Kirby Smart gives player key lesson, states what Georgia must do vs. Florida in second half

In one of the team’s biggest rivalry games, Georgia has stormed out to an early 26-7 halftime lead over rival Florida. Just about everything has gone right for the Bulldogs.

Still, coach Kirby Smart wasn’t ready to discuss anything but the current game at halftime.

“Well we’ve got a whole half to play, so they’ve got a very potent offense, a lot of dangerous shots,” Smart said. “We’ve got to control the run game a little better and we’ve got to take the ball on offense and control the game, kind of the tempo there.”

Florida did have some success running the football early, with Montrell Johnson carrying it five times for 30 yards. But the Bulldogs seemed to adjust well after an early scoring drive from the Gators.

The Gators took the opening kickoff and marched 66 yards for a touchdown in just seven plays, with a 25-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Graham Mertz to receiver Eugene Wilson.

Wilson was electric in the early going, accounting for six catches for 56 yards and a touchdown.

Georgia’s passing game was equally on point, though, with quarterback Carson Beck carving up the Florida secondary repeatedly. He finished the first half 10-of-16 passing for 139 yards and a touchdown, hitting seven different targets in the half.

The Bulldogs sported a 250-120 edge in total yardage, so there wasn’t a whole lot for Smart to pick apart at the half.

An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on offensive lineman Xavier Truss created a real teaching moment, though, and Smart spent some time seeking out Truss to have a word as the team headed to the locker room.

“We’ve got a mission, then we’ve got a team, then we’ve got me,” Smart said of his message. “The mission over team over me, and he put himself before the mission and the team.”

The penalty was offset by a personal foul from Florida, so even that miscue for Georgia was limited in terms of the damage it did.

Georgia’s defense has feasted and will look to continue the pressure going into the second half. The Bulldogs had four sacks and seven tackles for a loss in the first half.

To start the second half, Florida will kick off to Georgia trailing 26-7.