FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The contrast between Kirby Smart and Mike Norvell was as stark as one might expect on Friday morning.

Smart, an eighth-year coach who has built Georgia into a perennial championship contender, appeared relaxed and on schedule at the Orange Bowl Coaches’ Press Conference.

Smart’s Bulldogs have bucked the opt-out trend even after a disappointing 27-24 SEC title game loss to Alabama snapped a 29-game win streak and knocked Georgia out of the four-team CFP field.

The Bulldogs’ players responded by rallying around one another, determined to play one final game together.

“Opt-ins” have, in fact, become the norm for Georgia. The only UGA players not expected to play against Florida State at 4 p.m. on Saturday are those dealing with injuries.

“I think the leaders of the team kind of spearheaded that, I stay out of it,” Smart said, asked how and why his culture seems so different than others -- like Florida State, where some nine future NFL picks have elected to sit out.

“I met with each player that was draft eligible, seniors that have draft grades, and just spoke with them very honest and talked to them, and they had to make the decision with their family members.”

Business is business.

But family is also family, and Georgia has created that sort of “connected” vibe in its locker room through its record 29-game win streak, and now after one loss.

“They want to go out on top — they don’t want their last Georgia outing to be what was the SEC Championship,” Smart said. “They put their minds to it, and it was a little bit of almost a contagious deal. One guy did it, another guy did it, and they wanted to play.”

Norvell, four years into a frantic and successful rebuild at Florida State, has been dealt the victim card since his undefeated Seminoles were left out of the playoff.

The selection process wasn’t “fair,” but technically it’s not designed to be. It’s designed to pick the “four best,” not the four most deserving.

Norvell appeared anxious and uptight, sleepless nights managing a fragmented and ever-changing Florida State roster adding up.

The Seminoles’ head coach did his best to put lipstick on a program hogging the sympathy votes this postseason.

“There’s been some tough choices for guys to have to make, I support our players in their journey …. ‚” Norvell said. “A lot of them were hurt in decisions of things that they couldn’t control.

“Obviously, just grateful for all our players that have poured into our program throughout this journey.”

Even if they left that journey early, declining an opportunity to prove their worth against a two-time championship program.

The journey does not end until the clock runs out on this 90th Orange Bowl game at Hard Rock Stadium.

Smart, while not directly addressing the Seminoles’ roster, made his thoughts known.

“I think finishing is important,” Smart said. “I don’t think enough people talk about it.”

Smart has built a culture at Georgia where finishing is the expectation, even as it is the exception in college football.