"I've been hearing it all week," Stroud said.

"They never beat us. Never do. Never will," McCray said. "Just a waste of time. I don't know why they always get up and amp it up. We just whoop 'em and send them home. It's just a proven fact."

Another fact is that Alltel Stadium will be rocking on Saturday for what these players consider the best rivalry in the SEC. Even better than UF-Tennessee or Auburn-Alabama.

"The best," Taylor said. "The creme de la creme."

"I think it's the top," Gilbert agreed.

"I was coming in Monday, the day after our (Jaguars) game," Taylor said. "And the RVs were setting up...this is Monday. The game isn't until Saturday!"

"We've got other rivals like Tennessee, but none of them as big as this one right here," McCray said.

McCray was the biggest talker of the bunch. He was booming with confidence and predicting a 28-14 UF victory. And why wouldn't he be? With Georgia coming off two shaky performances in a row, the Gators can feel good about this game.

But don't tell that to Stroud or Gilbert.

"Georgia defense is gonna wake up this week..." Stroud said. "And we're gonna win by a field goal, 24-21. You heard it here first."

Gilbert was even more optimistic, borderline unrealistic.

"I predict Georgia to win. Maybe 24-6," he said.

The game is unique because of its location at a neutral site. Well... is it a neutral site? Jacksonville is about four or five hours closer to Gainesville than it is to Athens. We couldn't help but laugh when we watched McCray and Stroud debate about playing the game in Jacksonville. Here is the abridged version:

Stroud: "That's why we have the game here in Jacksonville so you guys can continue to do all that cheating you do."

McCray: "How are we cheating? It's a neutral site!"

Stroud: "How are you gonna be neutral an hour away from Gainesville?"

McCray: "You don't want it in Gainesville. Let's just go to The Swamp."

Stroud: "Oh, y'all don't want to come between The Hedges."

McCray: "Hedges?"

Stroud: "Swamp?"

McCray: "Tennessee chopped them things down!"

Gilbert and Taylor weighed in on the discussion of neutrality as well.

"I think it is (neutral)," Gilbert said, "and when you get in the stadium you see half red and black, half blue and orange. I mean, it's just a - it gives you chills a little bit."

"We're closer to our friends," Taylor responded. "If anything goes down we can just walk around the corner and get backup. I'm biased so, yeah, I'll say it's a neutral site, but really I don't think it is."

Another reason why the Georgia-Florida rivalry is special is that it showcases the future of the NFL. Former rivals now share the same locker rooms all over the country. On the Jaguars, Stroud and Taylor once played against each other in this rivalry. So did McCray and Gilbert.

"The best memory I have of Stroud is he was a young recruit coming out of high school," Taylor said. "We brought him in to UF, and my best friend from high school was his host. Showed him a great time. Next thing you know, he's on the cover of Sports Illustrated ripping off a Gators T-shirt with a Georgia Bulldogs T-shirt underneath. But the time I did play against him he had a pretty - he had an okay game."

"Fred burned us one year, but I wasn't playing," Stroud said. "I was young. I was a redshirt freshman that year. But the next year we came back. He probably had 17 carries for 47 yards. Something like that. We busted his butt every time he touched the ball."

McCray heard Stroud brag about his win over the Gators.

"I've got a question you can ask him," McCray said to me. "What's his overall record against Florida?"

So I asked.

"One and three," Stroud said.

I asked McCray his overall record against Georgia.

"Let me see. I was in Gainesville for five years. Uh, I don't think we ever lost to Georgia," he said mockingly.

And don't get McCray and Stroud started on Uga, Georgia's mascot for 50 years. I was worried I would have to sit in between the two of them at one point.

"Oh that little mutt," McCray said.

"We have the best mascot in college football," Stroud responded adamantly.

"That little bulldog? He can't even chase nobody," McCray said.

Of course they were kidding, but watching them go back and forth at each other gives you a pretty good idea of how intense the football game will be on Saturday afternoon. Sure, these Jaguars have more important things to worry about, like Sunday's game against the Eagles in Philadelphia. But they'll be paying close attention to their alma maters.

"My prediction is just win the game," Taylor said. "We've got to win by more than six, of course, because I gave (Gilbert) six points."

"Tebow is gonna be a non-factor this week," Gilbert responded. "Chris Leak, he's already scared because he thinks Tebow is gonna take his job."

"There's no money in that bank..." Taylor said. "Don't take that guarantee."

The game is about the players. The game is about the hatred, yet respect, that the two schools have for each other. But the game is also about the fans. According to the guys who played in front of these fans, the rest of the country just doesn't quite compare to the SEC.

"They're just loyal to the game," McCray said. "They show up at every game."

"They're crazy," Stroud added. "They enjoy the game. They have a good time, and that's what distinguishes our fans between any other fans."

"Just the tradition," Gilbert said. "You think back to all of the old coaches. Vince Dooley, Bear Bryant, Coach Spurrier. You've got first, second, third generation Florida fans, Georgia fans, Alabama fans. I mean, it's just great."

"They're getting the opportunity to watch the future of the NFL," Taylor said. "The SEC produces so many athletes, and, first of all, it's the best conference in college football by far. I mean, I'm sure I can get a lot more people to agree with me on that. And then the games, they're just intense."

Georgia-Florida might be the most intense of them all.