Welcome to November.

In most years, the open-date lead-up and weeklong hype surrounding the annual Florida-Georgia game would take over the day(s), but Saturday’s showdown between the Gators (4-3, 2-2) and No. 2 Bulldogs (6-1, 4-1) at EverBank Stadium, as big as it is for both teams, represents the first turnstile — admittedly, a fast-beating one — of a brutal five-game paddle wheel for Coach Billy Napier‘s team.

(Read senior writer Scott Carter’s extended “Opening Kickoff” lineup here)

After UF takes on a UGA team that has won 53 of its last 56 games dating back to the Gators’ last series victory in 2020, the schedule shows a road date at No. 6 Texas, then back-to- back home games against No. 16 LSU and No. 18 Ole Miss, followed by the season-ending rivalry game at Florida State, where the Gators have only played once in 11 years won.

Napier and his players are obviously looking no further than the Bulldogs’ immediate and monumental challenge. UGA has won three straight in the series (none of them close, by an average margin of 24.0 points) and six of the previous seven, dating back to 2017. The stunning 53-3 record since UF’s last win here (when Kyle Trask led the Gators’ to a 44-28 win) is marred only by a trio of losses to Alabama, the last a 41-34 shootout in Tuscaloosa on September 28, from which the Bulldogs have rallied for four straight wins, including a one-sided knockout of then-No. 1 Texas on the road two weeks ago.

Florida, meanwhile, has won three of four since being crushed at home by a pair of CFP contenders, Miami (Week 1) and Texas A&M (Week 3), the latter the only undefeated team left in the Southeastern Conference., The Gators, despite losing the starting quarterback and sixth-year senior Graham Mertzhave looked much better in all three phases over the past four games, but the three teams they have beaten in those four games – Mississippi State, UCF and Kentucky – are a combined 7-19, while MSU and UK are 1-10 overall are in competition matches.

Translation: The soft part of the schedule is over.

Translation II: Whether Florida is really a better team than it was a month ago, everyone will know by the end of this month.

Maybe even by Saturday evening.

The Bulldogs’ ranking isn’t necessarily reflected in their conference stats, but that shouldn’t fool anyone. Quarterback Carson Beck (1,993 yards, 15 TD, 8 INT) leads an offense ranked 41st^st nationally and eighth in the SEC with 427.9 yards per game and a 33.0 point average (35^e NCAA, 6^e SEC). Enthusiastic UF fans point to UGA’s struggles – and fear – in a 13-12 victory at Kentucky, an opponent the Gators took to a 48-20 woodshed in Gainesville two weeks ago.

Don’t worry too much about that.

Those same fans will be looking for some kind of revenge on the traffic jam of traitors Trevor Etienne (82 attempts, 422 yards, 7 TD), who transferred from UF to Georgia and posted a three-touchdown performance in the win at Texas.

Freshman quarterback from Florida DJ Laway (1,024 yards, 5 TD, 5 INT) will get his first taste of the split-stadium rivalry, not to mention the most ferocious pass rush he’s faced yet collegiately. Lagway completed just seven of fourteen passes in his last outing, but bombed Kentucky for 259 yards (or 37.0 per completion) to target surging wideouts Elijah badger (22 catches, 525 yards, 2 TD) and Chimeric Dike (21, 420, 2). Of UF’s 476 yards against the Wildcats, 197 came on the ground, including 105 yards and a school-record five touchdowns by freshman tailback Jadan Baugh (259 yards), stepping in for an injured senior starter Montrell Johnson Jr.and excelled.

Defensively, the Gators score 73^rd in the country and second-to-last in the SEC (370.9 yards per game) at 65^e in scoring (23.6 points per game), but over the last three games they’ve cut those numbers to just 298.0 yards and 18.7 points.

However, the level of competition is increasing in a very challenging way. As in the most challenging program in the country in the coming month.

Will it be a November you will never forget?

The direction of the Florida program likely depends on it.

Coverage begins at 3:30 PM on ABC, with the A-crew of Chris Fowler play-by-play, Kirk Herbstreit on analysis and Holly Rowe on the sidelines. The Gators Sports Network broadcast from Learfield will air with pregame coverage starting at 12:30 p.m., eventually making way for Sean Kelley and Shane Matthews in the booth, while Tate Casey reports from the field. For GSN stations click here.

The game will be re-aired Tuesday at 2:30 a.m. and Thursday at noon, both on SEC Network.

Finally, follow senior writer Scott Carter (@GatorsScott) for commentary and analysis throughout the game. FloridaGators.com will have full post-game coverage late Saturday night as well as follow-up content on Sunday.

Email Chris Harry at [email protected]