DawgNation Invasion: Georgia and Florida are going head-to-head for SEC’s top class

Editor’s note: The next DawgNation Invasion will be for the Florida game in Jacksonville this weekend. The big recruiting battle of late between the two rivals has been the back-and-forth for the bragging rights of having the SEC’s top-rated recruiting class for 2018.

In preparation for that big-game weekend, DawgNation takes a look at the recruiting trends with each program.

New 4-star UGA commitment Adam Anderson was already wearing the gear in his home when he made his decision on Thursday night. (Jeff Sentell/Dawgnation)/Dawgnation)

October has been good to the Bulldogs.

It could get even better.

Georgia’s recruiting class has surged from Top 10 to elite. The Bulldogs landed commitments from two of the nation’s Top 50 players in 5-star QB Justin Fields and 4-star OLB Adam Anderson.

Fields, the 247Sports Composite’s top overall prospect, pushed the Bulldogs into the Top 10.

Anderson’s decision meant another rankings benchmark. When he chose Georgia, it vaulted the red-and-black to a temporary status as the nation’s No. 6 class.

The Bulldogs would also earn the distinction of having the highest-rated class in the SEC.

It was short-lived.

Georgia held that spot for less than a day. Florida grabbed that honor after it picked up its 18th commitment last Friday.

The addition of Tampa 4-star OT Richard Gouraige now meant the SEC’s top-rated class was going to Gainesville. The Gators vaulted Georgia to No. 1 in the SEC and No. 6 nationally in the 247Sports Composite Team Rankings.

Gouraige’s choice meant the first commitment for Florida since it picked up 4-star Georgia RB Dameon Pierce back on Aug. 6. That move by Gouraige updated the 2018 commitment comparison for both schools:

2018 star breakdown	5-stars	4-stars	3-stars	Total
Florida	0	10	8	18
UGA	2	8	7	17

Elite commit rankings	Top 50 overall	Top 150 overall	Top 5 (position)	Top 10 (position)
Florida	2	5	2	6
UGA	3	6	5	6

Yet there is now a chance for a Lee Corso “not so fast” moment with this match race.

Miami Central (Fla.) 4-star RB James Cook will make his college decision at 8 p.m. this evening with the release of a commitment video.

The Bulldogs have positioned themselves well for the talented speedster from South Florida. Ironically, the Bulldogs prioritized Cook on their board as an out-of-state prospect rather than pursue the aforementioned Pierce.

That allowed the Gators to land Pierce.

If Cook chooses the Bulldogs, we will see another flip-flop in this tug-of-war between rivals for the honor of recruiting the SEC’s best class.

According to the 247Sports class calculator, Georgia would rise in that scenario to No. 1 in the SEC and No. 5 overall nationally. The Bulldogs would then leap both Florida and Oregon.

Cook ranks as the nation’s No. 3 RB for this year’s cycle. He’s also the nation’s No. 35 overall prospect. If he also joins the fold, then he would be the third Top 50 prospect to commit to Georgia this month.

That would be quite the October.

Check out the DawgNation Invasion Jacksonville recruiting series: