Kirby Smart is not going to cry over spilled milk, AKA the College Football playoff in 2023. The Georgia Bulldogs missed out on the final four despite going 12-1.
After winning two straight national titles, Georgia was the favorite to three-peat. However, a loss to Alabama in the SEC Championship ended its hopes to get to the playoff.
But those are the breaks and Smart wasn’t salty about the decision of the committee.
“No, not surprised at all,” Smart said at the SEC Meetings. “We had our opportunity on the field. That’s what you can ask for, not cry over it. I think we had a good football team.”
Smart was asked a follow up question if he thought Georgia was one of the four best teams. The general consensus was Bulldogs very could’ve been.
“I don’t know, not for me to decide,” Smart said. “We didn’t get to play the others.”
Michigan, Washington, Texas and Alabama were last year’s CFP contestants, with Michigan beating Washington in the title game.
Kirby Smart addresses role in SEC after Nick Saban retirement
Kirby Smart is practically the elder statesman in the SEC at this point, now that Nick Saban retired.
Speaking at the SEC Meetings this week, Smart might have a new role in the coaches meetings with the conference. At one point, it was Saban who’s voice mattered most due to years of experience.
Now in a new version of the conference with Texas and Oklahoma coming in, Smart might be the top dog.
“Well, I think because we got two new coaches in there now, so now we (go from) 14 to 16 coaches, that itself brings more energy, juice, whatever you want to say, experience between Sark and Brent,” Smart said. “Coach Saban was one of the most veteran guys in there. I think he’s been in the SEC longer than anybody, sat in more of those meetings than anybody. And you had the LSU and Alabama time together. It was very valuable.
“I think people rely on him for experience and knowledge. He’s very open in terms of what he comes up with and ideas to make football better now. I always respected the fact that when I was an assistant coach for him or a head coach alongside him in there, it was never about what was best for his team. It was about what was best for the game of football. Sometimes people lose sight of that (due to) self preservation.”
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