GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Through more than half of the season, Florida currently sits at -3 in the turnover margin. It's on pace for the worst finish in that category since 2011, when the Gators finished -12.

Worse, Florida simply hasn't been able to get the ball off opponents unless it makes a play against the pass.

"We got to force some fumbles," linebacker David Reese said. "We haven’t forced a fumble all year. We had interceptions and our fair share of those. Forcing a fumble and things like that and just swarming to the ball (is what we need)."

The Gators, astoundingly, are the only team in FBS football that has yet to recover a fumble.

It's been a big emphasis throughout the bye week. A young defense was always going to need to find its feet, but after the outfit's most encouraging performance year to date against Texas A&M, now the focus has to shift from simply stopping opposing offenses to creating big plays the other way.

"We've definitely been focusing on that, takeaways and turnovers," linebacker Jeremiah Moon said. "We've just got to wrap up and the second man has to get the ball out. It is what it is."

Georgia hasn't been great at protecting the football, but the Bulldogs certainly aren't bad either. They've turned it over just nine times in seven games.

Florida has won the last three in the series in large part thanks to shutting down Georgia's offense. The Gators have won the turnover battle 6-3 in those three meetings, though that figure was anchored largely by a 5-1 turnover ratio in the 2015 contest.

However, with a better Georgia squad heading into this one and Florida reeling, winning the turnover margin (maybe even by a couple) might just be necessary.

The Gators are ready to get back to winning how they have the past few years: keyed by a strong defensive performance.

"I know it’s going to be a slugfest," Reese said. "These are the types of game I live for, a team that comes out with the attitude that they’re going to pound the rock against us and hit us in the mouth. We play SEC football just like they do. We’re excited about that.

"We’re coming with a chip on our shoulder and we’re excited to show the world what we can do, especially up front."

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