Steve Spurrier believes Florida is 'fairly close' to Georgia's talent

Florida is set to take on Georgia at EverBank Field in Jacksonville on Saturday. Coming off a bye week following the four-touchdown win over Kentucky in Week 8, the Gators are as confident as ever.

Ahead of the rivalry matchup, former Florida head coach Steve Spurrier appears to be as confident in his team as he has been all season. He also provided a hot take on the talent level on both teams that may rile up a few of the Bulldogs faithful.

“Our team will go there was some confidence now that we played very well in the last game,” Spurrier said on Another Dooley Noted Podcast. “We should have beat Tennessee, but we didn’t. We didn’t make the plays. But when you’re inside the 20 [yard line] four times to get three points, you’re not going to win much of anything. But anyway, we just need to go over and play well how we’re capable and score touchdowns instead of kicking field goals from the 1-2 yard line. If we can do that, we certainly have a chance to win the game.

“So, yeah, I’m looking forward to watching it. And talent-wise, I think we’re fairly close. You know, they just barely beat Kentucky, Georgia did. And Kentucky, they can’t beat anybody now. They’re struggling. It’s coming down to who plays the best. Who scores touchdowns instead of kicking field goals and not turning the ball over, especially in crucial situations? Sometimes we worry about the talent more than we worry about who plays the smartest and the best.”

Whether you agree with what Spurrier has to say or not, there’s no denying how easily Florida dispatched Kentucky 48-20 in the Swamp before heading to its bye week in Week 9, while the Bulldogs nearly tripped up during their journey to Lexington earlier this season. They defeated the Wildcats 13-12 in Week 3.

However, gauging where a team is based on similar opponents is a slippery slope, especially when you’re talking about a UK team that’s nearly dead last in the SEC this season. The only other similar opponent the two teams have had to this point during the season is Mississippi State, and they’re the only SEC team ranked below Kentucky in the current standings.

Still, Florida appears to have improved each week the season has gone on, and in a rivalry matchup like the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party is the perfect opportunity to trap the Bulldogs and give them their second loss of the season.

At the same time, Georgia appears to be simply stopping in Jacksonville on its way to Atlanta in December, as the Bulldogs have solidified themselves back as not only a major player in the SEC after the Alabama loss but as a national championship contender thanks to its complete body of work. However, they can’t be caught overlooking the upset-minded Gators heading into Week 10.