When Georgia travels to Fayetteville, Arkansas, this week, they'll be facing their first SEC opponent of the season, as well as making their first road trip. But the big challenge beyond the team on the other sideline will be complacency -- keeping focus with another big game looming.
Arkansas' slow start makes it easy for Georgia to look ahead, but Oklahoma is exactly the kind of distraction Kirby Smart can't afford.
The disparity between Georgia and Arkansas couldn't be wider as we head into Week 3. Georgia is 2-0 and just scored 70 against WKU, while Arkansas got hammered by Utah and is 1-1. If Georgia were playing Arkansas in isolation, there's not much reason to manufacture anxiety about this matchup.
But college football seasons aren't played in a vacuum, and with a huge matchup with No. 24 Oklahoma coming up, the Bulldogs need to be careful about losing focus on the perceived weaker opponent right in front of them.
Looking ahead to Oklahoma could cost the Dawgs dearly in Fayetteville
"Oklahoma's first visit ever between the hedges and a rematch of one of the greatest Rose Bowl Games in history".
It's already in the air. Georgia is hearing about it and undoubtedly thinking about it; that's only natural. It's the kind of game players hear about all offseason, fans start discussing a week early, and national coverage inevitably begins previewing before Georgia has finished its current assignment.
Not so fast. There's a trough full of hungry hogs led by a head coach who's fighting to get his first win with the program. The last thing Georgia needs is to be reliving Baker Mayfield highlights and making plans to knock the Sooners completely out of the playoff discussion by Week 4.
And Kirby Smart does not abide by complacency. It's one of his pet peeves, and if he suspects for a moment that his players aren't focused on the task at hand, there may be another viral "leaked" halftime locker room expletive-loaded video clip making its way around the internet.
Kirby's entire program is built around avoiding exactly this mentality. His postgame comments on how difficult SEC road environments are and how the “fluffy stats” from Georgia's first two games don't mean anything now are evidence of just that.
He has always preached that adversity will come to every team at some point during the season. You can't invite it in with complacency.
It's not about the better team in games like these
Arkansas is not the better team. Georgia is more talented, better coached, and has every advantage over the Razorbacks other than the home field. But the better team has to prepare and play like one.
Arkansas doesn't need to be better than Georgia to make things uncomfortable if the Bulldogs arrive in Fayetteville mentally thinking about the following Saturday in Athens. If their minds are on John Mateer, then KJ Jackson will make Georgia pay.
Georgia's first two opponents tested its talent very little, but Arkansas might provide the first real test of its discipline. If complacency creeps in and discipline fails, then disaster could follow.
Oklahoma may be next, but Arkansas is now. Kirby Smart has likely burned this mentality into the minds of his players.
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