Is Georgia the New Alabama? How Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs are Battling Complacency

Smart has led his alma mater to back-to-back national championships — he did the same things as the defensive coordinator of the Crimson Tide in 2011-12 and 2012-13.

Austin Hannon | Jul 18, 2023

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Georgia head coach Kirby Smart spent nine seasons on Nick Saban's staff at Alabama.

It was the golden age for Crimson Tide football. Saban has six national championships at Alabama — four came with Smart as the defensive coordinator.

The Crimson Tide won back-to-back BCS national championships in 2011-12 and 2012-13. During that span, Alabama was dominant on the defensive end — and was far and away the best program in college football.

After one more title in 2015-16, Smart decided to leave the Crimson Tide to be the head coach at his alma mater. He's 81-15 in his first seven seasons in Athens.

After failing to beat his former boss the first four times the two squared off, Smart and the Bulldogs finally got over the hump on Jan. 10, 2022 — Georgia defeated Alabama 33-18 in the 2022 College Football Playoff National Championship Game.

The Bulldogs steamrolled their way to another title in 2022-23 — including a 65-7 win over TCU in the championship game. It was eerily similar to when Smart and Saban led the Crimson Tide to a 42-14 emphatic victory over Notre Dame in the 2013 BCS National Championship in Miami.

At first, it seemed that Smart would never beat Saban. Who could forget the fake punt on 4th and 11 in the 2018 SEC Championship? But now, as two-time defending champs, it appears Georgia is the new standard in college football — at least for right now.

It's awfully ironic. Saban is a big reason that Smart is the head coach in Athens — and now he is his toughest competition. Saban created the monster that has removed his program from the top of the mountain — once again, at least for right now.

It's important to clarify that it may only be temporary — as soon as Saban and Alabama are doubted is usually when they punch right back. The two times the Crimson Tide wasn't picked to win the SEC since 2010 both resulted in national championship seasons.

Winning three championships in a row is almost unheard of. Alabama fell short of the feat in 2013-14 after losing to Auburn in the Iron Bowl on the infamous "Kick-Six."

The only time it's ever been done in college football was by Minnesota from 1934-1936. Of course Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls did it twice in the NBA — 1991-1993 and 1996-1998.

Like Saban has preached over the last 16 years in Tuscaloosa, it's all about avoiding complacency. Smart and Georgia are emphasizing the same thing during their quest for the three-peat.

"Everybody here has talked about the emphasis on [the] three-peat, the emphasis on what are you going to do next, how are you going to top that, how do you top an undefeated season," Smart said.

"The threat for us is complacency. The first thing you have to do is acknowledge that it's a threat. If you acknowledge the complacency is a threat, it's the first step towards stomping it out. [...] We want sustained success. So we have to do that by winning every day. That's not going to change whether we win it or not this year."

For the players, it goes to a whole different level.

"The mentality for this year is really just better, never rest," defensive back Kamari Lassiter said. "We are trying to eat off the floor. We are not trying to be complacent this year. We are trying to uphold our standard and keeping the main thing the main thing."

"Coming off two national championships, we are trying to stay hungry and be the best we can be every single day," tight end Brock Bowers said. "Actually, I think we've been doing a pretty good job and we just have to keep it going throughout fall camp and the end of the season. [...] Obviously we always want to be on the hunt and never be hunted. Also, like I said, better never rests. Just got to keep getting better every day because if we are not getting better, we're getting worse. Everyone is trying to catch up to us."

Once again, the Bulldogs are expected to roll through the SEC East. When Dec. 2 comes around, Georgia will likely be in the conference championship again. If it's against the Crimson Tide, it will be a massive game in terms of determining the future outlook of college football.

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