The Cocktail Party is on the move. OK, so they don't call the Florida-Georgia football rivalry that anymore — they should — but the party is moving indoors this year. For the first since 1995, the game won't be played in Jacksonville while EverBank Stadium goes through a renovation.
Instead, this year's game between the third-ranked Bulldogs and 20th-ranked Gators will be in Atlanta at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Saturday will mark the first ranked matchup between the rivals since 2020.
Both teams should be well rested coming off bye weeks: the Bulldogs nursing their wounds from an upset loss to Auburn and the Gators coming down off the high of upsetting Texas to keep them in the SEC hunt and College Football Playoff picture.
upsets? College football bold predictions for Week 9
So who wins on Saturday? Here's what you need to know for one of Week 9's marquee games, including predictions from USA TODAY Sports reporters and beat writers from the Gainesville Sun and Athens Banner-Herald, part of the USA TODAY Network.
Georgia vs Florida predictions, expert picks
USA TODAY Sports staff picks:
- John Brice: Georgia
- Matt Hayes: Georgia
- Jordan Mendoza: Georgia
- Paul Myerberg: Georgia
- Erick Smith: Georgia
- Eddie Timanus: Georgia
- Blake Toppmeyer: Georgia
- Craig Meyer: Georgia 33, Florida 23
- John Leuzzi: Georgia 31, Florida 20
- Jordan Mendoza: Georgia 29, Florida 27
- Adam Bittner: Georgia 30, Florida 21
- Georgia 35, Florida 20: Florida and Jon Sumrall have a tough task ahead, not only against Georgia, but a Georgia team coming off an upset loss and a bye week. The Bulldogs are going to look like a different team against the Gators, and I'm expecting a big win." — Austin Curtright, USA TODAY
- Georgia 27, Florida 24: For the second straight year, Florida will keep things close against rival Georgia, but a late TD drive led by UGA quarterback Gunner Stockton will lift the Bulldogs to their sixth straight win in the series. Georgia's depth will play a factor, and UGA's defense will bottle Jadan Baugh up, holding the Florida star running back to under 100 yards for the fourth straight game. — Kevin Brockway, Gainesville Sun
- Georgia 34, Florida 24: The Bulldogs haven't had back-to-back regular seasons losses since Kirby Smart's first season in 2016 and that won't change. Buster Faulkner has put a charge into Florida's offense and beaten top 10 teams with quarterback Aaron Philo and Tramell Jones Jr., but Florida is allowing nearly 35 points a game against SEC foes. Georgia's offense and Gunner Stockton minimize turnovers and get the win. — Marc Weiszer, Athens Banner-Herald
Georgia-Florida football injury report
Georgia: Wide receiver Isiah Canion (lower extremity, questionable), running back Chauncey Bowens (lower body, questionable), safety KJ Bolden (leg, questionable), wide receiver Thomas Blackshear (collarbone, out), defensive back Tyriq Green (leg, out), RB Dante Dowdell (multiple injuries including collarbone, lung and arm, out), outside linebacker Amaris Williams (knee, out).
Florida: Quarterback Aaron Philo (shoulder, questionable), quarterback Tramell Jones (undisclosed, questionable), RB Duke Clark (foot, questionable), wide receiver Bailey Stockton (foot, doubtful), wide receiver Vernell Brown (knee, probable), LB Jaden Robinson (undisclosed, doubtful).
Is Georgia favored vs Florida ? Betting odds, spread
(via BetMGM)
- Favorite: Georgia by 11.5 points.
- Over/under: 56.5 total points
- Moneyline: Georgia -450; Florida +350
When was the last time Florida beat Georgia in football?
The Bulldogs have won five straight in the series, with the Gators' last win coming in 2020, a 44-28 win in the last ranked matchup between the schools.
Kyle Trask threw for 474 yards and four touchdowns, and the Gators outgained the Bulldogs 571 to 277 in total yards.
Who will start at QB for Florida Gators football: Aaron Philo or Tramell Jones
Jones guided Florida to a 27-24 upset win over Texas in his first career start, passing for 155 yards and two TDs.
Philo, who sat out the Texas game with a shoulder injury, returned to practice during the bye week. The 6-1, 207-pound Philo led Florida to a 4-2 record in six starts and ranks second in the SEC in completion percentage (70.2%) and eighth in passing (223.5 yards per game).
Sumrall said he intends to make the final call on who starts the day before the game. Both were listed as questionable on the SEC's initial availability report for the matchup on October 28, adding to the intrigue.
"You don't throw out the full body of work with what they've done going back to January," Sumrall said, "But you also take into account most recent activities. You wait. How are they doing right now. If one guy goes out all week and practices really good and the other guy doesn't, then that'll tell me something. But it's who can function, who can operate, who can make the throws, who can get us in and out of things. All those things. Both of them are in a good spot with all that. I would say how they go through the week will matter."
Why is Florida-Georgia football being played in Atlanta, not Jacksonville?
The game will be played in Atlanta this season and at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa in 2027 due to a $1.4 billion renovation project ongoing at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville for the Jacksonville Jaguars. The series will return to Jacksonville in 2028.
What channel is Florida-Georgia football game on? How to watch, time, TV announcers
- Time: 3:30 p.m., Saturday
- TV: ABC/Disney+
- Announcers: Chris Fowler (play-by-play), Kirk Herbstreit (analyst) and Holly Rowe (sideline)
Georgia Bulldogs football schedule
- Sept. 5: vs. Tennessee State; W, 63-3
- Sept. 12: vs. Western Kentucky; W, 70-20
- Sept. 19: at Arkansas; W, 45-17
- Sept. 26: vs. Oklahoma; W, 41-13
- Oct. 3: vs. Vanderbilt; W, 38-14
- Oct. 10: at Alabama; W, 20-17
- Oct. 17: vs. Auburn; L, 27-24
- Oct. 31: vs. Florida, 3:30 p.m. (ABC)
- Nov. 7: at Ole Miss, 7:30 p.m. (ABC)
- Nov. 14: vs. Missouri
- Nov. 21: at South Carolina
- Nov. 28: vs. Georgia Tech
Florida Gators football schedule
- Sept. 5: vs. Florida Atlantic; W, 66-21
- Sept. 12: vs. Campbell; W, 52-3
- Sept. 19: at Auburn; W, 44-39
- Sept. 26: vs. Ole Miss; W, 52-28
- Oct. 3: at Missouri; L, 45-17
- Oct. 10: vs. South Carolina; L, 38-19
- Oct. 17: at Texas; W, 27-24
- Oct. 31: vs. Georgia, 3:30 p.m. (ABC)
- Nov. 7: vs. Oklahoma, 7:45 p.m. (SECN)
- Nov. 14: at Kentucky
- Nov. 21: vs. Vanderbilt
- Nov. 27: at Florida State, 3:30 p.m. (ABC)
USA TODAY Network reporters Kevin Brockway (Gainesville Sun) and Marc Weiszer (Athens Banner-Herald) contributed to this story.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Florida-Georgia football predictions: Is anyone picking the Gators?
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