The next time Georgia plays Alabama, Kirby Smart has to be Kirby Smart, and Georgia has to be Georgia. That didn’t happen last Saturday, and Alabama ca,e away with the win.
We are coming off the heels of an incredible weekend in college football. We saw multiple ranked teams fall, and several games went to overtime. Florida State went down in a double-overtime thriller to Virginia, Oregon spoiled the whiteout in Happy Valley, Lane Kiffin got a signature win as Ole Miss knocked off LSU, and it was the end of the Sam Pittman era at Arkansas.
This column will focus on the game in Athens between the Georgia Bulldogs and the Alabama Crimson Tide. Much to my surprise, the Tide beat the Dawgs, 24-21. While Alabama certainly outplayed Georgia on the field, I also feel that Kalen DeBoer outcoached Kirby Smart. Alabama had already beaten Kirby Smart mentally.
The Tide held a 24-21 lead in the fourth quarter, but Georgia was driving and deep in Alabama territory. It was Georgia 4th and Goal from the Alabama eight. A field goal would have tied the game, and from that distance, it would have been a chip shot. However, Kirby Smart opted to go for it. The play failed, and the ball turned over on downs.
Coach Smart’s decision not to kick the field goal cost Georgia the game. The field goal would have tied the game, and because Alabama never scored again, it would have sent the game to overtime. But once Geogia failed to score on 4th and goal, it was over. In his post-game press conference, Kirby Smart said that they had used “sequencing” when calling plays to determine whether or not to go for it on fourth down. He also mentioned having success against Tennessee a few weeks ago.
But I don’t think that’s what really happened with that play. I think Alabama is in Kirby’s head.
This was the eighth meeting between Alabama and Georgia since Kirby Smart took over at Georgia in 2016. The results of the previous seven were:
01/08/2018: Alabama 26, Georgia 23 (National Championship)
12/01/2018: Alabama 35, Georgia 28 (SEC Championship)
10/17/2020: Alabama 41, Georgia 24
12/04/2021: Alabama 41, Georgia 24 (SEC Championship)
01/10/2022: Georgia 33, Alabama 18 (National Championship)
12/01/2023: Alabama 27, Georgia 24 (SEC Championship)
09/28/2024: Alabama 41, Georgia 34.
Georgia was 1-6 vs Alabama under Kirby Smart heading into last Saturday’s game.
Coach Smart’s decision to go for it on fourth and goal was driven by his desperation to beat Alabama. The field goal would have been a short kick and easy to make, but he chose to go for it, and it cost Georgia the game.
I think that his record against Alabama is a big reason he decided to go for it. He wants Georgia to be the standard of college football.
To his credit, Georgia has achieved great success under his leadership, including back-to-back National Championships, three SEC Championships, four College Football Playoff appearances, and zero losing seasons. Despite all of this, Georgia is still not considered the standard. Alabama is.
Even though Nick Saban is gone, Alabama is still beating Georgia. Georgia is still in Alabama’s shadow, and Kirby Smart is still in the shadow of his former mentor, Nick Saban.
Kirby Smart knows that isn’t going to change until he starts consistently coming away with the victory against the Tide. Until that happens, it will always be “Kirby can’t beat Alabama.”
So, how does Kirby Smart get over the Alabama hump? The next time Georgia plays Alabama–whether it’s the SEC Championship game or the playoffs in December or if it’s not until Georgia goes to Tuscaloosa next season–Kirby Smart has to be Kirby Smart, and Georgia has to be Georgia. Play smart, dominant football, and make good decisions both on the field and on the sideline.
Don’t change the game plan just because the opponent on the other side is the Crimson Tide.
