Bishop Media Sports Network
Georgia Florida Game Hall Of Fame Class
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Florida-Georgia rivalry is one of college football’s most enduring traditions, and each year the Florida-Georgia Hall of Fame honors former players, coaches, and contributors.
Established in 1995 by the City of Jacksonville’s Office of Sports and Entertainment (later associated with Jacksonville’s sports and tourism arms), the Florida-Georgia Hall of Fame celebrates those who left indelible marks on the Florida–Georgia rivalry.
Each year, two representatives from the University of Florida and two from the University of Georgia are selected and formally inducted at a luncheon held on the Friday before the annual Florida-Georgia football game in Jacksonville — a weekend now embraced by SEC fans as part of the “Florida-Georgia Weekend.”
Jacksonville plays host to fan events and the buildup to what is often called “the world’s largest outdoor cocktail party” in college football lore. Here are 2025’s honorees:
Brandon James: James might be the most electric return specialist in Southeastern Conference history. Competing for Florida from 2006 to 2009, he appeared in 50 games, leaving a statistical legacy: four SEC records and eleven Florida records, including career kickoff return yards (2,718), punt return yards (1,371), most total kick returns (229), and total return yardage (4,089).
He is among the select few Gators to have returned both a punt and a kickoff for a touchdown, finishing with five return scores in total.
His accolades include 2008 SEC Special Teams Player of the Year, FWAA All-America honors, and multiple All-SEC designations.
Beyond special teams, he chipped in offensively (as a receiver and rusher), contributing more than 700 yards and additional scores.
During his era, Florida claimed two SEC championships and a 2008 BCS national title — and James was a key weapon in shifting momentum and field position.
Todd Johnson: A stalwart in Florida’s secondary from 1999 through 2002, Todd Johnson started 35 games and played in 47.
He was twice named First-Team All-SEC (2000, 2001) and Second-Team in 2002.
Over his career, Johnson amassed 284 tackles, executed 40 “big plays” (including nine interceptions, eight fumble recoveries, and three blocked kicks), and led the team in total plays two years in a row.
His 2000 season was a highlight: 102 tackles and 5 interceptions in a single year.
Off the field, he earned SEC Academic Honor Roll recognition.
After college, he was selected in the 4th round of the 2003 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears and went on to play in the NFL with the Bears, Rams, and Bills, totaling 80 games and accumulating 196 tackles, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and a sack.
Freddie Gilbert: Gilbert was a rock on Georgia’s defensive front from 1980 to 1983.
Notably, he posted an undefeated 4–0 record against Florida during his career, anchoring some of Georgia’s most memorable rivalry victories — including a 44–0 shutout in 1982 and a tight 10–9 win in 1983. In 1981, he logged eight tackles (three for loss) against Florida, prompting then-coach Vince Dooley to laud his “outstanding” effort.
Over four seasons, Gilbert racked up 233 tackles and 26 sacks, ranking sixth all-time at Georgia, and set the school’s single-game sack record with five against Temple in 1983.
He earned two First-Team All-SEC nods and was a 1983 All-American. After college he played professionally in the USFL and later in the NFL, including appearances in Super Bowls XXI and XXII with the Denver Broncos.
Sony Michel: Michel was a prolific running back for Georgia from 2014 to 2017, and his performances in rivalry games and postseason matchups cemented his place in Bulldog lore.
In his final Florida–Georgia game, he rushed for 137 yards and scored two long touchdowns in a dominant 42–7 win.
During his collegiate tenure, Michel amassed 3,638 rushing yards, 33 touchdowns, and added more than 600 receiving yards, becoming the third-all-time leading rusher at Georgia.
He was a two-time permanent team captain, and he led Georgia to the 2017 SEC Championship and a berth in the College Football Playoff.
Michel’s final college season included a standout performance in the Rose Bowl with 181 yards and three touchdowns, propelling Georgia to the national title game.
In the NFL, Michel was selected in the first round by the New England Patriots and went on to win two Super Bowls — famously scoring the only touchdown in Super Bowl LIII — before later joining and winning another title with the Los Angeles Rams.
The 2025 inductee class continues the Hall’s mission to spotlight those whose impact rippled beyond individual games.
Their achievements in Florida–Georgia matchups, on broader stages, and in post-collegiate careers embody the rivalry’s blend of excellence, drama, and enduring loyalty.
The Jacksonville luncheon remains more than an award ceremony — it’s a gathering of the rivalry’s past and present, connecting generations of fans, players, and media in celebration of one of college football’s greatest traditions.
As October 31 approaches and fans flock to Jacksonville, the 2025 Hall of Fame class will be immortalized among the legends of the Florida-Georgia rivalry — their stories woven into the fabric of one of the sport’s most storied matchups.
