Kirby Smart, Georgia looking ahead to SEC title game: We need our fans next week
Georgia didn’t have far to travel for the final game of the regular season, hitting the road to Atlanta to play annual rival Georgia Tech. The Dawgs came away from the trip with an easy 38-7 win and will return to Atlanta next week for the SEC Championship Game against the winner of the Iron Bowl.
Much like they did for the Notre Dame game, Georgia fans showed up in droves for the game against the Yellow Jackets. Head coach Kirby Smart took notice of the Red & Black fans in the stands and asked them to once again make the trip to Atlanta when his team returns next weekend.
While this win was nice, next weekend’s game would mean so much more for Smart and his Georgia program. The SEC Championship Game was among the first topics Smart touched on during his postgame press conference.
KIRBY: We need our fans next week. This is one of the greatest event in the country. It is by far the best conference in the country. For us, this is what we want.
— DawgPost (@Dawg_Post) November 25, 2017
KIRBY: I've been though this several times before – not knowing who you will play (in SECCG). You just get ready for both.
— DawgPost (@Dawg_Post) November 25, 2017
KIRBY on SECCG: You don't make the moment bigger than it is.
— DawgPost (@Dawg_Post) November 25, 2017
Georgia managed to hold Tech to just seven points and 226 yards of total offense in the game. The Yellow Jackets entered the game as one of the nation’s most prolific rushing teams but managed only 188 rushing yards in the game. Smart credited the team’s performance in practice, giving a special shoutout to the scout team:
KIRBY: We have to take a lot of notes from this game for next year.
— DawgPost (@Dawg_Post) November 25, 2017
KIRBY: This is probably the best scout team performance I've ever seen.
— DawgPost (@Dawg_Post) November 25, 2017
KIRBY when asked about not tearing up anything the way Tech did UGA's Hedges last season: That's not who we are. Someone else can do that.
— DawgPost (@Dawg_Post) November 25, 2017
KIRBY: This win means a lot to me personally. I still have memories of Nick Chubb sitting in my office telling me why he was coming back.
— DawgPost (@Dawg_Post) November 25, 2017
KIRBY: Offensively we have grown. Jake has gotten better.
— DawgPost (@Dawg_Post) November 25, 2017