Tag: Uga

Arch Manning, Texas embrace shot to show Georgia what it’s missing

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Georgia coach Kirby Smart recognizes the version of Arch Manning performing at a high level since critics gathered with doubts that the first-time starter was destined to carry on the All-Pro family lineage.

“He has made lots of wow throws,” Smart said of Texas’ redshirt sophomore quarterback, a player Georgia went after hard on the recruiting trail more than three years ago as pundits drew parallels to uncles Peyton Manning and Eli Manning.

“It really wasn’t about the celebrity nature or the last name. It was about the tape,” Smart said. “Have a good relationship with his family.

“His recruitment was based on he’s athletic, he’s fast, he’s tall, he’s intelligent. He’s got composure. He can do it all. Even the way he’s managed the hype and expectations … it doesn’t seem to have affected him. He knows he has to grow and get better.”

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian turned the offense over to Manning this year following two seasons as a backup to Quinn Ewers.

Sarkisian will be out to break a poor record against teams ranked in the top 10 when the Longhorns follow Manning to Athens on Saturday. Sarkisian is 2-11 at Texas against opponents in the top 10 of the AP poll including two losses to Georgia in 2024.

“Since we lost to Florida, the first bullet point when I talk to the team about what it takes is, this is an SEC Championship game. That (mindset) went back now for the last month,” Sarkisian said. “This week’s not different.”

Manning has wins over No. 9 Vanderbilt (34-31 on Nov. 1) and No. 6 Oklahoma (23-6 on Oct. 11) this season. He has seven touchdowns and one interception since completing 21-of-27 passes against the Sooners and has averaged 337 passing yards the past two games.

On the other side, Georgia junior Gunner Stockton has 15 touchdowns, two interceptions and wins over No. 5 Ole Miss and No. 15 Tennessee with one loss in September against Alabama.

In a retrospective glance back on Monday at recruiting Texas’ current quarterback, Smart said there was no “sales pitch” from Georgia, which leaned on a relationship with members of the Manning family and built a strong rapport.

“He came over here a lot,” Smart said. “He was very honest. Had his thoughts about both programs. He liked both programs. He had to pick one.”

Smart is happy to have Stockton under center.

“He’s brought consistency. He’s made good decisions with the ball in terms of keeping us out of bad situations,” Smart said. “He’s avoided quite a bit of sacks. He’s avoided catastrophic turnovers. He’s improved throughout the season. He continues to do that. He’s going to make us very hard to defend when he plays well.”

The winner of Saturday’s game stays on solid footing for the College Football Playoff even with nine SEC teams packed in the Top 25.

–Field Level Media

Sep 6, 2025; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Gunner Stockton (14) throws a pass against the Austin Peay Governors in the fourth quarter at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images

No. 6 Georgia to face first big test from No. 15 Tennessee

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Eager to snap a prolonged losing streak against their hated rival, the No. 15 Tennessee Volunteers host the No. 6 Georgia Bulldogs in Knoxville, Tenn., in each team’s Southeastern Conference opener.

Tennessee (2-0) has breezed past Syracuse and East Tennessee State, but an entirely new energy will surround Neyland Stadium on Saturday. With ESPN’s “College GameDay” coming to town for the 55th all-time meeting between the longtime SEC foes, the Volunteers are out to end an eight-year skid against Georgia.

“We know the test that we have in front of us facing a really good Georgia football team,” Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel said. “It’s a great weekend. It’s an opportunity for ‘GameDay’ to be here on the biggest stage in college football.”

Following the offseason drama surrounding the exit of Nico Iamaleava, fifth-year quarterback Joey Aguilar has taken the reins under center and impressed through two weeks. The transfer from Appalachian State (2023-24 seasons) and UCLA (spring 2025) has thrown for 535 yards and five touchdowns across the two blowout victories ahead of his biggest test.

“I’m super excited,” Aguilar said of facing Georgia. “But it’s another team on our schedule that we have to go out and play. Excited for the week of preparation, going out there and trusting my guys and playing how we play.”

