The Georgia and Florida Fans
I had heard so much hype about the Greatest Outdoor Party that is Georgia-Florida. When I pulled into downtown Jacksonville this morning, I was expecting shouting matches and extreme drunkenness. I guess I was expecting the worst, considering the Georgia and Florida fans staying in our hotel have been screaming at each other regularly at 2:00 AM the past two nights. (If I make any typos, you'll have to excuse me. I haven't been getting much sleep.)
But it wasn't like that at all. Not only are the fans well-behaved, they're actually friends with each other too. Sure, every now and then you find some trash talking and cursing, but most of it was just in good fun and good taste. Florida and Georgia fans are not really separated before the game. Everyone is right on top of each other, and they get along very well.
This doesn't compare to games we've seen on campus. It was a much milder atmosphere during pregame because I think the fans here were making an effort to be classy and respectful. On campuses, there seems to be a crazier mood, maybe because the students show up in larger numbers.
Don't get me wrong, it was very exciting this morning. The Georgia fans were definitely louder and crazier than the Florida fans, but that's because UF's contingent was more confident. It seems like the Bulldogs fans knew they had to be a factor today to pull out an upset, which fell just short.
Once the game started, it was just like any other SEC football game. I am a believer that the underdog's fans are usually louder, and I think that was the case today. But don't take away from the people in orange and blue. They made their voices heard when they had to.
Jacksonville does a great job hosting this event. Almost every fan we've spoken to loves being here in North Florida, at a neutral site.
