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ATHENS – Georgia coach Kirby Smart learned something from his program on Saturday night and it was almost a painful lesson.
Smart and his Bulldogs in 3rd place escaped, winning a 23-17 victory over Notre Dame. But not until the Irish, ranked number 7 (2-1), defeated UGA (4-0).
The biggest home weekend of Georgia's recent football history – the first non-conference clash of the top 10 teams since 1966 – has almost become the most disappointing.
"You do not know what's in you in life or in football until you've been tested, and I thought we'd already been tested tonight and we had it learned a lot about our team, "Smart said shortly after his defense overturned Ian Book's fourth place. pass from Georgia's 37-meter line in the final moments of the match.
"We are far from perfect and we need to improve a lot," said Smart, "but they will face you again and again."
That's what had to be done against a physical and determined Fighting Irish team that came out looking for respect after being outsider with two touchdowns.
Our Lady took risks from the beginning. The Irish have repeatedly punched Smart's defense with forward Cole Kmet, who had 9 catches for 108 yards and one touchdown.
"They were running boots, waggles, (and) this guy is a phenomenal player," said Smart. "You'll notice later in the game that they tried to target him and we had two or three passes."
The Bulldogs also had two interceptions in the second half and held the Irish without third in the third quarter.
Georgia has also advanced star players.
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"There were very big hearts tonight," Smart said. "Andre Swift ran the ball with passion, courage and tireless effort."
Swift racked up a career-high 18 runs for 98 yards and a touchdown, placing a player from Notre Dame in a spectacular 10-yard run.
"The effort and leadership of a Jake Fromm, to allow him to break the third position and get two hits and to make a first run down and manage the game in a really beautiful, "said Smart. "And the defense gets up and continues to play after a series of injuries, a few injuries on the offensive line, I'm just proud of our guys."
Fromm had 20 assists in 26 passes for a 187-yard gain and a touch player, taking charge of football, was a very opportunistic football team of Notre Dame.
Georgia had already beaten their team at the end of the night. Several players were injured to help the Bulldogs win.
Cornerback Eric Stokes left the game with a leg injury in Notre Dame's second game. He then returned late in the fourth quarter to help stem the Irish player's attempt to return.
The Bulldogs lost left-winger Solomon Kindley, who suffered a left ankle injury in the second quarter, causing a reshuffle on an offensive line that went into the night without Isaiah Wilson.
Wilson came off the bench to start the second half, like Stokes, in a game where every game counted.
Indeed, even the crowd played a crucial role. The record crowd of 93,246 fans at Sanford Stadium set off six movement penalties for Notre Dame.
"I think when you take a test, you discover something about yourself inside," Smart said. "They had not been tested like that. They went out fighting.
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