Tennessee hasn’t beaten Georgia since Joshua Dobbs hit Jauan Jennings on a Hail Mary as time expired in 2016, providing a 34-31 victory in Athens in arguably the rivalry’s most iconic moment — at least from the Vols’ perspective.

Since first-year Georgia head coach Kirby Smart lost that game, the Bulldogs have had a stranglehold in the series, including three consecutive ranked wins over the Volunteers. Nonetheless, Smart knows as well as anyone that last year’s 31-17 win has little to do with Saturday.

“When you play in the SEC and you’re in these really tough Top 10 matchups, Top 25 matchups, they can go either way a lot of times,” Smart said. “They’ve played us physical, we’ve played them physical. I think being at home usually helps either team, but I don’t know that you can attribute it to anything, because this year has nothing to do with previous years.”

Like Tennessee, Georgia (2-0) hasn’t faced a true challenge through two home games. After beating Marshall by 38 points, the Bulldogs sleepwalked through a 28-6 win over FCS opponent Austin Peay in Week 2.

Quarterback Gunner Stockton is slated to make the first road start of his career in front of 101,915 fans in Knoxville, signaling his first “welcome to the SEC” moment.

“Me being in this league for a long time, it plays a factor on the ability to execute when you’re in an environment that someone’s never been in,” Smart said. “As a coach, you have to be smart about what you’re asking them to execute, because at the end of the day, that’s what it is. Who can execute, who can block and tackle, and who can be physical.”

Stockton has thrown for 417 yards and two touchdowns, while adding 86 yards and a pair of scores on the ground through two home starts.

“I think he’s going to be great,” Smart said of Stockton’s first road start. “It’s something that we practice all year round. I don’t believe in waiting till the week of the game. We do it in spring. We do it all preseason camp. We put a lot of pressure on the players in practice to communicate.”

-Field Level Media

Sep 7, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans wide receiver Zachariah Branch (1) runs the ball against Utah State Aggies linebacker Jon Ross Maye (1) during the second quarter at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images

Branch brothers to transfer from USC to Georgia

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Former Southern California standout wide receiver Zachariah Branch and safety Zion Branch are transferring to Georgia, the brothers announced on Sunday.

Also a star punt and kick returner, Zachariah Branch was USC’s second-leading receiver in 2024, gaining 503 yards and scoring just one touchdown on 47 receptions. He has 78 catches for 823 yards and four total touchdowns (three receiving, one rushing) over two college campaigns.

He was an All-American in 2023 and won the Johnny “The Jet” Rodgers Award as the country’s top return specialist. He led NCAA FBS in punt return average (20.8 yards) in 2023, also pacing the Pac-12 with 332 punt return yards. He averaged 5.7 yards on 13 returns in 2024.

Zachariah Branch has one career TD on a punt return and one on a kickoff return.

“I chose Georgia because I felt like the culture was something special,” he told ESPN. “They have a great coaching staff, the brotherhood within the program, their will to win, being prepared for the next level and being as successful as possible on and off the field was important to me.”

Listed at 5-foot-10 and 175 pounds, he is the No. 4 player and No. 2 wide receiver in the 247Sports transfer portal rankings.

Zion Branch, who like his younger brother has two years of eligibility remaining, is the No. 269 overall player and No. 16 safety in the 247Sports transfer portal rankings.

He finished the season with 19 tackles, one sack and three pass breakups in 12 games. Listed at 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds, he has 41 career tackles in 21 games. He ended the 2022 and 2023 seasons early due to injuries.

“I chose the University of Georgia because of its great coaching staff, their pedigree and the history of the program,” Zion Branch told ESPN. “Georgia has consistently been one of the best programs in college football, and the culture of excellence they’ve built is something I want to be a part of. The coaches are not just about winning games; they’re about building character, fostering growth and pushing players to be their absolute best both on and off the field.”

The brothers, who are Las Vegas natives, join former USC assistant Donte Williams, a defensive backs coach at Georgia since December 2023.

