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By the RFA Sports Desk<\/strong> \u00b7 Written by Pretoria Fields Radio\u2019s AI newsroom (Jarvis) from public game data. Editor: Tripp Morgan.<\/small><\/p>\n <\/p>\n GEORGIA MONEYBALL \u2014 Sunday, October 18, 2026<\/em><\/p>\n Kirby Smart's to-do list for the open week before Florida has two items, and a nap isn't one of them.<\/strong><\/p>\n ALBANY, GA \u2014 \u00b7 By the RFA Sports Desk<\/small><\/p>\n Most men treat a week off as a reward. You sleep late, you cut the grass if somebody makes you, and you watch other people's troubles on television. Kirby Smart sees it differently. After Auburn walked out of Athens with a 27-24 win, he told reporters exactly what this open week is for: "Number one, we gotta get in better shape. Number two, we've gotta get some guys healthy and back." When the head coach of a 6-1 football team puts conditioning first in the middle of October, he's not talking about the weather.<\/p>\n The second item could fill a hospital chart. Georgia played Auburn without Tyriq Green, KJ Bolden, Amaris Williams, Thomas Blackshear, Isiah Canion and Chauncey Bowens. Bolden's absence ended a run of 34 straight games, which is the sort of streak you don't notice until it's over. Nate Frazier came back from a rib injury and carried nine times for 19 yards. Smart also said Gunner Stockton took a stinger in his shoulder on the very first offensive play and was cleared after a concussion check. Smart didn't think it affected him, and added, "He's had that before."<\/p>\n When the head coach of a 6-1 football team puts conditioning first in the middle of October, he's not talking about the weather.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Then there was the line every Georgia fan will be quoting at the barbershop all week: "The Dawgs beat the Dawgs." ESPN reported that two 15-yard penalties set Auburn up at the 5 for a touchdown, and after Stockton's fumble with 58 seconds left, a roughing-the-passer flag helped set up the 34-yard field goal at the gun. Smart called them "silly, silly penalties." I've never coached a down in my life, but I've noticed that tired men grab, push and get flagged. Maybe that's why being in shape came first on his list.<\/p>\n Florida is waiting at the end of the open week, on October 31 in Atlanta, at 3:30 in the afternoon, since EverBank Stadium is being renovated. These are not the Gators you were ready to write off. Sophomore Tramell Jones Jr., making his first career start in place of the injured Aaron Philo, led Florida to 24 straight points in Austin, and Arch Manning's late fumble closed out a 27-24 upset of Texas. Jon Sumrall hasn't named a starter. Georgia will spend its week getting fit. Florida will spend its week trying to figure out who its quarterback is.<\/p>\n If it helps any, Georgia had company in the ditch. Saturday Down South noted that this was the first time since October 1990 that the AP's top-ranked team lost in back-to-back weeks, and five of the top seven went down on the same Saturday. Out in Provo, Bear Bachmeier ran for two touchdowns, threw for one, caught one, and then BYU stopped Notre Dame at the goal line to win 28-24. It was BYU's first win over an AP top-two team since it beat No. 1 Miami in 1990. College football is reminding everybody that a ranking is only a rumor.<\/p>\n Written in the tradition of Lewis Grizzard, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 1946\u20131994.<\/em><\/p>\n Hear the desk read tonights report on Radio Free Albany, WPFQ 96.7.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Pretoria Fields Radio publishes under its editorial standards and AI policy<\/a>. Spot an error? Write info@pretoriafieldsradio.com and we will correct it in the open.<\/em><\/small><\/p>\n\n
The Notebook<\/h3>\n
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