When talking about the Georgia defense on Monday, Florida quarterback Graham Mertz made an interesting comparison.

During his session with reporters, the Wisconsin transfer harkened back to his days playing in the Big 10, stating the Bulldogs’ top-ranked SEC defense reminds him of a team still fresh in the mind of many.

“I think, what was it, 2021 Michigan, they were legit, man. I think you watch the tape, and you see how people play,” Mertz said. “There's a lot of teams that are playing great defense right now. We've played some really good teams on defense this year. I think, yeah, they're a great defense. You see it on tape.”

Ironically, Georgia’s 34-11 victory over the Wolverines in the College Football Playoffs at the 2021 Orange Bowl was the first victory in what now sits as a 24-game winning streak for the Bulldogs (7-0, 4-0). Kirby Smart’s squad will also establish a school record for regular season consecutive conference wins (currently at 23) should it dispatch the Gators in Jacksonville on Saturday (3:30 p.m., CBS).

“It's impressive. I mean, I think just across the board the way they run their program, to do that back-to-back years is extremely impressive,” Mertz said. “That's why every level you play football, it's to win a championship. To do that back-to-back years, it's hard to do. It's definitely impressive. Yeah, we're looking forward to this opportunity.”

Brought to Gainesville as the replacement for Anthony Richardson, Mertz play has improved as Florida’s season has moved along.

A quick look at the SEC stats shows Mertz is putting up numbers that compare favorably with Bulldog quarterback Carson Beck.

Mertz's passing numbers (170 of 223 for 1,897 yards) are just off the totals posted by the Bulldog junior (173 of 235 for 2,147 yards). Both quarterbacks have thrown for 12 touchdowns, with Mertz tossing just two interceptions, compared to four by Beck.

Combined with what Smart considers a strong running game, he feels the Gators’ offensive versatility could cause some problems if his Bulldogs are not focused and prepared.

“He (Mertz) does a great job within Billy's (Florida head coach Billy Napier) system of knowing when to take the shot, the check down, when to put him in the right play,” Smart said. “If you're just in the right play more often, you tend to have more success. He's done a really good job of that for them.”

Napier isn’t complaining.

“I think what we've learned is 15 (Mertz) is a very capable player. I think when given the opportunity if we can protect him, if we can create separation, if we can win individual matchups, we've got a good designed play, he can get it to the right guy,” he said. "I do think that we are steadily improving around him. I think the freshmen tight ends are growing up. I think the continuity in the offensive line has helped us. I think we're getting some pretty good receiver play week to week depending on who's available.”

Florida’s recent offensive numbers seem to indicate the improvement.

After combining for just 36 points against Charlotte and Kentucky, the Gators scored 38 and 41 points, respectively, in its most recent games—wins over Vanderbilt and South Carolina.

“Yeah, I mean, we're having a blast. I think the biggest thing with the young guys we do have in there, they're growing up, they're playing really their first college ball,” Mertz said. “It's been cool to kind of see them mature through that process, really just understand what goes into the workweek, how to take care of your body, how to prep.”

However, Mertz knows the challenge presented by Georgia figures to be the best his Gators have faced to date.

Not only do the Bulldogs lead the SEC in total defense (262.57 yards pre-game), and scoring defense (14 points per game), but Georgia is also the league’s top rushing defense (91.43 yards per game) and first in pass defense efficiency. Opponents are completing just 54.85 percent of their passes against Georgia, with an efficiency rating of just 100.86.

“I think definitely multiple in what they do as far as fronts, coverages, pressures. I think they're physical up front. They're fast. You see that on tape. They fly around and make plays. Like I said, physical defense,” Mertz said. “Across the board, they play a brand of football on defense that you can see when you're watching film.”