–Field Level Media

Georgia coach Kirby Smart celebrates with his dad Sonny Smart after a NCAA college football game between Tennessee and Georgia in Athens, Ga., on Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022. Georgia won 27-13. Syndication Online Athens

Father of Georgia coach Kirby Smart dies after Sugar Bowl fall

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Sonny Smart, the father of Georgia coach Kirby Smart, died early Saturday morning due to complications from hip surgery necessitated after the 76-year-old fell in New Orleans before Thursday’s Sugar Bowl, the university announced.

“Sonny fell while walking during the day on New Year’s Eve in New Orleans and fractured his hip,” the statement said. “He was hospitalized and underwent hip surgery; unfortunately, complications arose. He fought valiantly but was unable to overcome his injuries.”

Sonny Smart was a longtime high school coach in Alabama and Georgia, including coaching football at Holtville High School in Alabama while also leading the baseball team to the state title in 1982.

The University of Georgia said the elder Smart passed away surrounded by his wife, Sharon, and their three children, Karl, Kirby and Kendall.

Kirby Smart was able to visit his father in the hospital several times before and after Georgia’s 23-10 loss in the Sugar Bowl, which was postponed from Wednesday to Thursday following a terrorist attack on Bourbon Street early New Year’s Day that killed 14 people and injured dozens more.

The Smart family thanked the Ochsner Medical Center staff in New Orleans in the school’s statement.

“Additionally, they ask for your continued prayers for those affected by the tragic events that occurred in the early hours of New Year’s Day,” the statement said. “The Smart family treasures everyone’s thoughts and prayers and now prays for God’s comfort, strength, and guidance.”

Sonny Smart played college football at Samford University in Birmingham, Ala. He coached while Kirby played safety at Bainbridge High in Georgia and also coached at Rabun County High in north Georgia.

“He’s taught me so much just about the way you handle things, the right way, the wrong way,” Kirby Smart said of his father in January 2023, per ESPN. “Control the controllables. The moment’s never too big if you’re prepared. And I always watched the way he prepared our teams and our staff in high school.

“He was a very wise man, a man of few words. I tried to follow his mantra as a coach. I’ve certainly evolved from going to coach for other people, but a lot of my core beliefs came from the way he ran our programs in high school.”

–Field Level Media

Sep 28, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart talks with quarterback Carson Beck (15) during the first half against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-Imagn Images

Georgia QB Carson Beck to try elbow treatment; P Brett Thorson out for season

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Georgia quarterback Carson Beck seeks a rehabilitation and strengthening program for his throwing arm, but the Bulldogs’ outlook for the College Football Playoff at the position is unclear.

Beck had 11 touchdowns and no interceptions in the final month of the season to propel Georgia into the SEC Championship. He hurt his throwing arm on the final play of the first half and was replaced by sophomore Gunner Stockton. Stockton completed 12 of 16 passes for 71 yards with an interception to help the Bulldogs defeat Texas 22-19 in overtime.

Georgia did not confirm reports Beck suffered damage to the UCL in his right arm. But the Bulldogs did announce punter Brett Thorson, also injured Saturday in the SEC title game victory, is out for the season with a knee injury.

“Carson and Brett are both fierce competitors and extremely hard workers,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said in a statement on Monday. “I’m confident they will attack their rehab with the same determination they exhibit in their daily habits. We will be here to support them every step of the way.”

Beck threw for 3,485 yards, 28 touchdowns and 12 interceptions as a senior in 2024, returning to school after considering jumping to the NFL last spring.

Thorson is a finalist for the Ray Guy Award given to the top punter in college football. He was carted to the locker room in the SEC Championship after attempting to corral Texas returner Silas Bolden in the third quarter.

A junior from Melbourne, Australia, Thorson averaged 47.6 yards per punt with only five touchbacks in 2024.

Smart said freshman Drew Miller, ranked as the top punter in last year’s class, would be ready to handle the punting chores in the Sugar Bowl.

–Field Level Media

Nov 29, 2024; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets wide receiver Eric Singleton Jr. (2) scores a touchdown against the Georgia Bulldogs during overtime at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Georgia Tech WR Eric Singleton enters portal, plans Georgia visit

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Georgia Tech sophomore wide receiver Eric Singleton entered the transfer portal on Monday, eyeing a rival known for dealing the Yellow Jackets losses.

