ATHENS — Kirby Smart wrapped up his coaches’ show this week with a message: “Don’t take it for granted.”

Smart implored Georgia fans to show up and show out on Saturday, asking ‘people to be loud when (Missouri) has the ball, really loud” in the 3:30 p.m. matchup of SEC East Division contenders.

The winner of the game between the No. 2-ranked Bulldogs and No. 12-ranked Tigers will control their own path to the SEC Championship Game.

Smart, tight-lipped throughout the week of preparation, finally provided a cliff notes version of the defensive game plan.

“You have to affect the timing in the passing game, and you have to control the line of scrimmage,” Smart said.

“People don’t understand how good they really are at running the ball, they have good backs, they have a very experienced offensive line, their quarterback is elite at getting the ball out quickly and they’ve got great wideouts.”

RELATED: SEC Network’s Jordan Rodgers breaks down Carson Beck, what’s missing

Smart said he’ll be looking for his athletic defensive front to bat balls on the quick passes and for his defensive back to fly up quickly and deliver hits on short passes.

“You have to knock the ball off their skill players, you can’t give up yards after they catch the ball,” Smart said, “and you have to play good in the red area.”

Smart said it worked out well for Georgia to get home games with Missouri and Ole Miss this season, presumably because both teams are in the Top 15.

“It’s good this year these two fell in this place, coming off the Jacksonville, basically, road game,” Smart said. “You get to come back to Athens two more times before you take off and finish two on the road.”

The Bulldogs final two games of the regular season are at Tennessee and at Georgia Tech.