Kirby Smart passes praise to Mike Bobo after Georgia’s 20-17 win at Alabama

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama — Kirby Smart got his first win over Alabama as Georgia’s head coach in Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday night, but he was quick to deflect the credit.

“We’ve got a really good offensive coordinator (Mike Bobo) that y’all like to criticize, he called those plays, he designed them, him and his staff put them together,” Smart said after the Bulldogs rolled up 455 yards of offense on the Crimson Tide and converted on 7 of 13 first downs in the 20-17 win.

“And they coach Gunner (Stockton), who makes checks at the line and puts us in the right play.”

Stockton was overshadowed by Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell throughout the week, but when the lights were bright on game day, the UGA senior was the one who stepped up.

Stockton completed 18 of 22 passes for 249 yards with a touchdown and an interception, also rushing six times for 12 yards and a 14-yard touchdown to outduel the talented Russell (16-30, 185, TD passing, 9 carries, 41 yards),

“I just look to the sideline for the next play and get to the next moment,” Stockton said, asked about his poise in the clutch. “I just try to be calm in the chaos.”

That was the case with 2:36 left, when Stockton coolly delivered a 17-yard strike to tight end Elyiss Williams on a third-and-7 from the UGA 10 to help prevent Alabama from getting the ball back for a final possession and chance to win.

“The call on third down backed up won the game,” Smart said. “Who makes that call? (Bobo) did, and who executes it? Gunner did. “I think both of those guys deserve a lot of credit.

“I’d told Mike to be aggressive, we’re not playing to run and punt, we’re going to try to win the game right now.”

Smart noted that Bobo play-called short-handed, too, as starting tailback Nate Frazier was a late scratch despite not showing up on the injury report this week after missing time with bruised ribs, and receiver Isiah Canion was downgraded from questionable to being out on Friday night.

“We’re a beat up football team right now, we’ve got guys out left and right,” said Smart, who also had added UGA tailback and touchdown leader Chauncey Bowens to the injury report as being out on Wednesday night.

“To have both those backs out and (Canion) out at receiver is a tough deal, but we responded.”

Stockton said having a coach like Smart motivates the team to perform in such moments and expressed an appreciation for the place he’ll take in Georgia history as the first UGA quarterback to win in Tuscaloosa since Matthew Stafford directed a 26-23 overtime win in 2007.