Georgia football returns to Athens triumphant after the most lopsided win over Florida since 1982. The Bulldogs won Saturday 42-7.
I think I can speak for most Georgia football fans around my age (I’m 24) when I say that I’ve never been more proud to be a Bulldog fan than what I was on Saturday. And for those older, I know that Saturday was a long time coming after 27 tough years.
We all knew going in that Georgia should blowout Florida, it was just a matter of would they blowout Florida. The Junkyard Dawg defense versus their mediocre offense. Our run heavy offense versus their tackle missing defense. On paper Georgia looked like a vastly superior team. I’m just proud to say that Georgia was even more superior on the field.
I’m also proud of a few individuals in particular. There were some Bulldogs who stood out who proved to be the catalyst for the lopsided victory. Here’s a list of such people and what they did to lead Georgia to a 42-7 win over the Florida Gators.
Defensive Coordinator Mel Tucker
Florida may have one of the most boring offenses in the SEC, but their run game is one that can’t be overlooked. Plus, they are still one of the most athletic offenses in the nation. Tucker did not have an easy game to game plan for.
Yet his defense was completely and thoroughly prepared. The first team defense didn’t allow a single touchdown. The Gators barely advanced past the 50-yard-line, the passing game was non-existent, and the defense even scored one touchdown. Florida did manage one great drive in the second quarter, but Tucker’s defense kept them out of the end zone at the four-yard-line.
Excellence is what we’ve come to expect from this Georgia defense. Excellence is what we witness Saturday night.
Sony Michel and the running backs
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Six carries is all Michel needed to electrify the mostly Georgia audience. He rushed for 137 yards with longs of 74 and 45, both touchdowns. His first touchdown, the 75-yarder, gave Georgia a 21-0 lead early in the first quarter. It was at that point where it appeared that Georgia would dominate the entire night.
Nick Chubb, D’Andre Swift and Elijah Holyfield were also spectacular. Chubb rushed for 77 yards on 13 carries with one score. Swift didn’t have a great game on the ground, but he did catch three passes for 84 yards.
Holyfield continues to embrace his role as the closer. He rushed for 49 yards on four carries with a 39-yard touchdown. As a group, Georgia rushed for 292 yards on 35 carries with four touchdowns.
Lorenzo Carter, Roquan Smith and J.R. Reed
Everyone played great defense for Georgia on Saturday, but Carter, Smith and Reed were exceptional. Carter made nine tackles, three solo and one sack. Smith made eight tackles and five solo. Reed also had eight tackles, one solo, half-sack and a fumble recovery for a touchdown.
Kirby Smart
This was the real test for Smart. Florida had dominated Georgia for most of the last 27 years. At this point, psychology played a major factor in the Georgia/Florida Game. The fact that Georgia lost to Florida the last two times the Bulldogs entered the game 7-0 didn’t help.
But that never seemed to matter Saturday. And it really didn’t seem to matter to Kirby. He kept the team focused on the goal of winning to improve to 8-0. There was no psychology, just preparation, discipline and determination. That’s all on Coach Smart.
Next: Takeaways from the win over Florida
That’s why Georgia not only won, but destroyed Florida. The Bulldogs were 35 points better, not just on paper, but on the field as well. It’s those three aspects that Smart has instilled in this team that has many thinking that Georgia can win a National Championship this season.