ATHENS — Georgia football is coming off its most complete performance of the season in Jacksonville, a 24-17 victory over rival Florida that was filled with one highlight play after another.
Coach Kirby Smart was most proud of his team’s efficiency and execution, whether it was converting on 12 of 18 third down attempt, not turning the football over or making the Gators one-dimensional by holding them to 19 yards rushing.
Still, there were individual standout plays, from Lawrence Cager’s 52-yard TD catch, to Brian Herrien’s amazing one-handed catch and D’Andre Swift’s 30-yard run through traffic.
Defensively, redshirt freshman Azeez Ojulari continued his All-SEC level of play with a quarterback sack, and jumbo nose tackle Jordan Davis proved nimble enough to get his first sack of the season with ascending defensive end Malik Herring.
Safety Richard LeCounte set the tone for the defense on the Gators’ first drive when he expertly broke up a fourth down pass intended for 6-foot-6 Kyle Pitts.
Georgia tight end Eli Wolf, meanwhile, put the game on ice when he adjusted to a Jake Fromm pass in flight, reeling in a 22-yard catch that enabled the Bulldogs to win their third straight in the rivalry series.
Smart said it was the kind of game college football is all about, and he’s proud of the Georgia fans that have stood behind the program.
“It shows that DawgNation is all in,” Smart said. “There were some tough ebbs and flows in that game, their fans got back in it, our fans got back in it. But that’s what it is. It’s a helluva rivalry game.”
Georgia’s amazing film crew captured the most amazing plays of the game, from Dominick Blaylock’s touchdown onward.
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