Dogs, Gators discuss what the rivalry means

Some of the players who will collide Saturday in Jacksonville grew up familiar with the Georgia-Florida game. Others were introduced to the spectacle only after arriving in Athens or Gainesville.

AJC staff writers Tim Tucker, Chip Towers and Thomas Stinson this week asked a sampling of players on the two teams an open-ended question: What does Georgia-Florida mean to you?

•Georgia fullback Shaun Chapas attended The Bolles School in Jacksonville and went to four Georgia-Florida games before playing for the Bulldogs:

“Living there, you can always tell when it’s Georgia-Florida week. There’s a certain buzz in the air. People are flying their flags. RVs start rolling in early. The tailgating starts on Monday, which I always thought was crazy. It’s a pretty awesome atmosphere… . Playing in the game, I love how the stadium is split — the red and black on one side and the blue and orange on the other. I still get people from back home talking smack — the Florida fans — so it’s an exciting game for me. I really do enjoy it.”

•Georgia defensive tackle Jeff Owens, from Sunrise, Fla., is out for the season with a knee injury. However, he remains passionate about the Florida game:

“Florida is my home state, and I turned down Florida to come to Georgia. So, you know, that’s real big. I thought Georgia was a better fit for me, which it was. And that game means a lot. I know a lot of guys down there, guys that I went on my [recruiting] visit to Florida with, guys like [Gators wide receiver] Louis Murphy, guys I played in all-star games with. It’s a big rivalry, the Largest Cocktail Party, all that.”

•Georgia linebacker Rennie Curran, from Snellville, made the first start of his Bulldogs career against Florida last season:

“If you aren’t motivated for this game, you have, like, no heart. It’s impossible not to be motivated for this one. This game is just everything. And most of us have coaches or friends from high school who are Florida fans.”

•Florida quarterback Tim Tebow won the Heisman Trophy last year but lost in his first start against the Bulldogs:

“It means a lot. Growing up as a kid, this was one of the three biggest rivals, along with Tennessee and Florida State. It’s always a huge game. Being from Jacksonville, getting the opportunity to go to a lot of the games … to play in this rivalry is special.”

•Georgia tailback Knowshon Moreno grew up in New Jersey, oblivious to the Dogs-Gators rivalry:

“I’m not really looking at it as a rivalry game — more as another really good team that we’re getting ready to try to do some things against. I’m not from Georgia, so I’m just looking at it as another game.”

•Georgia freshman kicker Blair Walsh, from Fort Lauderdale, eagerly awaits his first Georgia-Florida game:

“I’ve been looking forward to this game ever since I committed to Georgia. I can’t wait to play in — is it still Alltel Stadium? [Actually, it’s currently called Jacksonville Municipal Stadium.] It’s just the magnitude of the game. There are always big games over the season, and some games can seem important at the time but end up not being so. But this one just defines our season.”

•Florida linebacker Brandon Spikes grew up in North Carolina:

“The atmosphere is so crazy. Guys coming out firing and the coaching staff and the players, it’s just crazy. I know the fans will be really great. … It’s nice to see the crowd split down the middle. But just from the players’ (standpoint), there’s an emotion going on.”

•Georgia defensive tackle Geno Atkins grew up in Pembroke Pines, Fla.:

“Right now, it means everything. They’re one of our biggest rivals, second to Georgia Tech. All my friends are down there in Florida, so it means bragging rights for the year.”