ATHENS — Kirby Smart is as deliberate with his press conference terminology as his game plans, nothing ever being said accidentally or out of place.

So it is that Smart has described the past week for this No. 1-ranked 2023 Georgia football team as one of “Refueling,” an indication no major overhauls were needed, but a replenishment of sorts is called for with five games left in the regular season.

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The Bulldogs play in Florida at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday (TV: CBS) against the University of Florida in Jacksonville, some 70 miles from the Gainesville campus and 340 miles from Athens.

The SEC Nation and Paul Finebaum Show will be on location to hype the event, featuring added commentary from SEC legend Tim Tebow, SEC Nation host Laura Rutledge and analysts Jordan Rodgers and Roman Harper.

Here are three takeaways from Kirby Smart’s press conference on Monday:

Refueling the rocket ship

Smart has turned the Georgia program into the most successful of the fourth-team CFP era, at least, that is what the history books will show. The Bulldogs are the only program to win back-to-back CFP titles, and more impressively they did so while producing a record-amount of draft picks (34 over three seasons).

Smart shared how his “refueling” term was in reference to Georgia focusing on improvement, more so than investing emotion into the opponent.

“So last week was a work week, a chance for us to get better, and in some ways refuel to go restart,” Smart said. “Refueling looks different sometimes. It’s not all rest and recovery. It’s where can you get better and where can you create an advantage for yourself.”

Georgia has won a school-record 24 consecutive games, including 23 in a row in SEC regular-season contests, which is the third-longest streak of its kind in league history.

Smart explained how he, and his players, need to be taking the streak in stride.

“I can’t speak for every kid on the team, but the focus is not on the wins and losses of the games,” Smart said. “Like I’ve said all the time, that’s going to come to an end. I’ve been part of a lot of streaks. That’s going to come to an end at some point, and when it does, we’ll worry about the next game.

“I don’t think you can be consumed with that thought process or think that way. You got to think towards what you can do to help your team win.”

Chess starts here

Florida is one of the hottest teams in the nation with Wisconsin transfer quarterback Graham Mertz coming off a 423-yard, 3-touchdown performance in a fourth quarter-rally from 10 points down to win at South Carolina.

Smart knows there will be plenty of chess going on, as Georgia will look to disguise coverage as Mertz is adept at changing into advantageous play calls at the line of scrimmage.

“You look at the statistics on their quarterback, he’s probably, I mean, maybe the Number one quarterback in the country for two games in terms of the way he has played,” Smart said, propping up the Gators’ signal-caller. “You can tell he’s got a lot of confidence in their offense and their system.

“They’re able to execute, do a lot of things with him. He handles it well. He makes a lot good run checks for them. Has done a really nice job of not putting them harm’s way in his decision making process. So they’re playing at a really high level right now and doing a great job with it.”

Mertz’s growing comfort in Coach Billy Napier’s system is key.

“He does a great job within Billy’s system of knowing when to take the shot, the check down, when to put him in the right play,” Smart said. “If you’re just in the right play more often, you tend to have more success.”

Keeping the main thing

For all the Xs and Os and breakdowns entering the contest, Smart said it will ultimately boil down to good ol’ fashioned football physicality.

“They’re trying to measure our strengths and their strengths against each other and our weakness and their weaknesses against each other and try to figure that out,” Smart said. “You can get too caught up in the scheme I think a lot of times. This game boils down to physicality, line of scrimmage, a team that can rush the ball, team that tackles well, team that doesn’t turn it over, and those don’t have to do with schemes.”

Explosive plays, Smart stressed, will also be key in this game once again.

“It’s about controlling the line of scrimmage, not giving up explosives,” Smart said. “.Who can not let somebody run the ball and not give up explosives. That’s what you’re looking for and that’s what football has become. Teams are trying to find them.

“They throw the ball vertically down the field. Billy always has. A team that runs the ball well, that’s what they should do. They have a stable of backs that’s are as good a backs as we’ve faced.”