By: Joe Delaney

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

It’s the end of October and that means it’s make it or break it time for the Georgia Bulldogs and the Florida Gators.

Unfortunately, this year’s edition will be played in Atlanta’s Mercedes Benz stadium while the Gator Bowl (yes we will call it that forever!) is being renovated.

This year’s edition comes with so many twists and turns that you could write a book about just the last few weeks leading up to the game. Let’s take a glimpse of where we are with the bye week coming up for both teams.

The Georgia Bulldogs suffered their first loss of the season to the unranked Auburn Tigers recently in Athens. Crazy that the Number ONE ranked Dawgs could lose to a team they had beaten for the last 9 years with so much on the line. But they were outplayed and as some have said “outdawged”, losing 27-24 to fall to 6-1 on the season.

Meanwhile a reeling Florida Gators team made the long trek to Austin Texas to take on the top ten ranked Longhorns.

After dropping off the rankings with back-to-back losses to Missouri and South Carolina, the heavy underdog Gators took it to Texas for four quarters and left town with a 27-24 win over the Longhorns.

In the Florida win, the Gators rallied behind a first time fill in starter at quarterback. With Aaron Philo sidelined, Tramell Jones Jr stepped in and was stellar. Making his first start, the second-year player threw for 155 yards and 2 touchdowns and added 41 yards on the ground.

With the cool of a veteran, he led the Gators to the win, sealing it with a critical run for a first down late in the game.  But his biggest statistic from the big win will be a big fat ZERO.

Zero turnovers in his first start on the road, against a ranked team and as a double-digit underdog. Amazing, no interceptions, no fumbles.  He was smooth as silk.  And the MVP for the Gators.

Now rookie coach John Sumrall has a big decision to make. Does Aaron Philo come back as the starter after an extra week to get right or does he go with the rookie?

Aaron Philo is a good serviceable college quarterback with experience and savvy. Was Jones Jr’s game a one timer? We will find out soon enough at Mercedes Benz.

I’m thinking the rookie will be the new starter. If 100,000 Texans cant rattle the kid then he can handle pretty much anything.

Meanwhile back in Athens the Dawgs were looking like…….. well let’s just say they didn’t look like they have recently.

After a bruising win over Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Kirby Smart said during the week that the Dawgs were pretty much beat up, tired and wore out.

Well, they didn’t disappoint. After jumping out to a lead on the Tigers the Dawgs went into a tailspin, losing all their momentum, the lead and eventually the game.

And in probably the biggest surprise of the weekend it was the Georgia veteran quarterback who took them there.

Gunner Stockton is a great college quarterback. But even the very good ones have their off days. Let’s say that Gunner took the day off and it showed.

Stockton had 3 turnovers in the game. He had thrown 2 interceptions in 6 games before Saturday. He matched that total against Auburn.

And while they may not have been killers. His fumble late in the fourth quarter at midfield doomed the Dawgs. Dropping back then running a quarterback draw, he inexplicably ran into the back of his own center Drew Bobo and fumbled the ball giving the Tigers the recovery and soon after that the game.

Losing the turnover battle 3-0, Georgia has a lot of questions. And many will also question how a hit on the first play from scrimmage that put Stockton in the recovery tent for some of the first quarter affected his play. It was his worst game as a starter.

Ryan Puglisi came in during that time and was 3-3 passing and moved the team right down the field. Gunner wasn’t at his best that’s for sure.

So now we head to Atlanta with two ranked teams trying to get a must win. What looked like a likely win for the Dawgs a week ago has now turned into a toss-up like so many Georgia Florida games.

Georgia will be favored but trust me the Gators KNOW they can win this game. The off week will be critical for both teams and the one who can get the most questions answered will probably head home happy.

My feeling is that the Dawgs are still the better team but I wouldn’t bet on it. Watch and see which team out rushes the other. That could be a key.

If the Gators run the ball on Georgia like Auburn did, it could be a long ride back to Athens. We will soon see. It’s gonna be a good one!