JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Georgia football has had plenty of storylines approaching the annual rivalry game with Florida at TIAA Bank Field.

The No. 1-ranked Bulldogs (7-0, 5-0 SEC) kick off against the Gators (4-3, 2-3) at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Florida, like Georgia, has no shortage of angles entering what some are saying is a “must-win” for coach Dan Mullen.

Edgar Thompson, who covers Florida for the Orlando Sentinel, took time to answer these 5 key questions about the Gators entering the game today.

1. How would you explain the differences between Emory Jones and Anthony Richardson, as players, and how Florida runs its offense with them?

ET: Each is a dual-threat quarterback seemingly well-suited to Dan Mullen’s spread offense, but the similarities pretty much end there. The 6-foot-4, 236-pound Richardson’s athleticism and big-play ability are elite and make Florida’s offense more difficult to defend. Richardson’s sample size is much smaller due to his backup role and a Week 2 hamstring injury that sidelined him two games. But his 4-touchdown day in relief of Jones at LSU indicate he needs more snaps.

Jones has struggled to elevate the Gators offense as many expected. The redshirt junior’s knowledge of Mullen’s scheme, experiences as Kyle Trask’s backup the past two seasons and his considerable skill set indicated he was up for the job while Richardson would wait his turn and offer a change of pace off the bench. Instead, Jones’ indecisiveness in the passing game has overshadowed his arm strength, limited the Gators’ attack and led him to toss an SEC-high nine interceptions, including a pick-six at LSU leading Mullen to turn to Richardson.

Richardson, a redshirt freshman, has made some head-scratching throws himself, not surprising for a 19-year-old with limited experience. Generally, he gets rid of the football more quickly and cycles through progressions more effectively than Jones.

The 6-foot-2, 211-pound Jones is a gifted runner with quickness and instincts - he leads the Gators with 494 rushing yards. Richardson is better able to break tackles and has the long speed to score from anywhere on the field.

Big plays against Georgia’s suffocating defense will be hard to come by, but RIchardson gives Florida’s a better chance. His eight touchdown plays average 31 yards, while Jones’ 12 touchdowns are an average of 17 in length. That’s a big difference.

2. What has been the mood of the team during the bye week?

ET: The sense - over Zoom calls at least! - is the Gators are energized and focused by the opportunity to knock off the No. 1 team and archrival. Florida is leaning into the narrative a play here or there or one fewer mistake are the difference between 4-3 and 7-0.

A missed extra point during a 31-29 loss to Alabama forced the Gators to make a failed 2-point conversion attempt late in the game. Florida also trailed 21-3 quickly because of a slew of missed tackles and assignments. If the game had not been played at a sold out Swamp, things could have turned really ugly.

The resilience and mental toughness displayed on Sept. 18 against the Crimson Tide was missing two weeks later at Kentucky. The Gators committed 15 penalties, including eight false starts without attempting to adjust from an audible clap signal amid the din at Kroger Field. Two fourth-quarterback trips to the red zone produced three points and three false starts during the 20-13 loss. Kentucky won the game on a blocked field returned for a touchdown. Meanwhile, Mullen’s game plan was shockingly conservative.

Even so, there is little shame any longer losing on the road to Mark Stoops’ Kentucky program. There is plenty of self-reflection and evaluation to be made after being run over by a depleted LSU squad with a lame-duck head coach. Ed Orgeron was fired a day after the Tigers’ 49-42 upset Oct. 16 in Baton Rouge, adding further insult to the Gators’ performance. The biggest slap in the facemask was LSU’s 321 rushing yards, 238 yards above its season average and most of them right up the middle of Todd Grantham’s defense.

The Gators aim to channel those close calls and frustrations into fuel to stand up to their archrival. Florida’s resolve could evaporate quickly if the offensive game plan stalls or Grantham’s D finds itself on its heels by a better offense. The Bulldogs then could deliver a beatdown that will cast a dark cloud over Mullen’s program and leave little to play for the rest of the season.

3. Is Dan Mullen in any serious jeopardy of losing his job this season?

ET: No. Next question.

Bottom line, Mullen has the 100% backing of Florida AD Scott Stricklin, who sees the Gators’ current struggles as bump in the road rather than a trend. Even so, Mullen is getting a rough ride from fans for several reasons.

Florida is 2-6 record during the last eight games against Power 5 foes; the 2022 recruiting class is losing top commits and ground in the rankings, sitting at No. 22 per 247Sports; and Mullen’s loyalty to Grantham, Jones and even some longtime staff members perceived as sub-par recruiters.

Talk to me a year from now if the Gators are 4-3 and two-touchdown underdogs to Georgia. The answer will be quite different.

4. What area does Georgia appear to have the biggest advantage?

ET: Tough one because Florida has so few, if any. I’ll stick with the obvious answer: the front seven.

Since dominating the trenches against Alabama, the Gators’ O-line has dealt with some nagging injuries. All five starters have left a game at some point this season, yet none has missed significant time.

Anything less than 100%, though, isn’t going to come close to cutting it against a Magnificent 7, featuring multiple NFL first-rounders, led by college football’s Mt. Everest - 6-foot-6, 340-pound Jordan Davis.

Florida first-year starting center Kingsley Eguakan is going to need plenty of help Saturday, and possibly beyond as he tries to come to terms with what just happened to him. Seriously, though, if the Gators fail to generate any push or protect Jones and Richardson the Dawgs are going to cruise.

5. What is the formula for a Florida upset?

ET: Mullen is sure to have identified a soft spot or two in the Bulldogs’ defense and will have a game plan to capitalize. Last year it was the wheel route. Am interested to see what it is Saturday. Whatever the plan it will require heavy doses of Richardson and a Superman-like effort against Georgia.

Florida likely will sell out to stop the run and make the Bulldogs’ one-dimensional. Grantham’s defense thrives on terrorizing quarterbacks, getting in the backfield and forcing mistakes. The Bulldogs threw three fourth-quarter interceptions during last season’s loss. But these Gators have generated just six takeaways in seven games and struggle to get home consistently, putting the secondary in some tough spots.

Pretty much Georgia is going to have to blow it to lose Saturday. It’s possible, but unlikely.