Cardiac Dawgs
by Chito Chibuye
Dawgs OTL Writer/ UGA Alumnus
Georgia Fan Bliss
The perfect football weekend doesn’t exi… oh wait! Not only did the Dawgs defeat their archrival Florida, but Georgia Tech, Auburn, Clemson, and Tennessee all suffered losses as well. Kirby Smart said it best: “This team is HARD to kill. ”That held true Saturday as Georgia needed all four quarters to put away the Gators in a classic SEC rivalry showdown.
Georgia vs Florida: A Gritty Rivalry Win in Jacksonville
It wasn’t always pretty, but UGA stayed composed in the 4th quarter to secure its fifth straight win over Florida with a 24–20 victory in Jacksonville — the last one there for a while. Every year brings chaos and weird moments in this rivalry, but this one felt like a true test of Georgia’s resilience.
And just as my Georgia–Florida preview predicted, several key themes came to life on game day.
Ref Talk and Reality: The Dawgs Dominated the Stats
Florida fans and Georgia haters were quick to complain about missed calls — this time about a “catch” that wasn’t. Replay confirmed the incompletion, but few mention Lagway’s fumble while stretching for a first down (not the goal line) or the questionable false start on Gunner for clapping.
What they won’t tell you is that Georgia had:
More total yards
More rushing yards
More passing yards
More first downs
Better third-down percentage
A higher completion rate
Longer time of possession
It’s easier to blame the refs than to call a spade a spade.
Where I Was Wrong: WR Spotlight Shifts and Defensive Adjustments
I’ll own it — I expected Noah Thomas to explode for this offense. He did find the end zone, but the true star of the receiver room continues to be Zachariah Branch, who hauled in 10 catches for 112 yards and added an electric spark this offense hasn’t seen since the days of Ladd McConkey and Brock Bowers — who, by the way, looked every bit like the best tight end in football again.
Defensively, I thought the corners would be key, but after Dallas Wilson’s early injury, Florida leaned heavily on QB runs. That put the spotlight on Georgia’s safeties and linebackers — and they delivered. Zion Branch stepped up after KJ Bolden’s ejection, while CJ Allen played like a man possessed, racking up a team-high 12 tackles and keeping Lagway contained.
Where I Was Right: Bowens Takes Over and Florida Fumbles Opportunities
Chauncey Bowens has officially arrived as Georgia’s new RB1. He sealed the game with a 36-yard touchdown run in the 4th quarter that showcased elite vision, balance, and burst — the kind of run that would make him a cheat code in College Football 26. He finished with 9 carries for 70 yards and a touchdown (7.8 yards per carry).
And as expected, Florida did what Florida does in clutch moments — they imploded. After taking a brief lead with a 54-yard field goal, the Gators got the ball back with a chance to go up two scores, only to stall on 4th & 1 after nearly fumbling the play before. Georgia took advantage immediately, scoring on Bowens’ run to retake control.
When Florida had another shot, Lagway underthrew a wide-open receiver and turned the ball over on downs after a near pick-six. Georgia iced the game with another toss sweep into the red zone — déjà vu from the Vols game in Knoxville — and an offsides penalty on 3rd & 5 sealed the deal.
SEC Weekend Recap: Dawgs Stay Strong, Rivals Stumble
While Georgia held strong, the rest of the SEC landscape was full of chaos. Rival losses from Georgia Tech, Auburn, Clemson, and Tennessee made the weekend even sweeter for Dawg Nation.
Georgia’s 7–1 (5–1 SEC) record speaks volumes about this team’s identity: resilient, composed, and, as Kirby said, “hard to kill.”
Final Thoughts: A Statement Win for the Dawgs
It was gritty, emotional, and at times frustrating — but ultimately, Georgia proved yet again why it remains the gold standard in college football. In a weekend full of upsets and rival heartbreaks, the Dawgs stood tall.
It’s great, to be, a Georgia Bulldog.
Sic ’em.
