High-stakes showdown for Gators

Florida seek sixth straight victory, revenge for 2017 rout against Georgia

GAINESVILLE — It was just Tuesday of Georgia week, but receiver Tyrie Cleveland barely could wait until Saturday.

Not only would the Gators face their bitter rival in an SEC showdown of top 10 teams, CBS would be on hand to call the game and ESPN’s College GameDay was headed to Jacksonville to preview the matchup for the first time since 2005, back when Tim Tebow was in high school down the road in St. Augustine and Mullen was in his first season as UF’s offensive coordinator.

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With the stakes so high and spotlight so bright once again at the “World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party,” it would be critical for Cleveland and the N0. 9 Gators to keep their heads.

“It’s kinda hard, you know, because we’re really excited to get to Saturday,” Cleveland said. “So, we just got to calm it down and take it one day at a time.”

After a week of work, coach Dan Mullen’s Gators are looking to announce their arrival.

To have such an opportunity a season removed from a 4-7 finish, Mullen’s squad shook off a stunning Week 2 home loss against Kentucky to win a nail-biter at Mississippi State, rode a sold-out Swamp to an emotional comeback against LSU and erased an 18-point deficit two weeks ago at Vanderbilt.

But coach Kirby Smart’s No. 7 Bulldogs are an entirely different animal, even if a bit wounded and exposed following a 36-16 loss at LSU.

“You kind of need things like sometimes to kind of humble you and put things in perspective,” Georgia defensive end Jonathan Ledbetter said. “You might have thought you were playing pretty well, doing everything the right way, but there’s always room for improvement.”

The Gators will look to pile on the Bulldogs and make the biggest step yet during UF’s surprising

turnaround under Mullen. When the College Football Playoff rankings debut Tuesday, Saturday’s Florida-Georgia winner will be squarely in the hunt for a spot in the four-team semifinal field.

Riding a five-game win streak, the Gators (6-1, 4-1 SEC) hit the practice field Monday knowing what lay ahead.

“Coach Mullen was like, ‘If I have to get you pumped up for this type of game right here then you’re just messed up in the head,’” tailback Lamical Perine said. “You just have to come out here, really, and know what you’re getting yourself into.”

Georgia’s collapse Oct. 13 at LSU uncovered some weaknesses in a Bulldogs squad that had trailed just 15 seconds all season and seemingly had not skipped a beat since a crushing overtime loss to Alabama in the national title game. The Bulldogs gave up 275 yards rushing and committed four turnovers at Tiger Stadium.

But like UF, reigning SEC champion Georgia (6-1, 4-1) comes off a bye week rested, refocused and ready to deliver its best shot.

“We’re gonna hit them in the mouth. They gonna hit us in the mouth,” UF linebacker David Reese said. “We’ll just see who flinches first.”

Whoever ends up on their heels might not recover Saturday and will be eliminated from the SEC title race.

The past four FloridaGeorgia games have been decided by at least two touchdowns. Just three of the past 10 meetings have been decided by one possession.

Last year’s 42-7 win by the Bulldogs was a classic example of a team riding a wave of momentum and emotion to a one-sided win.

“Guys are feeling that pain from last year,” Perine said. “There’s from that.”

That loss marked the end for coach Jim McElwain, who was fired the next day. The defeat also set the stage for a new beginning under Mullen, who was hired away from Mississippi State four weeks later.

Mullen and his staff since have changed the culture, instilled confidence in their players and come up a winning plan on Saturdays.

UF’s 46-year-old coach said there is no telling what exactly it will take to keep the good times rolling.

“It could be decided anywhere, you know what I mean? Big games,” Mullen said. “It could be whoever makes more plays down the field. It could be decided on the perimeter breaking tackles. It could be a turnover, a red-zone game.

“You’re going to have come out and play well.”

alot of fuel to