ATHENS — The 2022 Georgia team has the school’s first-ever 13-0 record, but Kirby Smart told his team last year’s group had something they didn’t.

Added motivation.

ESPN analyst Laura Rutledge was behind the scenes with Georgia earlier this month and took note of how Smart addressed his team

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“Kirby’s big message is, ‘you guys are a team that won the SEC Championship, instead of last year’s team that didn’t,’ " Rutledge said this weekend during the Las Vegas Bowl broadcast.

“And that was their big motivation last year going into the college football playoff.”

Indeed, the 41-24 SEC Championship Game loss to Alabama last season was humiliating.

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Team captain Jordan Davis said the team felt out of shape, and that led to the 2021 Georgia Bulldogs re-committing themselves to extra conditioning with added runs.

This year’s version of Georgia football has found a way to win every game and is coming off a 50-30 victory over LSU.

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But as Rutledge noted, Smart has already looked to find fuel to gas up these Bulldogs for their 8 p.m. game on Dec. 31 in the CFP Peach Bowl Semifinal against Ohio State.

“He was really challenging their team on selection Sunday,” Rutledge said. “Saying ‘you better find your motivation guys, because you don’t have that loss to really fuel you.’ "

“He was really challenging their team on selection Sunday,” Rutledge said. “Saying ‘you better find your motivation guys, because you don’t have that loss to really fuel you.’ “

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