Singleton had a team-high 56 catches for 754 yards and three touchdowns in 2024 after delivering 48 receptions for 714 yards and six touchdowns as a true freshman in 2023.

He also rushed for 131 yards and a TD on 21 carries in 2024.

Singleton had eight catches for 86 yards and a touchdown in the regular-season finale at Georgia, and will reportedly visit the Bulldogs in Athens.

The news comes on the same day Georgia wide receiver Nitro Tuggle said he was entering the portal, which officially opened Monday and remains open until Dec. 28. And another Bulldogs wide receiver, Michael Jackson III, announced he would hit the portal again after recording only one catch this season. The former four-star recruit spent his first three seasons at USC before transferring to Georgia.

A product of Alexander High School in Douglasville (Ga.), Singleton was rated a three-star recruit in 2023 and had offers from Georgia Southern, Georgia State and Troy but not Georgia.

Players who enter the transfer portal are permitted to return to their original school.

Georgia Tech (7-5) was selected for the Birmingham Bowl and plays Vanderbilt on Dec. 27.

–Nebraska freshman DL Keona Davis to transfer

Nebraska freshman defensive lineman Keona Davis plans to transfer following the departure of Huskers defensive line coach Terrance Knighton.

“After thoughtful reflection and careful consideration, I have decided to enter the transfer portal with four years of eligibility remaining,” Davis said via X. “I want to thank Coach Rhule and his staff, my teammates, and everyone in Husker Nation who has supported me along the way. I am deeply grateful for the experiences, relationships, and opportunities I’ve had as a Cornhusker. Thank you, Husker Nation!”

Davis was a top 15 recruit from the state of Arizona in 2023. He had two tackles for loss and nine total tackles in 2024 as a true freshman.

Knighton, who accepted a post at Florida State last week, raised Davis’ profile in fall camp when he compared his upside to former Nebraska All-American and NFL All-Pro Ndamukong Suh.

“When he leaves here, he’s going to look like 93 that used to play here. That’s what I feel — he’s going to be a big guy,” Knighton said.

–Field Level Media

Texas Longhorns mascot Bevo XV runs onto the field ahead of the game against Colorado State at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024.

No bull, just dogs: Texas mascot banned, UGA’s OK for SEC title game

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Texas might have beef with the Southeastern Conference officials after denying the Longhorns’ request to bring live mascot Bevo XV inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium for Saturday’s championship game with Georgia in Atlanta.

A nearly one ton longhorn steer, Bevo XV is the Texas mascot and storms the home field of the Longhorns before and during games.

The animal is larger than the combined weight of the five-person offensive line for either team and was considered too excessively large to patrol the dome sideline safely.

The conference decided to make the preemptive decision after saying it “look at alternatives” after receiving the request from Texas.

“The reality is there is limited sideline space at the stadium. We can’t jeopardize the safety of Bevo or the game participants,” SEC spokesman Chuck Dunlap said.

Georgia is permitted to leash up its mascot, a recognizable English bulldog named Uga XI.

In response, Texas fans launched a The Change.org petition with thousands of signatures as of Friday.

But Bevo XV also has a reputation stemming from a near-incident in similar indoor surroundings.

At the Superdome in New Orleans before the 2019 Sugar Bowl, Bevo XV toppled a barricade enclosure and began to make a charge in the direction of Georgia’s bulldog mascot. At the time, the mascot was Uga X. The animals did not get close enough to have any direct interaction, but the longhorn was held by members of the Texas contingent and safely restrained.

During NFL games at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, camera crews, boomlift camera machinery and cheerleaders crowd the sideline near the playing field and high-end box seats are closer to the action than many other, older stadiums.

–Field Level Media

Nov 16, 2024; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs wide receiver Dominic Lovett (6) runs after a catch against the Tennessee Volunteers in the first quarter at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images

No. 12 Georgia pulls away from No. 7 Tennessee

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Carson Beck completed 25 of 40 passes for 347 yards and two touchdowns, as No. 12 Georgia kept its Southeastern Conference Championship Game and College Football Playoff hopes alive with a 31-17 win over No. 7 Tennessee on Saturday in Athens, Ga.

