If you live in the Southeastern corner of the United States, Saturday is one of the most important days of the year after Christmas, Easter, and your mama's birthday.
In these parts, we call it the "World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party," even if we're technically not supposed to anymore. It's the annual matchup between the University of Georgia Bulldogs and the University of Florida Gators, and it's such a big deal that it takes place in a neutral stadium miles away from Athens and Gainesville each year.
My fellow Georgian and UGA alum, our managing editor Chris Queen, wrote about the history in his book, Neon Crosses:
There’s just something about the Georgia-Florida rivalry that has inspired deep passion and hatred in both teams’ fans since 1904 – or is it 1915?
In 1904, there wasn’t really a University of Florida, but the Bulldogs trounced Florida Agricultural College in a 52-0 rout in Macon. Georgia claims this game is the start of the rivalry. The state of Florida established the University of Florida in 1905, and those two teams met for the first time in 1915, where Georgia won 37-0.
What makes the rivalry so intense? It could be because it’s one of the few neutral site rivalries, with the two teams meeting in Jacksonville every year except for two since 1933, and at various other neutral sites in the years prior to that. Or maybe it’s that the unique atmosphere of the series – infamously known as the 'World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party' because of the raucous partying and free-flowing alcohol – lends itself to strong feeling.
Georgia has won the last seven out of 10 matches, and I don't want to get too cocky, so I'll hold off on my current prediction. Though I will say that this year, the game hits a little differently, or, at least, it does for Georgia's starting quarterback Gunner Stockton. And it's deeply personal.
Like many of us around here, Stockton, who was born in Tiger, Ga., in 2004, comes from a long line of proud UGA fans. His grandfather, Lawrence Stockton, was a University of Georgia alumnus and a season ticket holder for many years. He was there for all of the Dawgs' big moments over the years. He was even one of the fans who stormed the field in Jordan–Hare Stadium back in 1986 after a legendary win over Auburn and had the fire hoses and sprinklers turned on him, a story that's a big part of UGA lore.
Lawrence was also at the 2010 Georgia-Florid game, but sadly, it would be his last. After the Gators eked out a 34-31 win, God decided that Lawrence's time here on this planet was up
"He had a heart attack there at the stadium," Stockton told ESPN this week. "Every time we go to Florida, I really want to beat them bad in Jacksonville."
According his widow, Suzanne Frederickson, Lawrence "said something about [then-Bulldogs defensive coordinator] Todd Grantham and collapsed."
Stockton was just a little guy with his grandfather died, but he still remembers him, telling ESPN that they spent a lot of time together in the North Georgia Mountains, hunting and fishing. "He was just a great granddad," he said.
This year, Gunner, who is a red shirt junior, has the power to sort of make things right, if you will, for his family. He's leading the way as Georgia's starting quarterback. His grandfather's death in the very place where he will show the world why he's earned that position on Saturday is his motivation to win. He'll have a big fan watching from heaven.
And I might be biased, but I hope the Bulldogs come out on top. Then again, I always do, but knowing what we do about Lawrence, it just means more.
