ATHENS, Ga. – Georgia had a kicking edge entering last year’s game against Florida, which was forced to use punter Chas Henry as its kicker because Caleb Sturgis was sidelined with a back injury.
That edge never panned out for the Bulldogs, who lost 34-31 on a 37-yard Henry field goal in overtime.
This time around, it’s the Gators with the advantage. A healthy Sturgis has made 15 of 16 field-goal attempts this season — his lone miss was from 52 yards out against Alabama — while Georgia counterpart Blair Walsh has connected just 12 of 20 times.
Walsh, who missed five attempts during his sophomore and junior seasons combined, is only 2-for-6 this year on attempts of 40-49 yards.
“I’m sad for him that he has struggled and maybe hasn’t had the type of season statistically that he had hoped he would have at this point of the season, but I really do have full confidence in him,” Bulldogs coach Mark Richt said Tuesday. “I’m not going into this game saying, ‘Man, I’m not going to attempt that 50-yarder or 47-yarder. I’m going to have the same mindset I had in game one with regard to that.”