Kirby Smart is still the top SEC coach despite two straight rough CFP appearances

Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart. Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Kirby Smart is still the top SEC coach despite two straight rough CFP appearances

By Andrew Kulha | Last updated Jun 23, 2026 11:17 PM ET

Kirby Smart is still at the top of the SEC when it comes to coaching rankings, at least according to college football analyst Josh Pate.

This is even though Smart has been somewhat of a victim of his own success over the past two seasons with the Georgia Bulldogs.

Sure, the Bulldogs have been in the past two College Football Playoffs, but they've failed to live up to the incredible championship standard that Smart set in 2021 and 2022 — when the Bulldogs were national champions.

It's not just the lack of a championship trophy to hoist, though. Winning it all every year is just as unrealistic for Smart as it was for Nick Saban during his heyday at Alabama, though that is always the standard.

More so, it was the lack of CFP wins. Georgia got a first-round bye in 2024 but then lost to Notre Dame, 23-10, in the Sugar Bowl. In 2025, the Bulldogs boasted another bye, but they once again lost in the Sugar Bowl. This time, it was a 39-34 loss to Ole Miss.

And yet, it's worth remembering that Georgia won the SEC Championship in both 2024 and 2026, so that has to count for something, per Pate.

"There is no current head coach in the SEC who has beaten that guy [Smart] in Atlanta," Pate said while explaining his rankings. "There is no current SEC coach who has beaten him for a conference title. Saban was the last one to do it. Saban works for ESPN now."

Updated SEC Head Coach Rankings pic.twitter.com/n7hHeK4ccF
— Josh Pate (@JoshPateCFB) June 22, 2026

Kirby Smart has been consistently dominant for the Georgia Bulldogs

Not only does Pate believe Smart's SEC title game dominance is reason enough to rank him No. 1 among all SEC coaches, but he's right in saying that Smart's recruiting ability should count for him as well.

And that's a great point. Smart is not just one of the best recruiters in the SEC, but he's one of the top overall recruiters in college football.

Smart's 2024 recruiting class was ranked No. 1 in the country. His 2025 class was ranked No. 2 only to Texas, and in 2026, Georgia finished in the top 10 of the national rankings.

Throw in the fact that Smart is 117-21 as the head coach at Georgia since 2016 — and he's done it now despite many changes happening in the sport — and it makes sense that he beats out the likes of Kalen DeBoer of Alabama and Steve Sarkisian of Texas in these rankings.

As Pate eloquently put it, Georgia either beats you as an opponent or you walk away incredibly happy that you've beaten the Bulldogs.

"He's existed in that era where a whole lot has changed, but one thing that has remained pretty consistent is that block G means you have your hands full," said Pate.

Andrew Kulha

Andrew Kulha is probably the only sports writer you know who also doubles as a mortician. Spooky! @KulhaSports

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