From the locker room

The Georgia Bulldogs weren’t exactly complaining about being handed a bunch of turnovers by their opponent, or being out-gained. They won their third straight game, and there is a sense of renewal to their season.

Pending next week, of course.

The reaction to the 44-31 win over Kentucky was “relief,” according to cornerback Sanders Commings. He meant the team having staved off the Wildcats in the second half, but the word could also be apropos to the team’s season.

“This feels good,” star receiver A.J. Green said. “With the shaky start, with the start I had, with missing the four games, it feels good. I feel like I’m a little responsible for the four losses. …

“I feel like this is a different mood right now. With Aaron coming into his own, the offensive line and our defense coming into our own, I feel like we’re really gonna turn this around. This is going to be a special season.”

Commings sort of shrugged off the team’s defensive performance in the second half.

“Really, when the game is close, that didn’t really happen to us,” Commings said. “When we have a big lead like that we kind of relaxed. That’s one thing we have to work on.”

Head coach Mark Richt was a bit concerned with his team’s offense in the first half, but pleased overall.

“I’m excited about winning a game somewhere besides Athens. We’ve caught a good little bit of momentum now,” Richt said. “We’re just playing hard and we’re playing with a lot more confidence right now. For whatever reason, we’re knocking more balls out and if it’s closer to us and we’re getting on it.”

South Carolina did beat Vanderbilt, so entering the Florida game, Georgia will be a half-game out of first, and a half-game ahead of third-place Florida.