Kirby Smart Keeps Georgia Locked In Ahead of CFP Sugar Bowl Clash with Ole Miss
As Georgia gears up for its College Football Playoff Sugar Bowl quarterfinal showdown with Ole Miss, head coach Kirby Smart isn’t leaving anything to chance. The Bulldogs haven’t played since their dominant 28-7 win over Alabama in the SEC Championship on December 7, and while the layoff presents some challenges, Smart is focused on turning that time into an advantage.
“You want to keep playing when you’re hot,” Smart said on Monday, acknowledging the rhythm that can be lost with a long break. “The schedule gets thrown off, but you make the most of the calendar you’ve got. You talk to people, you learn, and you figure out the best way to keep your team sharp.”
And make no mistake - Smart’s Bulldogs are staying sharp.
While the college football world buzzes with roster movement and transfer portal announcements ahead of the Jan. 2-16 window, Georgia’s head coach is keeping the spotlight on development. December, in Smart’s view, isn’t about distractions - it’s about getting better.
“This is the time to develop,” he emphasized. “That’s been our focus.
Everyone’s announcing what they’re doing - portal, re-signing, whatever. But how about announcing you’re getting better?
Announce that you’re practicing. That’s what players used to do in December - they practiced.”
Smart’s message is clear: commitment to the team and the process comes first. And that mindset is especially important with a high-stakes matchup against a familiar and formidable Ole Miss squad looming on New Year’s Day.
The Bulldogs and Rebels, both 12-1, are set to square off at 8 p.m. ET in New Orleans. It’s a rematch of one of the season’s most thrilling games - a 43-35 Georgia comeback win in Athens, where Ole Miss jumped out to a double-digit lead before the Bulldogs stormed back.
Smart knows the Rebels aren’t just another opponent. “They’ve got our respect,” he said. “Our guys are practicing hard, and they’re excited about this game because they know how good this team is.”
If the setting feels familiar, it should. Georgia was in this exact spot last year, preparing for a CFP Sugar Bowl quarterfinal against Notre Dame. That one didn’t go the Bulldogs’ way - a 23-10 loss to a team that would go on to play for the national title - but Smart isn’t second-guessing the lead-up.
“There wasn’t anything wrong with our prep,” he said. “We didn’t play our best, but we were up against a really good football team. We had a bad stretch - the middle eight - and that cost us.”
That stretch was brutal: 17 points allowed in just 54 seconds of game time, spanning the end of the first half and the start of the second. A field goal, a touchdown off a strip-sack, and a kickoff return for a score flipped the game on its head. Georgia actually outgained Notre Dame 296-244, but key mistakes - including a fumble in the end zone and special teams breakdowns - proved too costly.
Smart understands how razor-thin the margins are at this level. “When you play a quality team, it’s going to be tight,” he said.
“That’s every week in the SEC. And in the playoff, that’s what you’re going to get.”
Still, there’s no panic in Athens. Smart believes in the work that’s been done and the plan that’s in place.
“We trust our prep. We trust the rest and recovery we’ve had. And we’re going to trust our plan to go out there and play at a high level.”
With a spot in the CFP semifinals on the line and a chance to take another step toward a national title, Georgia is locked in - just the way Smart wants it.