ATHENS, Ga. --- Both Georgia senior safety Christopher Smith and sophomore tight end Brock Bowers have earned Southeastern Conference weekly honors following the Bulldogs’ win over Florida, according to an announcement Monday.
Smith, an Atlanta native, was named the SEC Defensive Player of the Week for the third time in his career while Bowers, a native of Napa, Cali., earned the SEC Offensive Player of the Week honors for the second time this season. Bowers split this week’s honor with Arkansas running back Raheim Sanders.
This is the Bulldogs’ sixth and seventh SEC weekly awards this season. Following the win over No. 11 Oregon, Smith was named the league’s Defensive Player of the Week. Then, Bowers was named the Offensive Player of the Week after Georgia’s victory at South Carolina. Senior place-kicker Jack Podlesny has garnered Special Teams Player of the Week honors twice this year. Running back Branson Robinson was also named the league’s Freshman of the Week following his showing versus Auburn.
Smith had seven tackles, including a sack, to anchor Georgia’s defense during its 42-10 beatdown of the Gators. With the Bulldogs up 14-0 in the second quarter, Smith broke through and helped force Anthony Richardson to intentionally ground a pass that stalled a drive and forced Florida to punt. Smith was pivotal for the Bulldog defense as the unit kept the Gators scoreless in the first and last quarters and held them to only 2.9 yards per carry after they came in averaging 6.4 ypc.
Bowers hauled in five passes for a career-high 154 yards, including a 73-yard touchdown, during the win. In the second quarter, he grabbed a tipped ball and took it 73 yards for a touchdown to put Georgia up 21-0. Bowers completed his day by collecting a clutch 29-yard pass on 4th-and-7 in the fourth quarter deep in Tennessee territory to help set up Georgia’s sixth and final touchdown.
No. 1 Georgia (8-0, 5-0 SEC) plays host to No. 2 Tennessee (8-0, 4-0 SEC) on Saturday. CBS will televise the matchup on Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium at 3:30 p.m.