JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — It’s been a minute since the Florida-Georgia game was proceeded by such upheaval. Like, two-plus decades. And yet, not even the firing of Ron Zook in in the middle of the 2004 season turned the pregame narrative upside down like what’s taken place back in Gainesville the last couple weeks. 
 
To refresh, the Gators were 4-2 in late-October of ’04 when they went on the road to face Mississippi State. The Bulldogs, winners of just two SEC games (both against Vanderbilt) over three seasons and a month removed from a 9-7 home loss to Division II Maine, bulldozed UF for more than 400 yards in an embarrassing 38-31 defeat. Zook, who fell to 20-13 in his three-plus seasons, was canned the next day, but allowed to coach his team the final four games of the regular season. 
 

Six days later came the showdown with Georgia. The Bulldogs beat lame-ducked Zook and the Gators 31-24. 
 
Here we are, 21 years later, and UF (3-4, 2-2) will take on fifth-ranked UGA (6-1, 4-1) at EverBank Stadium Saturday with similar swirling uncertainty, most notably with Gators interim coach Billy Gonzales calling the shots against the defending Southeastern Conference champion. Gonzales, in his third stint on a Florida staff, was tabbed by UF athletic director Scott Stricklin to navigate the balance of the 2025 season following the Oct. 19 firing of Billy Napier, who went 22-23 in his three-plus seasons and and struggled to put any semblance of a potent offense on the field. Gonzales will be the first UF interim coach to face Georgia since Gary Darnell in 1989.
 
Whatever is to come of the Gators beyond ’25 will be one of the most heavily scrutinized storylines in all of college football, but in the interim (pun intended; sort of) all those people still residing in the Heavener Football Training Center have jobs to do and would like to excel in – for both current and future reasons – and the Bulldogs, perennial participants in the College Football Playoff, present not only a formidable challenge but a grandiose opportunity. 
 
[Read senior writer Scott Carter‘s comprehensive “Opening Kickoff” setup here]
 
Georgia has won seven the previous eight in the series, dating to 2017, and only once has its margin of victory been in single digits. Florida’s average margin of defeat over that span has been 21 points, but this UF roster – even with a handful of injuries – has enough talent to hang with the Dogs. That was the case last year in the rivalry’s renewal, with the game tied in the fourth quarter despite the Gators losing freshman quarterback DJ Lagway in the first half to an injury. 

Through seven games, Lagway (65.3%, 1,513 yards, 9 TD, 9 INT) has not had the sophomore season so many envisioned after a breakout rookie season. Whether Napier’s conservative and dictatorial approach to running an offense that ranks 90th the nation and 12^th in the SEC in total yards (363.0 per game) was holding the unit back could come to light in this 103^rd meeting between the two storied programs. If that’s the case, the UF offense’s chance to get right will come against a Georgia offense ranked 25^th nationally and fifth in the league (314.4 ypg). 
 
Running the offense, unlike Napier’s insistence to wear every game day hat, will be a team effort. 
 
The overall game plan, as before, will be a collective gathering led by offensive coordinator Russ Callaway. “Billy G,” though, has tasked quarterbacks coach Ryan O’Hara to join Callaway in the upstairs booth to call the plays. On the UF sidelines, offensive analyst Steve Spurrier Jr. will be charged with shadowing Lagway and being in his ear with input. 
 
If it sounds complicated, maybe it is – but it’s also a different and far more democratic approach than before. Maybe it’ll look different, as well, with more shots taken downfield. 
 
On defense, coordinator Ron Roberts and his staff, armed with a unit ranked tied for 43^rd nationally and 11^th in the league (337.6 ypg), will maintain the status quo as it faces improving quarterback Gunner Stockton (70.5%, 1,553 yards, 10 TD, 1 INT) and a UGA offense ranked 37^th in the country and seventh in the SEC (484.4). 
 
Georgia has won three straight, with its last outing a 43-35 comeback against previously unbeaten and fifth-ranked Ole Miss, coached by Lane Kiffin (another story for another day, perhaps). 
 
Coverage begins at 3:30 p.m. on ABC with Joe Tessitore on play-by-play, Jordan Rodgers providing analysis and Katie George working the sidelines. The Gators Sports Network from Learfield broadcast will air with pregame coverage beginning at 11:30 a.m. and eventually give way to the team of Sean Kelley, Shane Matthews and Tate Casey on the call. For GSN stations, click here. 

The game will re-air Monday at 4 a.m. and Thursday at noon, both on the SEC Network.

Finally, follow senior writer Scott Carter (@GatorsScott) on X for commentary and analysis throughout the game. FloridaGators.com will have complete post-game coverage from the game late Saturday night and follow-up content Sunday, also.