Brantley County Herons Coach’s Show w David Shores October 30 2025
Jason Bishop Show October 30 2025
The War For The Oar
By: Michael Spiers
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Few games in college football have the same feel as Georgia–Florida.
Every fall, the Bulldogs and Gators meet in Jacksonville for a border war that splits families, fills the stands with half red and black and half orange and blue, and reminds the rest of the country how much fun a real rivalry can be.
Depending on which record book you believe, the two first met in either 1904 or 1915, but since 1926 they’ve battled nearly every year, taking only one break during World War II.
The matchup has lived in Jacksonville since 1933, which is considered neutral ground right on the border, and the party that surrounds it is legendary.
For years, fans called it The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party, and while the schools have dropped that name officially, the energy hasn’t gone anywhere.
This rivalry has always swung in streaks. Georgia owned the early years, Florida took control in the ’50s and early ’60s, then Vince Dooley’s Bulldogs flipped the script through the ’80s.
The ’90s were all Gators thanks to Steve Spurrier, and Urban Meyer kept it rolling into the 2000s. But lately, it’s been Kirby Smart’s world. Georgia has won seven of the last eight, and they don’t look ready to give it up.
Still, there’s more to this rivalry than touchdowns and bragging rights.
Since 2009, coincidentally around the time the Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party moniker was abandoned, the Okefenokee Oar has added a unique twist to the Georgia–Florida story.
The Oar is exactly what it sounds like. It is a 12-foot wooden oar carved from a 1,000-year-old tree pulled from the Okefenokee Swamp, that massive wetland straddling the Georgia–Florida border.
The swamp’s ownership was once disputed between the two states, which makes it the perfect symbol for this tug-of-war rivalry.
Nobody’s really sure why an oar was chosen. The story goes that an anonymous Florida donor came up with the idea in 2009, and student leaders from both schools ran with it.
One side of the Oar features Georgia’s Bulldog and state crest; the other side shows Florida’s Gator and seal. Down the handle, every score since 2009 is carved in, with enough space to keep track for another 150 years.
Florida won the first two “Wars for the Oar,” but Georgia brought it home in 2011 after a 24–20 win.
Since then, it’s traded hands a few times, usually staying with the winner for three-year stretches.
When the Bulldogs have it, you can find the Oar proudly displayed in the Tate Student Center in Athens, Bulldog side facing out. When the Gators win, the Gator side gets the spotlight in Gainesville.
The original idea for the Oar didn’t come from the athletic departments, but instead came from the students. The University of Georgia and University of Florida student governments teamed up to make it official with a joint resolution in 2011.
Ever since, the winning school’s students have been in charge of hauling the massive thing to Jacksonville for the next game.
When Georgia wins, the Redcoat Band usually gets the honor of bringing it back home on the bus.
The Oar started as a quirky idea, but it’s grown into a genuine part of the rivalry. ESPN’s College GameDay has featured it, fans use the hashtag #WarForTheOar, and it’s become one more layer of pride in a matchup that already oozes history and heart.
This year’s game kicks off November 1, and the stakes are as high as ever. Bragging rights, playoff hopes, and a little piece of carved swamp history are all on the line.
When Georgia and Florida meet in Jacksonville, it’s never just a football game. It’s the annual border battle for the Okefenokee Oar, and there’s nothing quite like it in college football.
Frederica Academy Knights Coach’s Show w Brandon Derrick October 30 2025
Frederica Academy Knights Coach’s Show w Brandon Derrick October 30 2025
Brunswick High Pirates Coach’s Show w Garrett Grady October 28 2025
The Next Man In The Bayou?
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
LSU is college football’s latest tier 1 team to fire their coach and enter the most exciting coaching carousel in recent history.
Not only are the Tigers in the mix, but they also move right to the front of the line as the top job available.
Brian Kelly’s 34-14 record wasn’t the type of failure that we typically see associated with major program firings. At a program with expectations like Louisiana State University, 34-14 with no championships isn’t good enough.
In a coaching cycle that’s already breaking buyout records and showcasing major names, LSU is a job that will attract the best and brightest.
In most cases, what this new job was and what it is can be two completely different things.
In LSU’s case, there may be no better time to demand the best of the best. With that in mind, here’s a look at some upside vs. challenges that the next coach will face at LSU.
If you could design the perfect recruiting base, it might be LSU. Though in-state players leave at times, the best from Louisiana often stay home to play for the Tigers.
There’s a state pride connection to the university like no other, and that’s a great starting point, considering Louisiana produces the most NFL players per capita.
The Tigers also border Texas to the east giving them easy access to pop into the nation’s most talented recruits. Their proximity to Mississippi and the rest of the Greater Southeast means that LSU has a geographical and reputational footprint many programs envy.
At their best, they can be a national recruiter going coast-to-coast and up and down the eastern seaboard. LSU possesses access and natural advantages when it comes to talent. They are among the best in the country.
