"Georgia's Kirby Smart Focused on Self-Improvement as Alabama Looms Ahead"
The second-ranked team in the nation, Georgia, began their off week by focusing on individual improvement plans and getting ready for a highly anticipated matchup against Alabama.
Under head coach Kirby Smart, the Bulldogs have a record of 21 consecutive wins when given more than one week to prepare for an opponent.
Smart acknowledged the role of having talented players in this success, stating, "I certainly attribute a lot of it to having really good players."
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With two bye weeks in the new SEC schedule, Georgia has allocated time for recruiting and detailed self-scouting before turning their attention to preparing for the Crimson Tide.
"We haven't started on Alabama yet," Smart said. "We're working on us right now. As the week goes, we're honing in on that. We worked on other opponents yesterday, we'll work on other opponents today."
After narrowly escaping with a 13-12 victory against Kentucky last week, the Bulldogs remain undefeated at 3-0. Their upcoming opponent, No. 4 Alabama, also has a bye week.
Smart shared the SEC's explanation for a roughing-the-passer penalty called on Jalon Walker during the game against Kentucky. According to the league, Walker could have avoided driving the quarterback, a former Georgia transfer, into the ground.
"It's tough. I've got a feeling it's going to be that way. It's going to be that way for a lot of people," Smart said, acknowledging the league's efforts to protect the quarterback position. "They're trying to protect that position."
Walker disagreed with the call but is not dwelling on it. He is eager to dive into preparation for the Alabama game, a matchup he has been focused on since losing the 2023 SEC Championship Game.
While Saturday's college football schedule may be intriguing, Smart stated that he will not be intentionally keeping track of future opponents, such as the new No. 1 team, Texas, during the bye week.
