Despite the Gators' self-imposed silence this week, even they will admit this weekend's matchup against Georgia is likely the biggest game of the season.
The Gators (6-1, 4-1 Southeastern Conference) and the Bulldogs (7-1, 4-1 SEC) will not only be battling for bragging rights after Saturday's 3:30 p.m. kickoff. The winner will likely find itself playing in the SEC championship game.
"They understand because it's Georgia or it's LSU," defensive coordinator Charlie Strong said. "They understand and they know how important this game is. They know this is an (SEC East) opponent and we have to come ready to play."
This year's matchup comes with a bit more sizzle than in previous years following Georgia's now infamous "Gator stomp."
Behind the steady stream of "no comments," there does seem to be a desire to get a bit of revenge. Despite what he has said - or isn't saying - recently, coach Urban Meyer wants payback as badly as anyone. He made that clear when he blasted the Bulldogs in his authorized biography.
"That wasn't right. It was a bad deal," Meyer said. "And it will forever be in the mind of Urban Meyer and in the mind of our football team. … So we'll handle it. And it's going to be a big deal."
Whether or not the Gators are seeking a bit of revenge, none of it will matter if they don't improve on their porous defensive effort from last year's game, even if the offenses do explode like many are expecting in Jacksonville Municipal Stadium.
"A big play, no," Meyer said. "It's going to come down to a series of following the plan, whoever follows the plan on defense. Whoever plays defense is going to win this game."
Stopping the run is going to be of particular importance, as one of America's best running backs, Knowshon Moreno is set to continue where he left off in last year's matchup when he gashed the Gators for 188 yards.
With a player as talented as Moreno, the Gators realize shutting him down is unlikely. UF is hoping to simply limit his big play opportunities rather than bring Georgia's running game to complete halt.
"It's big plays, obviously," defensive line coach Dan McCarney said. "Moreno had some big runs for, I think, 190 yards. That's what we have to try to cut down on and try to eliminate from last year.
"It's not yards, it really isn't. It's not yards nearly as much as it's big runs, yards after contact and he makes a guy miss, breaks a tackle and then he gets down in the red zone."
Stopping a great player comes with the territory in a big college football game. And the Gators are certainly willing to admit that.
"This is the Florida-Georgia game," Maurkice Pouncey said. "This is probably bigger than any college football game going on right now."
