The best part of the Florida Georgia game is arguable—traveling to a new city, lack of a home field advantage, the tailgate. While these are all great things about this day in Jacksonville, Florida, and this was my first year experiencing the amazing World’s Largest Cocktail Party, I would argue that the best part of the Florida Georgia game in the rivalry.
The Gator-Bulldog rivalry has been around since the first time the two Southeastern conference teams played each other, and has been back and forth ever since their first meeting in Jacksonville in 1933. Winning this first match up in Jacksonville, and 14 of the next 17 games, the Georgia Bulldogs had control over this rivalry until the 1950s. The Gators had better luck against the Bulldogs until the 1970s when Georgia predominately reigned until the 1990s. Florida has won 20 of the past 26 games. In these recent times, the Gators have dominated the Bulldogs except from 2011 to 2013. The 2014 39-20 Gator win raised Gator Nation spirit and brought the Okefenokee Oar back to Gainesville.
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The Okefenokee Oar is the 10-foot tall paddle that acts as the trophy of this rivalry. It travels between the University of Florida and the University of Georgia showing off that year’s win. The oar is made out of a tree found in the Okefenokee Swamp that crosses the Florida-Georgia border. It became the rivalry trophy in 2009, and it has UF and UGA symbols carved on its opposing sides. Unlike many sports rivalries, previous to this time, Florida Georgia had no trophy to take back to the schools.
Despite the Gators’ roller-coaster season—from injuries and sickness to the Will Grier suspension and LSU Tigers defeat—this year’s game resulted in a deafening 27-3 Florida win, keeping the Okefenokee Oar here in home sweet Gainesville and moving the Gators even closer to clinching the SEC East.
Despite this game’s intense rivalry and rich history, I will say that the tailgate also does not disappoint. The only word to describe it is crazy. It is unlike any typical UF game day in Gainesville. You can go from tent to tent with ease and without having to pay for an Uber or walking 15 minutes like you usually do to go down frat row.
The game being in a different city unites all Florida fans. No matter who has the most valuable ticket, or your age, or the fraternity/sorority you are in, everyone is there to party in the never ending parking lot outside of Everbank Field and cheer on their team.
