Kirby Smart didn’t try to sugarcoat what’s happening to the SEC Championship Game. He called it what it is: a big, important event that college football is about to leave behind.
On Monday, Smart addressed the news that the 2026 SEC Championship will be the last one before the conference’s new playoff-era setup takes over.
“It’s a great, historic game. It’s great for the players, the programs, the fans,” Smart said.
“The location has been awesome for us. The venue is incredible.
All those things are awesome. But times, they are a-changin’.
And as they change, you’ve got to adapt with it.”
He also acknowledged that this shift has been on the horizon for a while. Smart said everyone “kind of knew” this was coming once the idea of a 24-team playoff entered the conversation.
That doesn’t make the change feel any less significant. The SEC Championship has been one of the league’s signature stages, and Smart made clear he understands what’s being lost even as the sport moves on.
Georgia, meanwhile, is still very much in the middle of the race. The Bulldogs are 8-1 overall and 6-1 in SEC play, giving them the inside track to reach and potentially win the 2026 SEC Championship as the conference’s lone one-loss team.
Their next step comes Saturday, when Missouri visits Athens at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC. Georgia will be looking to stay on top of the standings and keep that championship path intact.
In Other News...
Georgias CFP Path Looks Manageable Until One Brutal Draw Appears
Georgias path into the College Football Playoff can look pretty friendly at first glance, especially when the bracket conversation turns to possible matchups that would suit the Bulldogs. Teams such as Wake Forest, Tennessee and BYU stand out as the kind of opponents Georgia would likely feel better about seeing, at least based on how they have played this season and how their strengths line up.
But the picture changes quickly once the more dangerous names enter the mix. Miami, Alabama and Notre Dame are the sort of draws that would make any projection more complicated for Georgia, and they are exactly the kind of teams that can turn a manageable playoff path into a far tougher road. For now, it is all speculative, but the contrast between the favorable and unfavorable possibilities is what makes Georgias postseason outlook so intriguing. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Powerhouses Are Turning The Playoffs Into A National Fight
Buford heads into the 2026 high school football playoffs with plenty of momentum, carrying a 10-0 record and a No. 4 national ranking in the High School On SI poll. The Wolves open their title defense in Georgias Class 7A bracket against Marietta, with the larger goal of repeating as national champions still very much in view.
Buford is hardly alone in giving Georgia a heavyweight feel this postseason. Carrollton, Thomas County Central and Newton also arrive unbeaten and nationally ranked, a reminder that the states playoff race is shaping up as more than just a local chase for trophies. With multiple programs positioned near the top of the national conversation, Georgias bracket could end up deciding far more than one state crown. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Watched Ole Miss Turn Frustration Into An Embarrassing Price
Georgia left Oxford with a lopsided SEC win, but the bigger aftershock came after the final whistle. The Bulldogs rolled past Ole Miss 42-7, and the game itself was interrupted when fans began throwing trash onto the field, turning a frustrating afternoon into a messy scene that drew attention well beyond the scoreboard.
The SEC responded with a $250,000 fine for Ole Miss, a penalty that echoes the conferences similar punishment of Texas in 2024 for comparable behavior against Georgia. For Kirby Smarts team, it was another reminder that a road win can carry consequences for the home side long after the game is over, especially when emotions spill over into something the league has to address. [Read more 🡒]