The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail party is of particular significance this year.

The Dawgs and the Gators are both 6-1 and both vying to win the SEC East to take a trip to Atlanta for the SEC Championship. The only difference is Georgia controls its own destiny, while Florida needs Kentucky to trip up somewhere over the next four weeks.

Both teams haven’t been ranked in this game since 2012, when Georgia’s win over the No. 3 Gators launched the Dawgs back into the national spotlight, ultimately setting them up in SEC Championship, where… Well, I won’t go there.

I still watch highlights from that 2012 game from time to time. Watching Aaron Murray connect with Malcom Mitchell, who sheds defenders left and right on his way to the end zone, still gives me goosebumps. The dance he does when he crosses the goal line is just so classic. Let’s not forget Jarvis Jones’s hit that caused Florida to fumble the ball on the goal line with hardly any time remaining.

Yes, that was a great game. I can only hope this year’s matchup is just as exciting.

Actually, I can do without the tense action, come to think of it. Give me another beating like last year’s, where Georgia drummed up 42 points and beat the Gators in every possible manner. I’ll take that again, please.

After a disturbing loss to LSU a couple weeks ago, Georgia fans need a therapeutic win. What could do the job better than whooping Florida? There are a few areas that I hope Coach Smart and the crew cleaned up over the past couple weeks in order to make that happen.

Jake Fromm is a fantastic quarterback. A “gamer”, as Kirby calls him. He dang sure is. But something is just ever so slightly off with him the past few games. His touch isn’t quite there, his vision seems a little narrower when he goes through his reads and he has taken a few too many sacks when he should’ve gotten rid of the ball. Hopefully he can settle down enough to show the country just why he’s one of the best.

The young offensive line is beginning to gel, but it’s taking some time. Linemen getting beat at the line of scrimmage isn’t making Fromm look good, which is part of the problem.

Against LSU, I can’t even count how many dropped passes or bad routes cost the Dawgs points. Brushing up on their fundamentals and the playbook will help Georgia’s offense look more complete and in control.

If there’s any coach that can iron out these kinks after a brutal loss, it’s Kirby. Remember the first Auburn game last year? I don’t. That ugly memory is wiped clean. But I know what happened after that.

Go Dawgs!