'We Had Them': Florida Determined to Beat Georgia in 2025

ATLANTA — No matter who else is on the schedule or how low the expectations are for one program, it is a given that the Georgia–Florida game will be a war.

Especially this year, as Georgia will enter the season riding a four-game win streak over its hated rival. The Gators go into the 2025 season feeling like they “had” the Bulldogs last season before the injury to quarterback DJ Lagway.

“We almost had them. I feel like we almost had them,” Florida defensive lineman Caleb Banks said. “But, you know, honestly, like, we just gotta get them next time. There’s really nothing else to say about that. We’ll see how we do.”

As had often been the case last season for Georgia, the Bulldogs suffered from a slow start in Jacksonville. Following a field goal on their second drive, two straight interceptions from Carson Beck saw Florida take a 10-3 lead.

Lagway capitalized on the first interception, hitting Aidan Mizell on a 43-yard touchdown on the first play. He then led them on a 10-play drive that resulted in a field goal, extending the lead to seven points.

“You know, it gives me a lot of confidence that, you know, it doesn’t matter who really is out there. You know, it’s all about us,” Lagway said of how that game gives him confidence. “It’s all about how we prepare and how we go out there and treat the week.”

After another Georgia punt following a three-and-out, Lagway had a chance to extend the lead further. However, a three-yard run would end up being his final play of the game. He’d go down with an apparent leg injury that saw him carted off the field.

He watched as Georgia made the comeback, scoring 28 second-half points to take home a 34-20 win.

“Watching that game after I got hurt, it was the hardest thing. Like, I hated that,” Lagway said. “Like, I just wanted to be out there with my guys. That’s all I want to do is just play football. So, you know, seeing that, it was hard.”

While Lagway wouldn’t return to the game in Jacksonville. He would finish out the season as the Gators’ starter. He led Florida to four wins in their final five games, which included ranked wins over LSU and Ole Miss.

“You spot the ball last year — at the end of the year, you could argue we were playing as good of football as anybody in the country, …” Florida head coach Billy Napier said.