The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party
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| Georgia | Florida |
|---|---|
| (45) | (37) |
| 1915 1916 1919 1920 1926 1927 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1938 1939 1941 1942 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1950 1951 1954 1959 1964 1966 1968 1971 1972 1974 1975 1976 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1985 1987 1988 1989 1997 2004 |
1928 1929 1937 1940 1949 1952 1953 1955 1956 1957 1958 1960 1961 1962 1963 1965 1967 1970 1973 1977 1984 1986 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2005 2006 |
| Ties (2) | |
| 1930 1969 | |
"The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party" is a common name for the annual college football game between the University of Florida Gators and the University of Georgia Bulldogs, one of the great rivalries in college football; it is officially known as the "Georgia-Florida/Florida-Georgia Game" (switching every year). Currently, the game is held at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, usually on the last Saturday in October. The designated "home" team alternates from year to year, with ticket distribution split evenly between the two schools. In past years, fans from Florida and Georgia were assigned seats grouped in alternating sections of the stadium, and the contrasting colors worn by the fans created a "beach ball" visual effect in the stands. Recently the seating arrangement has split the stadium lengthwise and fans sit on the side corresponding to the sideline their team occupies.
The game was first held in Jacksonville in 1912 in the teams' second meeting (won by Georgia 39-0). The game has been held in Jacksonville every year since 1933, except for the 1994 game while Alltel Stadium was built on the site of the Gator Bowl Stadium, and the 1995 game, where in an interesting side note to that battle, Florida head coach Steve Spurrier tacked on an extra touchdown at the end of the game to set a new opponents' scoring record in Sanford Stadium, the home field of the Bulldogs.
While Jacksonville is technically a neutral site, it is located only 73 miles from Gainesville, home of the Gators; Athens, Georgia, on the other hand, is 342 miles to the north. The crowd in the stadium is always split 50-50 between the two schools' fans. The majority of the tailgating takes place on riverfront plaza called "The Jacksonville Landing", facing the St. Johns River. The Landing is packed with thousands of drunk revelers each year, making it a great but crowded nightspot.
Following the 2006 season, Georgia held a 45-37-2 advantage in the all-time series. However, Florida has gone 15-2 in the game since 1990 (Georgia winning in 1997 and 2004) to follow a similar 15-5 domination by Georgia through the 70s and 80s. There is a slight disagreement with regards the overall series record. University of Florida records indicate the series record with Georgia stands at 45-37-2 in UGA’s favor. Georgia’s records indicate a 46-37-2 lead, which includes a 52-0 Bulldog win in a game played in Macon, Ga., in 1904. However, Florida did not field an official team until 1906.
Due to sensitivity about consumption of alcohol by college students, the match is officially known as the Georgia-Florida/Florida-Georgia game (depending on which team is the home team in a given year). Additionally, in May 2006, the Southeastern Conference asked the three networks which broadcast SEC football games not to refer to the game by the moniker "World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party," as it conveys a message regarding consumption of alcohol that the schools do not desire. Despite these efforts, 3 people have died in UF/UGA related partying downtown since the 2004 game.
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[edit] University of Georgia fall break controversy
In 2000, the University of Georgia changed their fall break to coincide with the date of the game. Reportedly, this was intended to reduce absences and alarming traffic fatality trends related to students traveling to Jacksonville for the game, a 342 mile trip which would, without the break, need to be made in one night. There have been two subsequent attempts, in 2003 and 2004, to change fall break to a different weekend. Both were withdrawn after overwhelming complaints from the student body.
In 2005, UGA provost Arnett Mace, upset over the widespread cancelling of classes on the Wednesday prior to the Thursday-Friday break, asked all deans and department heads to report to him on how many classes had been cancelled in violation of University policy. While it has led to ridicule by some, such as one dean's comparing Mace to Dean Wormer from Animal House, the move will likely lead to a renewed examination of the future of fall break. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution) Recently, a proposed compromise between UGA Student Government members and faculty in the University Council would shorten fall break to just the Friday before the game off, but increase Thanksgiving break from three days to an entire week. The measure, while widely seen as likely to pass, has not yet come to a vote at University Council. (Student Government Report - UGA)
[edit] Memorable games
As with most rivalries, there have been a number of close games over the years, often generating controversy and anguish over how the game ended for one of the teams involved. Like the series itself, most of the early memorable games favored the Bulldogs, with more recent ones favoring the Gators. Among the most memorable:
[edit] 1966: Heisman curse?
The Gators entered the game 7-0 on the season and vying for their first ever SEC title. The Gators' quarterback, Steve Spurrier, had just locked up the Heisman trophy the previous week after a stellar performance vs Auburn and now had a chance to beat the Bulldogs after starting his college career 0-2 vs Georgia as a starter. The outcome was never in doubt during the second half, as Spurrier threw three interceptions in a 27-10 Gator loss.
[edit] 1976: Fourth and Dumb
The Gators led for most of the game and had a 27-13 lead at halftime. Leading only 27-20 in the third quarter, Florida coach Doug Dickey decided to go for the first down on a 4th-and-1 from the Florida 29. Runningback Earl Carr was stopped short of the first down, and the Bulldogs seized momentum to score 3 more times in the game in a 41-27 win.
[edit] 1980: Run, Lindsay, Run
Deep in their own territory, with the a perfect season on the line and only a minute left in the game, Georgia quarterback Buck Belue hit wide receiver Lindsay Scott at the Georgia 25-yard-line in stride. Scott darted through Florida's secondary and reached the end zone with only seconds left.
Long-time Georgia radio announcer Larry Munson's play-by-play gave the game and play its name:[1]
Florida in a stand-up five, they may or may not blitz. Belue ... third down on the eight. In trouble, he got a block behind him. Going to throw on the run. Complete on the 25. To the 30, Lindsay Scott 35, 40, Lindsay Scott 45, 50, 45, 40. …. Run Lindsay, 25, 20, 15, 10, Lindsay Scott! Lindsay Scott! Lindsay Scott.
The game kept alive Georgia's chance for the national title, which they ended up winning.
[edit] 1993: The Timeout
The Gators led by a touchdown late in the game, with Georgia driving in the final seconds to the UF red zone. Georgia quarterback Eric Zeier completed what appeared to be the game-tying touchdown to Jerry Jerman with 5 seconds remaining, but officials ruled that Florida safety Anthone Lott had called a timeout before the ball was snapped, forcing the Bulldogs to play the down again. Lott was called for pass interference on the ensuing down, giving Georgia one final untimed down with which to score. Zeier's pass fell incomplete, and the Gators escaped with a 33-26 win.
[edit] 1995: Half a Hundred
During Ray Goff's final campaign, Florida coach Steve Spurrier enacted some revenge for the down years he'd faced as a player vs. Georgia. With renovations to the old Gator Bowl Stadium underway, the game was held in Athens, Ga. for the first time in over 60 years. The Gators led by a score of 45-17 with 5 minutes to go in the game, but it wasn't enough for Spurrier. He called a touchdown play in the final minutes specifically to be the first to hang "half a hundred" on the Bulldogs in their own stadium.[2] This also set the record for the most points (52) scored on the Bulldogs in Sanford Stadium, which still stands.
