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Florida governor Ron DeSantis makes awkward joke about deporting Georgia fans

Danby: Daniel Hager08/21/25DanielHagerOn3
Florida-governor-Ron-DeSantis-makes-awkward-joke-about-deporting-Georgia-fans
© Alicia Devine/Tallahassee Democrat / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

College football is all about rivalries. When you think of the best rivalries in the sport, “The Game” between Michigan/Ohio State, “The Iron Bowl” between Alabama/Auburn and “The World’s Largest Cocktail Party” between Florida/Georgia are three of the absolute best.

Florida governor Ron DeSantis strengthened the Florida/Georgia rivalry even more than it already was during an appearance on FOX News Wednesday night, when he made an awkward joke about not putting Georgia fans in the newly created immigration detention facility named “Alligator Alcatraz”.

“I just wanted to dispel any rumors, we are not putting any unruly Georgia fans at the Florida/Georgia game in our deportation depot,” DeSantis said with a chuckle. “That’s not true. People are saying it online. It’s for the processing and deportation of illegal aliens.”

This year’s rivalry matchup between No. 15 Florida and No. 5 Georgia will take place on Nov. 1 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, FL. The two historic rivals haven’t met while both were ranked since 2020, when Florida was ranked No. 8 and Georgia was ranked No. 5. The Gators won the game 44-28 behind a monster performance from quarterback Kyle Trask, who passed for 474 yards and four touchdowns.

The rivalry dates all the way back to 1915, where the Bulldogs won the first ever meeting 37-0. Georgia actually outscored Florida 190-9 through the first six games before the Gators won the seventh meeting in 1928 26-6.

Georgia has won the last four matchups between the two SEC foes and leads the all-time series 56-44-2. The games haven’t been particularly close either, as Kirby Smart‘s team has outscored the Gators 153-67 during the four-game winning streak.

Since DeSantis took over as Florida’s governor in 2019, the Gators are just 1-5 in the rivalry.