick: Okay. I’m going to go, also playing in his last Florida-Georgia game, Chauncey.
Andrew: Okay. I can see that. We’ll continue to pick then the trend we’ve had the last few weeks. A guy that you think is under the radar, a guy who will be a key in the game.
Nick: Freddie Swain.
Andrew: Freddie Swain. Okay. I’m going to go back to my tight end, Moral Stephens. When we talk about Georgia’s front seven, they have a little bit of the same issue that Florida does, and that is their linebackers aren’t the best in coverage. See what they do against a guy like Moral.
Nick: Okay.
Andrew: That’s going to be my pick. If I was going to throw out another one, I think you could make the argument McPherson.
Nick: McPherson, Townsend. My Freddie Swain pick was partially because of …
Andrew: Special teams?
Nick: Partially because of special teams. Yeah.
Andrew: Okay. That makes sense. Don’t take for granted returners in games like this. Brandon James made that a big point. You look at some of the better games, the National Championship game last year, Trevon Diggs had a big return for Bama. You got Mecole Hardman for Georgia. Never take for granted those guys.
Let’s go to picks, Nick. Just an okay week.
Nick: Okay week. Florida’s probably premier game of the week.
Andrew: Yeah. By far. Then next week it’s Bama-LSU.
Nick: Oh yeah. Early line just came out. Bama -14.
Andrew: Yes. Saw that. Agree or disagree?
Nick: That’s a big, at LSU at night, but I think Bama is really the best team.
Andrew: Too low.
Nick: Too low.
Andrew: Too low.
Nick: Too low?
Andrew: Too low. 21 would have been perfect. That’s a blowout.
Nick: Wow.
Andrew: Saban off a bye week? Oh man. Saban off a bye week, #1 vs. #3. He hates LSU. Let’s just call it what it is. Rivalry games for Saban are like they are for Urban. That’s blood in the mouth.
Go ahead. First game we want to pick is?
Nick: #2 Clemson at FSU.
Andrew: What’s the spread, Nick? Let me look real quick. I have it right here. First of all, it’s a noon kickoff, which is whatever. 17 points for Clemson, and 51 is the over-under. I’m taking Clemson with the points.
Nick: Yeah. Clemson. Lay down the points, take Clemson, all day long. This is going to be a really bad game for the Willie Taggert era. Not even close.
Andrew: Willie might not even score. Willie might not score this week. What’s next?
Nick: We’re both on Clemson. #18 Iowa at #17 Penn State. One of the few, I think only two matchups, I think Iowa at Penn State and Florida-Georgia are the only …
Andrew: No. Washington State-Stanford is another one.
Nick: Oh, Washington State-Stanford. We’re not picking that one though.
Andrew: Washington State-Stanford is the other top 25 game. The fighting Ja’Juan Seiders.
Nick: Taking the Ja’Juan Seiders. I’m going to go Penn State to come back and get back in form there.
Andrew: As crazy as it is, home game at Penn State is not easy. Not easy by any means.
Nick: We’re on to the SEC slate. #12 Kentucky at Missouri.
Andrew: Kentucky elimination game in the SEC East pretty much. Well, no, that wouldn’t be, because if they were to lose this game and then Georgia was to win, they still could do that. I am saying Kentucky gets L #2. Kentucky is starting to be the old Kentucky again, and Drew Locke makes Kentucky pay.
Nick: Yeah. It does seem like Kentucky is starting to fizzle out a little bit, but I’m going to ride the Wildcats. I’m not sold on Missouri being a good football team yet.
Andrew: I’m not either, but Drew Locke is better than people give him credit for. Next game.
Nick: #16 Texas A&M heading to Starkvegas. They’ll take on Mississippi State.
Andrew: Gig ‘em.
Nick: Yup. We’re both going A&M.
Andrew: Joe Moorhead is an idiot.
Nick: I’m not going to say he’s an idiot, but I’m off them for a while.
Andrew: Yeah. He’s put Mississippi State back to being Mississippi State.
Nick: Tennessee at South Carolina. William “Boom” Muschamp III is 6-0, I think, as a head coach against the Vols.
Andrew: Jeremy Pruitt takes down Willie.
Nick: Really?
Andrew: Jeremy Pruitt takes down Willie.
Nick: Tennessee. You’re saying Tennessee gets two SEC wins in a row?
Andrew: No.
Nick: Oh, they played Alabama last week. Sorry.
Andrew: Yeah. They got kaboomed against Bama. I mean, it was 28-0 before the 10 minute mark in the first quarter.
Nick: I forgot about that. I’m going to go with South Carolina.
