Forget the pleasantries, because Georgia coach Kirby Smart just dropped a truth bomb at SEC media days on July 21 in Tampa, Florida. When a reporter suggested not playing the Vols might feel like ‘one less win being taken away off the schedule,’ Smart didn’t even flinch. His response? “You said that, not me.”
Smart’s Bulldogs Own the Vols
Nine straight wins against the Vols! That’s the reality Smart’s Bulldogs have been living in. Under Smart, who took over before the 2016 season, Tennessee is a brutal 1-9 against Georgia. That lone Vols victory was way back in Smart’s first season, a Hail Mary from Joshua Dobbs to Jauan Jennings in Athens. Since then? Georgia has owned the series. Last year’s game, a 44-41 overtime loss at home for Tennessee, was the only one decided by a single possession in recent history, with Vols kicker Max Gilbert missing a potential game-winning 43-yard field goal late in regulation. Smart still tossed a compliment Tennessee’s way, saying, “It’s a tough place to play and tough team to play. I’ve got a lot of respect for coach Josh Heupel and their staff. They’re a tough prep. They’re really hard to prepare for and I’m glad other teams get an opportunity to do that because they get some new teams to play.” Ouch. That’s a backhanded compliment if I ever heard one!
New Schedule, Old Rivalries on Pause
So, why the sudden divorce between these two programs? It all comes down to the SEC’s new nine-game conference schedule, up from the previous eight league games. This meant some traditional matchups had to get benched, at least for a bit. Each SEC team got assigned three annual opponents. For Tennessee, that’s Alabama, Kentucky, and Vanderbilt. The other six opponents will rotate, with every school playing every SEC opponent home and away every four years. It’s not just Georgia either. The Vols also aren’t playing Florida this season, a series that’s been annual since 1992. Tennessee coach Josh Heupel spoke a day earlier, on July 20, about the importance of rivalries. He said, “I think rivalry games absolutely matter. I think one of the unique things at Tennessee is different eras of our fan base kind of points to a different game. Could be the Florida game, Alabama game, some other teams as well. I think the passion, the tradition of some of the games are what make college football unique.” Heupel also acknowledged the upside, saying, “But I do also like that as a program and for your fan base, you’re going to have the opportunity every four years to be able to go to every stadium inside of the SEC footprint.”
Don’t worry, fans of these historical matchups, the break isn’t permanent. Both Tennessee and Georgia will face off again in the 2027 season, along with the Vols’ annual game against Florida. But for now, Smart’s comment hangs in the air, a reminder of Georgia’s iron grip on the series. Will the Vols be able to flip the script by 2027? We’ll have to wait and see if ‘tough prep’ suddenly translates into a ‘win’ when these powerhouses collide again.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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