Beck also added a rushing score for the Bulldogs (8-2, 6-2), who bounced back from last week’s 28-10 loss at Ole Miss. Nate Frazier ran for 68 yards and a touchdown, while Oscar Delp caught four passes for 56 yards and two touchdowns, as Georgia beat Tennessee for the eighth straight year.

Nico Iamaleava completed 20 of 33 passes for 167 yards for Tennessee (8-2, 5-2), which had its four-game winning streak snapped. Dylan Sampson led the Volunteers with 101 rushing yards and a score. Tennessee led 10-0 after the first quarter, but was held scoreless in the second half.

Tied at 17, Georgia pieced together a dominant opening drive of the second half, as Beck connected with Nitro Tuggle and Arian Smith for 16 yards each, before finding Dominic Lovett for 14 yards, advancing to Tennessee’s 23-yard line. Beck then ran in a 10-yard touchdown that put Georgia ahead 24-17 at the 5:32 mark of the third quarter.

Georgia’s defense then forced punts on consecutive Tennessee drives, before the Bulldogs iced the game with its longest scoring drive of the season, a 92-yard march down the field, capped with Frazier’s 2-yard touchdown run with 2:26 left in the fourth.

Tennessee took the game’s first lead with a 12-play, 78-yard scoring drive stamped with Miles Kitselman’s 1-yard rushing score to give the Volunteers a 7-0 lead at the 10:09 mark of the opening quarter.

Tennessee tacked on before the end of the first quarter, as it followed Georgia’s second punt with Max Gilbert’s 52-yard field goal with 43 seconds left, extending the Volunteers’ lead to 10-0.

Georgia’s first chunk gain of the game came on the final play of the first quarter, as Beck connected with Lovett for a 38-yard pass to Tennessee’s 35-yard line. Four plays later, Beck found Delp for a 19-yard touchdown with 13:30 left in the second quarter.

Another Tennessee punt was followed with a 10-play, 84-yard scoring drive that was stamped with Delp’s second touchdown, a 4-yard catch with 6:36 remaining in the first half. Tennessee then answered with a 10-play, 75-yard drive, resulting in Sampson’s 27-yard rushing touchdown, swinging the lead back to the Volunteers, 17-14 with 1:54 left in the first half.

Peyton Woodring’s 36-yard field goal with five seconds left knotted the score entering halftime.

–Field Level Media

Sep 28, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe (4) celebrates with offensive lineman Parker Brailsford (72) after scoring a touchdown during the first quarter against the Georgia Bulldogs at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-Imagn Images

No. 4 Alabama ends No. 2 Georgia’s 42-game win streak

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Jalen Milroe passed for two touchdowns and rushed for two more and Zabien Brown made a game-saving interception as No. 4 Alabama recorded a wild 41-34 victory over No. 2 Georgia on Saturday night in a Southeastern Conference showdown at Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Alabama blew a 28-point second-quarter lead and fell behind late before notching the winning points on Milroe’s 75-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Williams with 2:18 remaining. Brown’s interception of Carson Beck in the end zone with 43 seconds left secured the Crimson Tide’s ninth win in the past 10 meetings with the Bulldogs.

Milroe completed 27 of 33 passes for 374 yards and one interception and rushed for 117 yards on 16 attempts to fuel the Crimson Tide (4-0, 1-0 SEC), who led 28-0 before the game was 18 minutes old.

Williams caught six passes for 177 yards, Germie Bernard rushed for a touchdown and Jamarion Miller caught one for Alabama.

Beck threw three second-half touchdown passes and finished 27-of-50 passing for 439 yards and three interceptions to go along with a lost fumble for Georgia (3-1, 1-1), which had its 42-game regular-season winning streak halted.

Dillon Bell caught five passes for 100 yards and one TD and rushed for another score for the Bulldogs. Arian Smith had six receptions for 132 yards and a score, Trevor Etienne rushed for a touchdown and Lawson Luckie caught one for Georgia.

