The No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs face the No. 20 Florida Gators in the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party on Halloween. The 2026 version of Georgia-Florida will have a unique, new flavor for several different reasons.
The Georgia-Florida game will be played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, which will be the first series meeting in Atlanta. The game is also the first time Florida coach Jon Sumrall will face Georgia's Kirby Smart.
Georgia has won five straight meetings in the series, but Florida has closed the gap between the two programs and is ready to upset Georgia. The Gators and Bulldogs are both well-rested off bye weeks and the game will be played at 3:30 p.m. ET (televised on ABC) as usual. Coach Smart has a lot of respect for this Florida team,
which has a couple of major wins this season.
"All of our guys got back last night and had a good couple of days (off)," Georgia coach Kirby Smart said on Florida. "Ready to get rolling on Florida. This is always a great tradition, a great game. Obviously, the venue has changed. I don't think that matters much to the teams playing in it. For the fan base, it's probably a unique experience to have the game in the Benz (Mercedes-Benz Stadium) in Atlanta."
Smart's initial impressions on Florida
"I have a lot of respect for this team," Smart said. "Coach (Jon) Sumrall has done a great job of putting a lot of energy into the program and a lot of physicality into the program. They play really hard. When you turn on the tape, you see the physicality they play with on both sides of the ball.
On both of Florida's coordinators
"I have a ton of respect for both coordinators. We have gone against both of them for multiple years. They have got great schemes and really good players. They're playing in this tough conference that we're in. A lot of respect for (Florida offensive coordinator) Buster (Faulkner), obviously, who was on our staff. I think he's one of the best offensive minds in the country, and it's really hard to defend. I'm so happy for his success and how well he's done. He is a close friend, and I have a lot of respect for him."
In addition to Faulkner, Florida also has a familiar coach on their defensive staff. Florida defensive coordinator Brad White has been in the SEC for a long time with him serving as Kentucky's defensive coordinator for the seven seasons before coming to Florida for the 2026 season.
On Florida's quarterbacks
"Both very talented," Smart said on Florida's two top quarterbacks. "One (Aaron Philo, who started Florida's first six games of the season) beat Ole Miss handily and one (Tramell Jones) beat Texas on the road. They're both completely capable, good players.
"I have known about both of them for a long time. In terms of their ability, they're both plenty capable, especially in Buster's offense. I think that it's not like it's quarterback driven, but it doesn't require the quarterback to be perfect. He gives them so many options, and he can play to the strengths of each guy."
Smart praises Florida star running back Jadan Baugh
"They have got a great run scheme, and they have got a great back to go it with," Smart said. "When you can run the ball and know that your back is going to make people miss in the open field or break tackles by running through them, over them, around them, it certainly gives you the confidence to give him touches. He has been incredible. He is in and out of breaks.
"We have shown our guys clips of him since the start of the year to kind of say, 'Are you practicing to tackle him, or are you practicing to tackle who you're playing against?' We are driving the motivation that every day you're trying to prepare for the best, and he's certainly done that. He's a talented young man."
Baugh was a preseason All-SEC second-team pick and has 135 carries for 763 yards and 13 touchdowns (third in the nation) this season.
On Florida offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner
"He brought several guys with him," Smart said on Faulkner, who left his role at Georgia Tech to become Florida's offensive coordinator this offseason. Faulkner was previously on coach Smart's staff. "He brought some of the guys with him that were really good players, and he has always had a really good offensive mind.
"I think his journey has been very different. He has played in different styles of offense. He is not one style, and it has made him a better coach through doing that. He knows how to utilize the player skill sets he has on the team, and he does it while maintaining physicality and making sure that there is still toughness in the run game and how you do things."
On Florida's defense
"He (Florida defensive coordinator Brad White) has some really good players," Smart said. "He has some twitchy, violent-size, length guys. They strike people. He has always had really good defenses.
"I think when you put him in the Florida system, and you get those kinds of athletes and pass rushers, it compounds his effect to affect the game. They are always long and always physical. They always have a great depth in their defense in terms of the way they play. I have a lot of respect for the job he does."
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This article originally appeared on UGA Wire: What Georgia coach Kirby Smart said about Florida football