We’ve already discussed the recruiting base as an advantage, but it can’t be overstated how big of a jump that gives the Tigers in potential roster building.
Additionally, LSU has one of the country’s best game day environments with night games in Death Valley. Their prodigious number of former Tigers in the NFL makes LSU an attractive option for players looking to reach the next level.
Though Kelly was vocal about the need for more NIL money at times, the Tigers showed the ability to be big spenders this past offseason with a roster value estimated to be around $30 million, according to sources.
LSU also has a sizable front office, having put together one of the country’s top personnel groups.
A new coach may want to restructure some, but the support is already in place for a plug-and-play candidate.
It’s still early in the aftermath, but all indications are that LSU recruiting class looks stable and the Tigers’ roster seems to be in the same shape under interim coach Frank Wilson.
Unlike most jobs where there’s major upheaval following a change, the right staff could retain key pieces and be set up for success in year one.
Louisiana is home to good food, good music and generally messy politics. With LSU playing in the state capital of Baton Rouge, those politics are right on the doorstep.
In fact, Louisiana governor Jeff Landry went to social media and voiced his disapproval of LSU’s rising season ticket prices after Saturday’s 49-24 beat down against Texas A&M and played a big part to remove Kelly.
Landry’s role is more out of necessity at the moment because LSU is without a school president. Still, political influence and pressure to win is at an all-time high within the program.
The Tigers showed the ability to raise the funds necessary to compete with the best in the country this year, but they will need continued contributions to stay at that level.
That can be difficult when LSU’s other athletic programs have mouths to feed. Their baseball program and women’s basketball team are both among the nation’s elite while their men’s basketball hopes to rise again. In the rev-share era, those can be tough waters to navigate for an athletic department.
There’s a reason this opening resonated within the industry when news of Kelly’s departure broke. Many in the industry consider LSU an elite job, if not the best.
No place has more natural advantages, I think it’s the easiest place to win in the country when you consider all of the factors.
Look no further than Les Miles and Ed Orgeron winning national titles during their time there. No school has the access they do to the amount of talent needed to win, and the administration has shown time and again they will back them if needed.
I don’t think people outside of the state understand how powerful the Tiger’s brand is in that region. It’s everywhere in Louisiana, and because of the displacement from Katrina, it’s moved into Texas and Florida and other parts of the Southeast.
I think the fit matters. We saw it with Kelly, and I think you have to understand you’re recruiting and coaching a different type of player there. If they find a guy who understands that the sky is the limit.
Just days removed from the decision, any talk of concrete names is still premature. But it’s safe to say that Lane Kiffin is a top contender.
Kiffin is likely to be the belle of the coaching ball with Florida also in play and Ole Miss working to extend his contract.
My short list includes former Penn State coach James Franklin, Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady, who previously called plays for LSU during their 2019 championship season, and Tulane coach Jon Sumrall.
Given the attractiveness of the position, LSU could even take a big swing inside NFL circles. Athletic director Scott Woodward said that he intended on a national coaching search, and the Tigers should use everything at their disposal to attract the best candidates.
Georgia Memories
By: Joe Delaney
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Well, here we are with the latest installment pf the “World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party”.
This year’s edition has twist and turns as is usual in this heated rivalry.
Gone is Billy Napier and the Gators are in disarray. The Dawgs are ranked #5 and should win easily right? Not so fast………….
When you look at the history of the rivalry it makes you realize how scary a game this is for the Dawgs.
The Gators have absolutely nothing to lose and that makes them very dangerous. The Dawgs better be ready to play because this IS the biggest game for Florida and stranger things have happened.
Let’s look at a few of the great games, notes and players in Georgia Florida history through the Bulldogs eyes.
Let’s start at the beginning. Did you know the two schools can’t even agree on how many games have been played?
Florida says that the 1904 game doesn’t count because that was the University of Florida Lake City. Well Georgia won the game 52-0 played in Macon. The great UGA historian Dan Magill remarked many years later, “that’s where Florida was back then. We can’t help it if they got run out of Lake City.” Now that’s how you start a rivalry!
Who can forget the 1975 game and the amazing Larry Munson. Yes it’s the Appleby to Washington game with Larry being ……well Larry!
With 3:10 left in the fourth quarter Vince Dooley calls an end around pass. Larry takes it from there………“and Washington caught it thinking of Montreal and the Olympics and ran out of his shoes right down the middle 80 yards!” Georgia goes on to win 10-7.
A year later it was Florida leading the Dawgs 27-20 in the third quarter. Head Coach Doug Dickey has a brain fart of epic proportions and goes for it on 4th and 1 from his own TWENTY NINE yard line. Florida gets stuffed and Georgia goes on to win 41-27. The play and the game are always remembered as “fourth and dumb”.
