Kirby Smart Was Asked If Playoff Format Should Change After Sugar Bowl Loss

Coaches Who Left The NFL To Coach College (1:37)

Kirby Smart won’t be adding another national championship to his résumé this season. On Thursday night, Georgie got dismantled by Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl.

The Fighting Irish legitimately won the game thanks to an absurd one-minute stretch where they forced a fumble, scored a touchdown on the very next possession, and then returned the opening kickoff in the second half 98 yards to the house. That stretch turned a 6-3 game into a 20-3 blowout in the blink of an eye. The Bulldogs showed some fight in the third quarter, but the defense simply couldn’t get off the field in the final period.

After Georgia’s 23-10 loss to Notre Dame, Smart was asked if having time off before this game hurt his team. All four teams that had a bye in the College Football Playoff lost in the quarterfinals.

Despite going one-and-done in the CFP, Smart isn’t calling for any massive changes.

“I wouldn’t change anything we did leading up to it, I thought our preparation was good, we got to run extra yesterday I was really pleased with that,” Smart replied. ” I did not think it was a conditioning issue. I did not think it was a tackling issue.”

Smart then offered his thoughts on why he’s not frustrated with the current format for the 12-team playoff.

“Two of those teams were better than the other teams, to be honest with you,” Smart said. “It is what it is. That’s more about the seeding process and where it is. I’m not here to complain about anything. Notre Dame lost probably their best defensive player, so I don’t know how that’s an advantage.

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JANUARY 02: Head coach Kirby Smart of the Georgia Bulldogs looks on during the second quarter against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the 91st Allstate Sugar Bowl at Caesars Superdome on January 02, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

Sean Gardner/Getty Images

Kudos to Smart for handling this loss with grace. He could’ve made excuses, but he clearly thinks his team just didn’t play up to its potential.

Georgia finished the 2024 season with an 11-3 record. Perhaps things would’ve been different if star quarterback Carson Beck stayed healthy.

Notre Dame, meanwhile, is 13-1 heading into Orange Bowl against Penn State. They’ll square off next Thursday. The winner will advance to the national championship game.