How Florida Gators' Defense can Exploit Georgia Bulldogs

While the Georgia Bulldogs are a formidable opponent, the Florida Gators can attack a crack in the Bulldogs' armor.

The Florida Gators can find success against the Georgia Bulldogs offense by pressuring quarterback Carson Beck into mistakes. / Bob Self/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK

Don't let the resounding victory over Texas fool you, The Georgia Bulldogs offense isn't the dominant force of the recent past. Even in their impressive win over the Longhorns, Georgia failed to crack 300 yards of offense.

As a result, the Florida Gators can actually make life a bit rough for the Bulldogs next Saturday. 

In fact, without hyperbole, the Gators defense will definitely have their moments during the course of the game. Now, the tricky part arises when UF needs to turn those moments into sustained success that leads to a victory. While football is a team sport, with all three phases contributing, Florida's defense must set a tone early, 

Not Stetson Bennett

For all of the jokes regarding his extremely long college career, Stetson Bennett made Georgia's offense formidable. Never the most talented, Bennett used decent ball placement mixed with aggression and bravery to lead UGA to back-to-back national titles. 

Despite significantly-more hype as an NFL prospect, current Bulldogs' quarterback Carson Beck does not look like he's cut from the same mold. For all of Bennett's intangibles, Beck possesses a much higher physical ceiling. He throws a better ball, further, and more accurate vertically. He also doesn't enjoy the luxury of Brock Bowers and Ladd McConkey to turn dump offs into big plays. Florida needs to create interior pressure to rattle Beck. 

While he possesses adequate agility, he does not like to use it. Instead, he wants to find his receivers. That split-second hesitation means a difference between a completion and a sack. Pressure bursts pipes, makes diamonds and also forces Carson Beck into interceptions.

He leads the SEC in interceptions with eight. Over the last two games, opponents swiped five passes, going the other way. Georgia ranks 44th in FBS total offense. If the Gators can provide heat on Beck, the rest of the offense melts away. 

Old Friend, New Enemy

When Trevor Etienne transferred to Georgia many believed that the missing piece to the championship puzzle arrived. In all honesty, he does not look like the same back that starred in Gainesville. First of all, while boasting seven touchdowns, Etienne's last 100-yard rushing game took place in September..of 2023.. as Gator. 

While Georgia looks like a lock for a playoff spot, Etienne does not look like a root cause. More importantly, many of the veteran Gators on the team know Etienne's entire game like the back of their collective hand. Under those circumstances, look for the Gators to snuff out the run against their former teammate.

Overview

The University of Georgia or at least this incarnation looks nothing like the squad that dropped 65 during a national championship game just-two seasons ago. Florida's chances reside with the ability to attack Carson Beck, introducing him to the ground multiple times. 

Florida needs to do whatever they must to get in Carson Beck's face. If you follow movies, and are of a certain age, this clip emphasizes not only what odds the Gators must face, but sticking to the plan and jumping on every opportunity helps.