It's Cocktail Party week! On paper, this should be one of the better match-ups in recent memory. Georgia leads this series against Florida, 52-43-2 and yes, I counted the 1904 controversial game. Before you watch, listen, or read about the big game, here are tons of statistical nuggets about the Bulldogs for your enjoyment.

After a really bad period for Georgia in the Cocktail Party, the Bulldogs have found some magic in recent times. The Dawgs have won five out of the last eight meetings, including the last two. Another victory on Saturday and Georgia will have clinched the series in the decade for the first time since the 1980s.

Of these 97 prior encounters, this is just the seventh occasion when both have been ranked in the top ten.

Georgia also defeated Florida three times when the Gators were ranked in the top ten and the Bulldogs were unranked (1964, 1966, 1974).

One of the Dawgs’ strengths this season has been their running game, and in this series, the running game has been a major key to success. Whichever team has won the rushing battle has also won the game in each of the last 13 contests.

D’Andre Swift currently leads the SEC in rushing in terms of per-game totals. The Dawgs haven’t had a player accomplish that since Knowshon Moreno in 2008 (both Todd Gurley and Nick Chubb finished second). Here are the current leaders in the conference as of now.

His 179 yards rushing against Kentucky two weeks ago was the second highest total of his career (186 vs Auburn in 2018). It was his seventh career 100-yard game. His first 100-yard rush game came against Florida last season.

Swift passed former Heisman Trophy winner Frank Sinkwich on Georgia’s all-time career yards rushing list. The current Bulldog currently sits in 11th place, with 2,419. Tenth on the list is Kevin McLee; Swift needs 162 yards to tie him. Florida has allowed over 217 yards per game on the ground over its last two contests, giving up 6.5 yards per carry.

The Bulldogs have a plethora of good backs, but Swift and Brian Herrien have been the workhorses as of late. In my weekly look at the rushing attack, those two have been getting the attempts even deep into the game as you can see here:

The passing game was pretty non-existent in the rain against Kentucky. For only the only the second time in his career, Jake Fromm failed to throw a touchdown pass in a game. His stat-line reminded me of a game of his two seasons ago.

That was Fromm’s freshman season. In his sophomore season he did a little better, going 17-of-24 passing for 240 yards and three scores. Fromm needs 230 yards passing to become Georgia’s fifth quarterback to reach the 7,000-mark for his career.

For Fromm to be able to do that the offensive line has to do their part. Florida’s defense leads the SEC and is tied for ninth in the nation with 29 sacks this season. So far, the Bulldogs O-line has done its part by allowing just four sacks through seven games. This is tied for best in the nation for fewest allowed, with Air Force.

The receivers also have to do their part. With the possibility of having Lawrence Cager back will help, things are looking up. In Cager’s first three seasons playing for the Miami Hurricanes, the most receptions he had in a game was four. In each of the last three games he has played, he has had a minimum of four receptions.

Despite missing action, Cager is tied for the team lead in touchdown receptions with three. He's also the only senior with a touchdown reception. Check out this list of the Dawgs’ receptions this season by class:

Defensively, Georgia has looked really good at times. Two weeks ago against Kentucky, Georgia posted its fourth shutout under Kirby Smart. The Dawgs have allowed just six touchdowns from scrimmage this season—tied for the nation’s best.

Of those six touchdowns allowed, zero have come from the ground. Georgia is the only school in the FBS with no touchdown rushes allowed (Iowa and Ohio State have each allowed two). Here is Georgia’s rush defense over the last five seasons, through seven games:

Rushing defense is one thing; passing defense is another, and starts with getting pressure on the quarterback. Georgia is currently tenth in the SEC in total sacks with ten, but the Bulldogs are applying pressure. The Dawgs have had 118 quarterback pressures through seven games this season. According to the media guide, in 2018, they had just 69 in the entire season.

One of the players entering the Georgia/Florida Hall of Fame this season is student assistant coach Jarvis Jones. Jones knew a thing or two about getting to a Gator quarterback. In two career games against Florida he had 18 tackles, including seven for sacks, as well as three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.

Rennie Curran is the other Bulldog player being honored. He had 17 tackles, with two going for losses in three career games against the Gators.

Rodrigo Blankenship needs just one more extra point to be second in that career category for the Dawgs by himself. He's currently tied with Blair Walsh and is 31 behind Marshall Morgan. This week he was also named one of the 12 finalists for the prestigious Campbell trophy, which annually recognizes an individual as the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation for his combined academic success, football performance, and exemplary leadership. Blankenship is the only finalist from the SEC. Matt Stinchcomb is the only Bulldog to win that award (1998).

This game might come down to field position, and punting will be important. Jake Camarda has had an up-and-down season so far, as seen in his game-by-game averages kicking for the Dawgs:

Speaking of winning, Kirby Smart is still one of two Bulldogs who have defeated the Gators both as player and head coach. His one win as a player happened in 1997, when he had seven tackles and two interceptions. In all, as a player, he had 22 tackles and two picks.

… One quick reminder: Even though the Major League Baseball season is over, Georgia baseball has a very important scrimmage this week. On Friday, the Diamond Dawgs will take on the Gators at the Baseball Grounds in Jacksonville (next to the football stadium). Game time is 6:30 pm EST and costs $15 to attend.