The matchup was the first between the two national powers since Alabama’s Nick Saban retired after last season. New coach Kalen DeBoer kept the Crimson Tide’s success going, but it wasn’t easy, as the Bulldogs rallied from 18 down in the fourth quarter.

Beck threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Luckie — a two-point conversion pass failed — as Georgia moved within 33-21 with 9:46 left in the game.

The Bulldogs narrowed their deficit to five on Bell’s 3-yard scoring run with 5:39 remaining.

When Georgia next had the ball, Bell got behind the Alabama defense on the first play of the drive. He caught a pass from Beck and meandered around some defenders to finish off a 67-yard touchdown play that gave the Bulldogs a 34-33 edge with 2:31 left. Beck’s two-point keeper run was short.

Alabama matched the wildness on its next offensive play, as Williams got behind the Bulldogs’ defense and caught Milroe’s throw. He eluded attempts to stop him to complete a 75-yard play that gave the Crimson Tide a 41-34 lead (counting Milroe’s two-point conversion throw to Bernard).

Georgia’s rally from a 30-7 halftime deficit began with Beck’s 12-yard scoring pass to Smith. A two-point conversion throw to Luckie cut the deficit to 15 with 5:06 left in the third quarter.

At the outset, Milroe scored on a 7-yard run and tossed a 16-yard scoring pass to Miller. Bernard scored from the Bulldogs 7 to make it 21-0 with 2:21 left in the first quarter. Milroe tacked on a 36-yard scoring scamper with 12:24 left in the first half.

–Field Level Media

Dec 4, 2021; Atlanta, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart greets Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban before the SEC championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

Alabama, Georgia fix on fight for SEC, CFP spot

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Championship preparation is the theme of the week for Georgia and Alabama.

Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban, once the boss of Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart, has Alabama positioned to play for the SEC title after an emotional comeback win over Auburn in the Iron Bowl on Saturday.

The reward for Alabama is a rematch with Georgia in Atlanta with a spot in the College Football Playoff on the line.

“I don’t think people realize how hard it is to win 29 games in a row, or even go 12-0 in a season,” Saban said Monday. “They’ve got good players. Well coached. This is a team that doesn’t have a whole lot of weaknesses. That’s why they are who they are, what they are.”

Georgia defeated Georgia Tech 31-23 on Saturday to set the record for consecutive wins by an SEC program.

Neither team lost a conference game heading into the SEC title matchup in a league each has dominated in recent years.

Saban and Alabama won 26 consecutive games (2015-16). The Crimson Tide won the SEC Championship in 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 202 and 2021. Georgia won last year and lost to national champion LSU in 2019.

“It’s phenomenal what he’s accomplished,” said Saban, who promoted Smart to defensive coordinator at Alabama in 2008. He remained in that role until he accepted the Georgia job in 2016.

But if the Bulldogs lose for the first time in 30 games this weekend, there’s no guarantee a CFP spot will be available. Florida State and Texas could make cases to join Michigan and Alabama in that hypothetical scenario.

Alabama is the last team to beat Georgia, 41-24 in the 2021 SEC Championship. Georgia then defeated Michigan in the CFP semifinals and won the first of back-to-back championships by avenging that defeat to the Crimson Tide.

This version of Alabama had Smart doing double-takes in film preparation. As usual, it starts with Alabama’s versatile and dynamic defense.

“Size, speed, toughness, aggressiveness, players that play multiple positions,” Smart said Monday of the Crimson Tide defense.

Saban downplayed the similarity between approaching this game and the Alabama victory on Dec. 4, 2021, but plans to call on his upperclassmen to show his team how to prepare for Georgia.

“I have a great appreciation for this game. I grew up in the SEC, an SEC footprint kid, grew up coaching in the SEC. I have an appreciation for this game, how hard it is to win,” Smart said. “In some ways, Alabama and us, have been spoiled. I don’t think some kids appreciate, they think it’s a rite of passage. It’s not, it’s earned.”

–Field Level Media