‘We may get it up before we play Tennessee in two years’ — Kirby Smart makes a quip about Rocky Top viral video on social media

The video that’s sweeping the internet has drawn praise from Georgia’s head coach.

Craig Smith — College Football & NFL Trending News Writer
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If you’re a Tennessee Vols fan, and you’ve spent just a decent bit of time online this week, there’s a solid chance you’ve seen the video making the rounds on social media lately regarding Tennessee’s anthem of Rocky Top.

A fifth grader, Nolan McGill, who is a Georgia fan, was caught on video by his mother refusing to sing Rocky Top during his school’s Christmas concert in Chattanooga. The video quickly swept across the internet and had millions of views.

With the visibility came quick fame for McGill, who went on former UGA defensive lineman David Pollack’s podcast this week.

And you can count another notable Georgia name among his fans – Kirby Smart. The Dawgs head coach commented to On3 Sports about McGill, and he jokingly quipped that the school should build a statue of him outside of Sanford Stadium in time for Tennessee’s next visit in 2027.

Kirby Smart quipped that Georgia should build a statue for Nolan McGill after he refused to sing Rocky Top

“We are currently fundraising to put a statue of him up near the stadium. If it doesn’t cut into our NIL budget too much, we may get it up before we play Tennessee in two years,” Smart told On3 Sports.

Georgia certainly has been having a lot of fun on their end at Tennessee’s expense since the Vols’ last win in the series back in 2016. The Bulldogs have had their way with the Vols in every game leading up to 2025, winning all by at least 14 points. Tennessee came painfully close to finally ending Georgia’s run and dealing a major dent in their season back on September 13. However, Max Gilbert pushed a 43-yard field goal wide right that would have sent Tennessee home a winner over their border rival. The Vols fell in overtime 44-41.

With the new nine-game rotating SEC schedule, Tennessee won’t play Georgia every season as part of the new system, with Alabama, Kentucky, and Vanderbilt the Vols’ new permanent annual opponents. So, for at least two more years, the Dawgs will continue to get the last laugh over the Vols, both on the field and online, it appears.

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