Self-inflicted and avoidable wounds are things that can completely change the trajectory of any contest.

Georgia has already seen this up close and personal this season — as a boneheaded penalty in the final seconds versus Tennessee helped get the Vols into position for the unbelievable Hail Mary conversion.

The contest versus Florida this weekend will obviously be an emotional scene. Both teams are bitter rivals, and being able to keep composure in the face of adversity is integral for winning any game.

Head coach Kirby Smart touched upon this topic early Thursday afternoon. The expected chippy play is something Georgia will have to combat with restraint. This includes relenting when it comes to talking trash and playing dirty after the whistle blows.

Smart echoed this with 247Sports:

“I’ve seen some of the most foolish penalties come up in this game, when I played, when I watched it on TV, when I coached in it. You can’t let your pride get the best of you. The team that does the best job of managing that usually gets an advantage. I mean, 15 yards here, 15 yards there, makes a huge difference. We’re preaching that to our guys at practice. They get chippy out there and get a stupid penalty and it can cost you in the game.”

This contest likely will be a close one. As such, being able to minimize mistakes — and controlling what you can control — will be paramount…especially for a rivalry game.