Live Updates: Kirby Smart at Georgia vs. Florida media day

ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia’s By week is in the books and that almost always means one thing — The World’s Largest Cocktail Party is next. The Bulldogs will take on Florida in Jacksonville on Saturday with kickoff set for 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS.

UGA is going for its third straight in the rivalry game and it’s 25th straight win as a program. The Gators, losers of five out of their last six against Georgia, are trying to gain bowl eligibility after starting the season 5-2. Billy Napier‘s team has already exceeded a number of expectations. Some sportsbooks has UF’s over/under win total set at 4.5.

Since a 33-14 debacle at Kentucky a few weeks ago, Florida has wins over Vanderbilt and South Carolina. Those wins have the arrow pointing back in the right direction for the Gators as they enter this game as two-score underdogs.

Georgia is 7-0 on the year. The week after Florida lost to the Wildcats, Georgia hosted Big Blue Nation and routed them by a score of 51-13. Then the Bulldogs played a sloppy, costly game at Vanderbilt and won 37-20 but lost star tight end Brock Bowers to a high-ankle sprain in the process.

Before the two teams meet on Saturday, Kirby Smart will kick off game week with his regularly-scheduled meeting with the media. DawgsHQ has boots on the ground and we’ll be providing live updates in the space below. Use the refresh button on your browser starting around 12 p.m. ET to get those updates as the roll in.

*** Smart says that Georgia players are always excited to play in the neutral-site environment where there’s always momentum and buzz in the building. He expressed admiration and appreciation for Billy Napier and how he goes about his business. Calls back to a time when they were on the same staff together.

*** On Florida receiver Ricky Pearsall, Smart says that he has been very consistent, explosive, and, more than anything, he has been available. Florida has other talented wideouts but they have been banged up. Georgia will have to deal with more than just Pearsall on Saturday.

*** Smart says Florida has played its best football the past two weeks or so. He says that Graham Mertz has played the best football of maybe any quarterback in the country the past two weeks. He’s accurate, takes care of the football, makes good decisions and gets them in the right play.

*** The Georgia head coach says that Oscar Delp isn’t being asked to do more with Brock Bowers out. Says that he has been working and doing well. He also mentions that Bowers has been with the team during walkthrough stuff.

*** Georgia is similar to Florida defensively and Smart says that while they will talk plenty about scheme and things of that nature, this game comes down to blocking, tackling, taking care of the ball, and playing the best more often than not.

*** Smart really compliments Florida’s playmakers on offense. He says that Georgia will be up against a “stable of backs” against Florida. Also mentions how Eugene Wilson, a Florida wideout. breaks a ton of tackles and makes a lot of plays.

*** Smart is asked about Bowers and how he has attacked his rehab and whether or not he is bearing any weight yet. The Georgia head coach basically declines comment and says he’s not going to speculate.

*** Smart is talking about fourth downs and how coaches were probably too conservative at one time regarding those and some are probably overly aggressive at this point. He says that it’s right when you get it and wrong when you don’t and that’s just reality.

*** Smart is asked to look back in 2020 when Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint suffered an awful ankle injury in this Georgia vs. Florida game. He talks about how Rosemy-Jacksaint has come a long way as a leader and a player since then and how he embodies this program’s culture.