Playing in the mud and a driving rainstorm in Jacksonville, sophomore wideout Charley Whittemore makes one of his team-high four receptions in Georgia’s 51-0 blowout victory over Florida in 1968.

The rivalry between Georgia and Florida has produced countless unforgettable moments. But perhaps no moment was as shockingly dominant — or as soaked in Southern grit — as the 1968 edition of the “World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.” That year, the Georgia Bulldogs dismantled the Florida Gators by a staggering 51-0 score, the largest margin of victory in the rivalry’s history.

Played in a torrential downpour at the old Gator Bowl Stadium in Jacksonville, the game wasn’t just a triumph in the standings — it became a defining performance for Georgia’s championship-bound squad, and a personal breakout moment for sophomore wide receiver Charley Whittemore, who made a team-high four receptions amid the driving rain and ankle-deep mud.

By 1968, the Georgia–Florida rivalry was already one of the fiercest in the SEC. Both programs were entrenched powers with proud fanbases that flooded Jacksonville each fall for bragging rights in a state-splitting clash.

The ’68 game came with added stakes. Georgia, led by head coach Vince Dooley, entered the game undefeated and ranked No. 7 nationally, with real aspirations for an SEC title and a shot at a national championship. Florida, coached by Ray Graves, featured a high-flying offense led by quarterback Larry Rentz, but came into the game with a 5–1–1 record and hopes of upsetting the Bulldogs’ dream season.

What no one expected was a weather-fueled demolition that would rewrite the history books.

The skies over Jacksonville opened up early that Saturday morning, and by kickoff the field resembled a swamp more than a stadium. Sheets of rain pounded the turf, and gusts of wind turned routine plays into survival tests.

But if the storm was a challenge for some, Georgia seemed energized by the conditions.

From the opening kickoff, the Bulldogs dictated every phase of the game: offense, defense, and special teams. They overwhelmed the Gators with physicality, discipline, and relentless energy — traits that defined Vince Dooley’s team that season.

While the ground game, led by sophomore sensation Jake Scott and fullback Brad Johnson, churned through the mud, it was Charley Whittemore who shone as the most reliable receiver on a day where passing the football was a challenge few teams dared attempt.

Whittemore caught four passes, the most by any Georgia player in the game, despite the sopping wet ball and zero-visibility conditions. His routes were crisp, his hands dependable, and his composure remarkable given the chaos around him.

“It didn’t matter what the weather was,” said one former teammate. “Charley was going to get open, and if you put the ball near him, he was coming down with it.”

Whittemore’s poise in the elements mirrored that of the entire Bulldog team — unflinching, focused, and hungry for dominance.

As effective as the offense was, it was Georgia’s defense that truly broke Florida’s spirit.

Larry Rentz and the Gators were stifled at every turn. Georgia’s defensive line, anchored by Bill Stanfill, Steve Greer, and Mike Cavan, collapsed the pocket and stuffed the run. The secondary — featuring the electrifying Jake Scott at safety — forced four turnovers, including two interceptions and a fumble returned for a touchdown.

Florida finished the game with negative rushing yards, and Rentz completed fewer than 10 passes in the storm. The Gators never crossed midfield in the second half and looked completely overmatched from start to finish.

“They just beat us every way you could beat a football team,” a Florida assistant coach later said.

The 51-0 scoreline wasn’t just a reflection of dominance — it was a statement. Dooley’s Bulldogs had arrived on the national stage.

Georgia scored early and often, including two first-quarter touchdowns that put Florida on its heels. By halftime, the score was 27-0, and the Gators looked demoralized. The Bulldogs never let up, adding 24 more points in the second half and sealing one of the most lopsided wins in SEC history.

Dooley, never one to run up the score, didn’t have to. His second- and third-string units kept the pressure on Florida late in the game, turning turnovers into touchdowns and chewing up clock with the ground game

The victory over Florida propelled Georgia into the top five nationally, and the Bulldogs went on to finish the 1968 regular season 8-0-2, claiming the SEC championship. They were invited to the Sugar Bowl, where they ultimately fell to Arkansas — but the season was still regarded as one of the most successful in Georgia football history.

For Charley Whittemore, the 1968 season laid the foundation for a decorated college career. He became one of Georgia’s most reliable receivers and later transitioned into coaching, eventually serving on Dooley’s staff. His performance in the Florida game remains one of the quiet highlights in a game full of loud moments.

“Charley was always steady,” said Dooley in a retrospective interview. “He didn’t need the spotlight. He just showed up and did his job better than just about anyone.”

In the annals of Georgia football history, the 1968 Florida game stands out not just for the margin of victory, but for how it was achieved. Playing in near-biblical conditions, the Bulldogs delivered a performance that was tough, focused, and unrelenting.

The rain may have fallen hard, but Georgia hit harder.

“That game wasn’t about luck or weather,” said Jake Scott in a later interview. “It was about heart. We just wanted it more.”

Fans who attended the game — drenched and delirious — still talk about it as one of the greatest days in the rivalry’s history. The legend of 51-0 became a rallying cry for future generations of Bulldogs.

For Florida, the 1968 game remains one of the lowest points in program history. The 51-point defeat is the worst loss the Gators have ever suffered in the rivalry, and it’s still referenced today as a measuring stick of Georgia’s peak dominance.

The blowout intensified the rivalry, fueling bitterness and urgency on both sides. Florida wouldn’t beat Georgia again until 1971, and the two programs traded punches throughout the ’70s and ’80s in a series that only grew more intense with each passing year.

More than five decades later, the 1968 Georgia–Florida game still stands as a monument to Bulldog supremacy — a snapshot of a team perfectly tuned, perfectly prepared, and perfectly unrelenting, no matter the conditions.

For Charley Whittemore, it was a day where his toughness and talent helped steady the offense in a literal storm. For Vince Dooley, it was one of his proudest coaching triumphs. And for Georgia fans, it remains the gold standard of what it means to dominate a rival.

Rain or shine, 51-0 will never be forgotten.