Ah yes, 1980. No column on the Georgia/Florida game is done without it. A strong dose of Herschel and a shot of Buck and Lindsay! The great Larry Munson ends the call of Buck and Lindsay with “man is their gonna be some property destroyed tonight! I gave up….you did too….out of it…..out of it and gone. Miracle!” Nuff said.
In 2007 it was the “Gator Stomp”. Georgia’s Knowshon Moreno dives into the endzone for a first quarter touchdown and the ENTIRE Georgia team runs on the field. Georgia goes on the sack Heisman winner Tim Tebow 6 times in the 42-30 Georgia win.
And who can forget the “evil genius” aka Steve Spurrier. Ole Stevie went 11-1 against the Dawgs in his Tenure as Head Coach of the Gators.
He was a brilliant coach and probably loved beating the Dawgs more than anything. His “fun and gun” offenses had some of basics of what offenses run today.
So why did Spurrier have such a distain for Red and Black? It goes back to 1966.
Dooley’s Dawgs roll into the old Gator Bowl to face the Heisman winner Spurrier and the Gators. Well, the Dawgs intercept Spurrier 3 times and he was constantly harassed by Bill Stanfield, the Georgia great.
In the funniest quote I’ve ever seen the good old country boy Stanfield would say, “holding pigs for my dad to castrate was quite a challenge. I can’t say that it helped me prepare for football, but it sure did remind me an awful lot of sacking Steve Spurrier”!
Yeah its Georgia Florida. The old boys from Florida have their share of golden memories also. That’s what makes it so great. For many it’s the biggest game of the year.
No matter what the records are. Its Georgia Florida, a great big slice of Americana. Strap em up Dawgs and don’t forget that injured Gators are dangerous.
You Ain’t From Round Here
By: Michael Spiers
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
I need to preface this opinion piece by sharing that I’m a Louisiana boy.
It’s where I was born, where I went to college, and I have been a fan of the LSU Tigers since I was big enough to pick up a ball.
I could tell from day one that Brian Kelly just didn’t fit at LSU.
Folks in Louisiana can smell when someone’s not genuine, and from that first awkward “fam-uh-lee” speech, it was clear he wasn’t one of us.
He came to the bayou from Notre Dame, a polished outsider with a big reputation, but he never seemed to understand that LSU football isn’t just a job. It’s a way of life.
In Louisiana LSU football is part religion, part family reunion, and part street parade.
When Saturday rolls around, the whole state moves to the rhythm of Tiger Stadium.
We like our coaches with a little grit, a little edge, and a whole lot of heart.
Nick Saban had the drive, Les Miles had the magic, and Ed Orgeron sounded like the bayou itself.
Brian Kelly, on the other hand, always felt like he was reading off a script written by someone else.
Now, to be fair, the man could coach. He won plenty of games at Notre Dame and came to Baton Rouge with a plan. But plans don’t win you over in Louisiana.
Passion does. And that was the problem. Kelly treated LSU like a business venture. He ran it like a CEO, not like a coach trying to rally a community that bleeds purple and gold.
He fired longtime strength coach Tommy Moffitt, a guy everyone respected and trusted. He shuffled assistants like playing cards. He even complained about NIL money instead of figuring out how to make it work.
In the SEC, that’s like bringing a butter knife to a crawfish boil. You’re already behind.
At first, things looked promising. His first season brought a win over Alabama and a trip to the SEC Championship Game. Then Jayden Daniels won the Heisman, and folks thought maybe Kelly had turned the corner. But cracks started showing fast.
The defense was a mess one year, the offense sputtered the next. Players didn’t seem inspired. You could see it in the way they played, talented but not tough. LSU teams are supposed to hit you in the mouth.
Kelly’s Tigers looked more like they were trying to make it to Monday.
And that’s when the politics kicked in, because in Louisiana, everything eventually turns political.
After that home loss to Texas A&M, the governor himself, Jeff Landry, was reportedly in on the decision to fire Kelly. Let me tell you, when the governor’s mansion gets involved in a coaching decision, you know it’s serious.
Boosters and board members started calling around, figuring out who’d chip in to pay that monster buyout. Fifty-three million dollars is a lot of money, but this is LSU. They were never going to let pride take another beating.
Behind closed doors, word is Kelly had lost the locker room. Players thought he was checked out.
He wasn’t recruiting like the other big dogs in the SEC, and he was spending more time on the golf course than in living rooms convincing mamas to let their sons play for him.
If you ask me, that’s the real work of a head coach. Building relationships, not spreadsheets.
At the end of the day, Brian Kelly got fired because he never made LSU feel like home. He tried to lead with his head in a place that runs on heart.
You can’t fake the accent, you can’t fake the culture, and you sure can’t fake belonging. LSU fans want someone who loves this program the way they do, loud, proud, and a little rough around the edges.
Kelly never got that. And in Louisiana, when the fit isn’t right, it’s only a matter of time before the door locks you out.