Andrew: Okay. One bit of breaking news while we’re taping this, star Tennessee offensive lineman Trey Smith out with blood clots again. I just now saw that. I don’t believe in Will Muschamp, so I give the Jeremy Pruitts a win. That’s a trash game to have to pick. Man. Is that it?
Nick: That’s it.
Andrew: All right. To the St. Johns river we go. What head gear will you put on?
Nick: I’m unfortunately missing the game this week, so Andrew is taking my spot there in Jacksonville. I’ll be a wedding. Congratulations to two very close friends of mine, Andrew Silvershine and Jamie Shuber, soon to be Jamie Silvershine. I’m going to be very happy to be with them, but sad to miss the game. This is a tough pick for me. I’m going to go, and I’m going to pick Georgia.
Andrew: I told you, Nick, I had no idea how I was going to pick this game.
Nick: We were talking before, and you said you didn’t know. I was planning on picking Florida, and I don’t know what just happened.
Andrew: I still am not confident either way. I honestly see this game going either way. Barrett Sallee, I was on his radio show on Wednesday, and he said to me, “If Georgia wins the game it’s a blowout. If Florida wins, it’s a close game.” I don’t think it’s a blowout either way, but when I pick against Florida they do okay.
Nick: I see a close game.
Andrew: I say Georgia wins.
Nick: Are you doing this whole thing where you’re picking both teams again basically?
Andrew: No. I’m not picking both teams. Georgia wins. Georgia wins.
Nick: Why?
Andrew: I think they might be just a tad touch better than Florida right now, and to be honest with you, again, this is me being me. I could be completely wrong. Two weeks, pissed off. Florida is #9. Again, I can see Florida winning the game. I honestly can. I can see Florida winning the game, but they got to win. For right now, I say Georgia. That’s my pick on the record. By Saturday I might feel better for Florida. I honestly don’t have a good feeling either way.
Nick: Got you.
Andrew: Honestly. That’s just where I’m at. I can easily see either team winning. I think it will be a close fourth quarter game. I easily can. Yeah. I got Georgia right now. One of those things we always say, and that is until it happens, we’ll pick against them. Right now Georgia has shown that, and I’ve also done a better job picking against Florida. There it is. We’ll see.
Nick: All right.
Andrew: We’ll see. Any other final thoughts before we get out of here?
Nick: Be safe in Jacksonville.
Andrew: Give the liver a break.
Nick: No. No. Give the liver a break on Sunday or Monday, not Saturday.
Andrew: Lordy, lordy.
Nick: Gator fans, come strong. I’ll be watching College Gameday. Come strong with your signs and have fun. It’s the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. Enjoy it.
Andrew: If anybody puts a sign up of Nick and I with our podcast, with like Gator Country Podcast or something like that, Nick and I will give you guys a one year free subscription to Gator Country. Period.
Nick: There you go.
Andrew: Period.
Nick: Make the sign.
Andrew: Make the sign. One year free. Period. That’s pretty cool. Pretty cool idea. It’s got to be on Gameday, not SEC Nation.
Nick: Got to be on Gameday.
Andrew: Not SEC Nation. And if you’re out there, hit us up. Hit me up on Twitter. Myself and David Bowie will be out there at Gameday and SEC Nation. We’ll be out there on Saturday. I should be out there on Friday a little bit as well. If you’re out there, hit us up. We’ll see everyone on Monday. Nick, tell everybody where they can find the work this weekend, and we’ll be out of here.
Nick: www.GatorCountry.com for all your Florida Gator news. The podcast is there in audio and transcript form. The podcast is on every platform that you listen to podcasts. Just search @GatorCountry. Hit the subscribe button. Leave a comment, leave a rating. Let us know how we’re doing. Do your social media thing. @GatorCountry on Facebook and Twitter. @TheGatorCountry on Instagram. I’m @NickdelaTorreGC. He’s @AndrewSpiveyGC. Go ahead and give me a little love on Instagram, @NickdelaTorre over there.
Andrew: There you go. Next week, home game again. We’ll get some Moe’s tailgate. Be ready for next week. Be giving away another free Moe’s tailgate and all that good jazz. Let’s see how this goes. Nick, I don’t know about you, but I’m hoping for a win. I want to go back to Atlanta and see the Mercedes Benz.
Nick: Welcome to Moe’s. Yeah.
Andrew: Even though Alabama will be the contender up there, it will still be fun to be in the Mercedes Benz. There you go. Guys, we appreciate it. As always, go Braves and chomp, chomp.
Nick: You stay classy, Gator Country.