‘You said that, not me’ – Kirby Smart didn’t let the media put words in his mouth about Josh Heupel and Tennessee
Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart didn’t take the bait on a loaded Tennessee Vols question.
Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart didn’t take the bait on Tuesday when asked a loaded question about the Tennessee Vols.
While appearing on the main stage at SEC Media Days in Tampa, Smart was asked about not playing Tennessee in 2026 and if it feels like it’s one less win on the schedule for Georgia.
“Yeah, you said that, not me,” said Smart. “That’s a tough place to play and a tough team to play. I’ve got a lot of respect for Josh (Heupel) and their staff. I mean, they’re a tough prep. They’re really hard to prepare for, and I’m glad other teams get an opportunity to do that.
“They get some new teams to play, and then we get some new teams to play. So it’s very unique scheduling. I’m looking forward to the new format and the matchups that are created through the new format.”
Tennessee hasn’t beaten Georgia since 2016 in Athens. The Vols, though, nearly knocked off the Bulldogs last season in Knoxville. Tennessee had a field goal attempt to win the game, but it was missed and Georgia won in overtime.
Heupel, by the way, was asked on Monday about not playing Georgia or Florida this fall.
“I think rivalry games absolutely matter,” said Heupel. “I think one of the unique things at Tennessee is that different eras of our fanbase kind of points to a different game. It could be the Florida game, the Alabama game, or some other teams as well.
“I think the passion and the tradition of some of the games are what make college football unique. But I do also like that as a program and for your fanbase, you’re going to have the opportunity every four years to be able to go to every stadium inside of the SEC footprint.”
The Tennessee vs Georgia rivalry will be renewed in 2027 when the Vols travel to Athens.