Kirby Smart was pressed about Georgia’s continued difficulties against Alabama following their most recent loss. As criticism mounted over his 1-7 record in the matchup, the head coach made it clear where his priorities stand. His response shed light on how he perceives the rivalry and what lies ahead for his program.
Alabama is 7-1 against Georgia under Kirby Smart.
Undefeated against Georgia in the SEC Championship Game.
Undefeated against Georgia in Athens.
Undefeated against Georgia in Tuscaloosa.
The Crimson Tide are still the kings of the SEC!pic.twitter.com/HP0muoHMyB
— SEC Numbers Guy (@secnumbersguy) September 28, 2025
Kirby Smart spoke candidly following Georgia’s recent loss to Alabama, addressing whether his 1-7 record against the Crimson Tide could become a psychological hurdle for the program. The head coach quickly dismissed that notion, responding, “What’s everybody else’s record against them, do you got it? I don’t either. I don’t lose sleep over that because those games have been like championship caliber games.”
Smart emphasized that Georgia isn’t concerned with external narratives surrounding Alabama. “That’s not going to affect me. I’m just going to be happy and go-lucky if our team comes back and plays well. That’s what I worry about, and we’ve got to get better,” he said, making it clear that future games aren’t tied to past results.
When asked if facing Alabama brings added pressure, Smart was direct: “Our record against Alabama has nothing to do with this game. That’s everybody else’s story.” He noted that his players should focus instead on fundamentals—“win your box, see a little, see a lot”—as those are the things that truly impact the outcome.
He also highlighted that Georgia’s prior success and past matchups with Alabama weren’t the determining factors in this game. “You’re not going to play perfect, accept that,” he said. “The examples instill confidence in you. Like, ok, this is how you win the game. You do this, this and this. Which, we didn’t necessarily do.”
Kirby Smart reflected on the contrast between this year’s team and last season’s, noting the inexperience across the roster. “We’ve got some young linemen and young defensive skill players out there. We’ve got to keep developing and improving,” he said. “The real question is whether the locker room can lead this team in the right direction.”
He stressed the importance of bouncing back quickly after a loss. “We’ve got a good team, but we have to get better. We can’t let this one loss beat us twice—we’ve got to shift our focus to the next game,” Smart stated.
Smart also explained why he chose to support his players emotionally after the defeat. “When things aren’t going well, I want to take responsibility—that’s just who I am,” he said. “They’ll hold themselves accountable, reflect on what went wrong, and work to improve. That’s all we can control.”
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