JACKSONVILLE - Just when the Florida-Georgia rivalry had become staler than movie-theater popcorn, Georgia made sure the Cocktail Party was extra lame for the Gators.
And not only did the Bulldogs inject life into a dying rivalry by besting their biggest foe for just the third time in 18 years, but they managed to piss off the Gators in a big way.
Forget all the flag waving, Gator Chomping and leaping into the stands by Georgia players after the game. The Bulldogs? celebration began in the first quarter.
After Kestahn Moore?s fumble set up a touchdown for Georgia on its first drive, the entire Bulldogs bench spilled onto the field and celebrated as if the game were over.
In many ways, it already was.
The Gators? response to the incident served as an emphatic declaration that UF just isn?t a championship team. More prudent to this rivalry, it proved the Gators are far from invincible.
In postgame interviews, Georgia coach Mark Richt admitted their stunt was orchestrated in advance. He told his players two weeks ago he would be angry if they didn?t receive an unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty upon scoring their first touchdown.
Richt wouldn?t admit he was advocating an out-and-out sign of disrespect for the Gators, but that?s precisely what he was doing.
Gators coach Urban Meyer dodged questions about Georgia?s first-quarter celebration.
BWe?ve got to keep them out of the end zone so they can?t do that,C Meyer said. BThat?s none of my business.C
But Meyer?s actions directly following the incident probably tell you all you need to know.
The coach immediately huddled his players on the sidelines and tried to fire them up.
UF linebacker Brandon Spikes dubbed the move Bclassless and disrespectfulC - which it was, and intentionally so - but rather than answering back with a dominant performance on the field, the UF defense embarrassed itself further.
When it came time for a gut-check performance, the Gators countered with one of the worst defensive displays in school history.
BThat?s not Florida defense,C Meyer said.
No kidding.
That wasn?t even Florida Atlantic or Florida International defense.
As a result, UF now has to win its remaining two Southeastern Conference games and pray for both Georgia and Tennessee to lose a game in order to get back to the SEC title game.
Sorry, Gators fans, but you probably used up most of your luck last season.
If the Gators don?t finish the season strong, Tim Tebow may be adding BOutback Bowl MVPC to his resume.
That is, if his defense can get off the field and allow him to run the offense.
But what was a terrible loss for the Gators also proved great for the rivalry.
Georgia fans finally have something to be cocky about (even Bulldogs fans will probably tell you that the 2004 win against a team in disarray wasn?t much of an accomplishment), and UF fans finally have a reason to enjoy the game more than The Landing.
When the two teams return to Jacksonville in 2008, things are bound to get nasty.
Georgia had two weeks to mull its end-zone celebration, but the Gators will be thinking about it for an entire year.
