Sony Michel on Florida game: 'I guarantee this year is going to be different'

He stopped short of making it a Joe Namath kind of moment.

Even so, Georgia running back Sony Michel stated quite clear that his team won’t come into Saturday’s rivalry game against Florida and play the way it did a year ago.

“Last year was last year. It was tough, we lost,” Michel said. “I don’t even know the score of last year’s game to be honest with you. We’re going to leave that in the past.

“But I guarantee this year is going to be different.”

Florida blew out Georgia 27-3 in a game in which former head coach Mark Richt elected to bench starting quarterback Greyson Lambert in favor of third-stringer Faton Bauta. Bauta has since transferred to Colorado State.

With Nick Chubb sidelined due to a significant knee injury, Michel was Georgia’s lead back at that point of the season. But on his first carry of the game, out of the wildcat formation, Michel broke his hand. He had it wrapped up and returned but wasn’t too effective due to the injury. Michel finished the loss with 13 carries for 45 yards.

“I played a little bit but it was a little tougher,” Michel said. “That was a big obstacle for me to overcome, to keep playing with a broken hand.”

From the start of the game, Georgia had trouble moving the ball offensively against the Gators. By the end, Georgia was only able to muster 223 total yards and committed five turnovers.

Michel, who hasn't been on a Georgia team that's beaten Florida yet, said the level of focus has been ramped up throughout the week thus far.

“Us as leaders, we’re going to demand a lot from our players throughout practice,” Michel said. “It’s something we’ve been saying a lot, that we preach preparation. We’re going to make sure we prepare harder, make sure we prepare well and go into this game ready to play.”

After saying he guaranteed this year’s rendition of the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party would be different, the follow-up of whether he was guaranteeing a victory, like Namath did before his New York Jets upset the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III, was asked.

Michel laughed before taking the safe route.

“I can guarantee we’re going to leave it all on the field,” Michel said.

This story was originally published October 25, 2016 at 7:08 PM with the headline "Sony Michel on Florida game: 'I guarantee this year is going to be different'."