Rivalry of the Week: Gator vs. Bulldog

 

October 27, 2011 1:00 PM by Morgan

Vivid Seats Rivalry Corner: World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party

This week the Vivid Seats' land of rivalries takes us again to the SEC in Jacksonville, Fla. where we'll watch some University of Florida Gators vs. University of Georgia Bulldogs football on 10/29, in a game that is truly made for fans.

The rivalry, now officially known as the "Florida vs. Georgia Football Classic," was nicknamed the "World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party" in the 1950s because of the parties thrown by tailgating fans before and after the game. The Florida Gators have won the game for the last three years in a row, but this year Georgia is looking tough. The overall rivalry record is Georgia-46, Florida-40, Tie-2. 

Top Five reasons the Gators vs. Bulldogs rivalry is great for fans:

World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party


  1. It's on neutral ground: The big game is always held in Jacksonville, so neither team can really claim home turf, making it a more even match. This year, Georgia is the "home" team. 
  2. The tailgating is insane. If you're going to this game, take pictures and share your tailgate spread with us - the weather in Florida is great this time of year (71 degrees and sunny on Sat.), and these Gators and Bulldogs really know how to party!
  3. Both teams usually have a chance to win. In the past couple years, Florida has been outrageously good - but throughout the history of this game, the rivalry hasn't swayed excessively in one direction or another.
  4. The atmosphere in Jacksonville is great for fans. The stadium holds 84,000 for this game, and the Jaguars' stadium serves adult beverages that you can't get at a college campus venue - just helping out with the "cocktail party" theme of this match-up!
  5. It's a true rivalry. One side doesn't always win - the bragging rights have been shared over the years, so both sides have felt the glory of winning and the upset of defeat. 

So why is this game the rivalry of the week? It's a long-standing rivalry that has an intense meaning for its fans. This year, game analysts are favoring Georgia, but big things could happen in regards to bowl games if Florida pulls an upset. Georgia currently leads the SEC-East race, and if they lose this weekend to an unranked team their current 22 rank in the BCS standings will not hold - possibly dashing dreams of an SEC Championship and altering their chances for a bowl game. 

Go put on your best fan gear and get ready for the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party in the parking lot at Everbank Field this Saturday morning. It will be a good game - and win or lose Saturday in Jacksonville sounds like a good time for all!