Quarterback Stetson Bennett IV
"The touchdown, they were running quarters. I was thinking I was going to play the other side, but after I play-faked and the nickel bit up, it was one-on-one on the safety. Kearis (Jackson) beat him, and I just put it up there. On the first pick, I’ve just got to throw that ball away. I’ve got to know the coverage. We went fast, there’s a lot of things that went into it, but at the end of the day, I’ve got to throw that ball away. Then on the last one, the nickel or the guy playing man, No. 2, he made a good play. I think it got up and it kind of hung. I got hit and it hung. The wind was swirling a bit today. I’ve got to get that ball up a little bit faster and just throw it a little bit flatter." - Bennett on his touchdown pass and his two interceptions.
"No, on third downs, they weren’t nearly as exotic as they have been. They kind of played some quarters match. They bracketed the two inside guys and just played man outside for a lot of the time. They had their two backers inside and they were mugged up. One would take the back, and one would kind of spy me. I don’t know. Obviously, I’ve got to get back and watch the film. But there were some throws out there that I missed, and there was some stuff, I don’t know, just got to watch the film." - Bennett on what the Florida defense did to affect the offense.
"It was explained that I was, it was going to be my game today. I think it was, I don’t know, I can’t remember the day, some time this week when they told us. I think this whole situation, this quarterback situation, I think if you want to look at this team in a nutshell, I think that’s, we’re two guys that love this team. We have complete faith in both of us to go out there and play. Whoever’s playing, on the sideline today, JT's giving me the coverages post-snap, just telling me what’s going on. Whenever he’s playing, we help out. Everything about this team is about the team. It’s not about the individual. It’s pretty cool." - Bennett on when he knew he would be starting this game.
Outside linebacker Nolan Smith
"One hundred percent, this is my first game having an interception. That was really exciting for me. I told Adam Anderson, we always talked about it all year, I said, ‘My first interception, I’m giving the ball to you.’" - Smith on if he's ever had a game like this with forcing two turnovers.
"I want to say something about my quarterback now, Stetson Bennett, 'The Mailman.' Y’all call him a weak point. I read all the stuff on media, I know I’m not supposed to. But one thing about Stetson, he just works. He doesn’t listen to anybody, he just works. He’s a blue-collar guy. When you talk about trusting a guy, I trust him because he goes out there and works and puts his best foot forward every day, even though it may not look pretty to y’all. He’s getting the job done. I trust our whole offensive group. I love all those guys. I always cheer them on, even when they’re doing bad or when they’re scoring. I tell them to keep their head up. I’ll go to talk to the whole offensive line, because I tell them every day before the game, the game is won up front." - Smith in response to a question on how it feels to put the offense in a good position with turnovers.
"It’s personal... Everything. It was real personal." - Smith on what made this year's game different than last year's for the defense, followed by what made this game so personal.