Kirby Smart, Georgia and the SEC all rule the world, plus more football notes
Random football notes:
▪ Tell me again how SEC football is overrated.
▪ It is Kirby Smart’s world and we’re just living in it.
▪ Georgia football’s recruiting class rankings, via Rivals, since Smart became the Bulldogs head coach in 2016: No. 3 in 2017; No. 1 in 2018; No. 1 in 2019; No. 1 in 2020; No. 5 in 2021; No. 3 in 2022; No. 2 in 2023.
▪ All the IVs, including myself, tip our hat to Stetson Fleming Bennett IV.
▪ Give Kentucky defensive coordinator Brad White a raise. UK held Georgia to 16 points, the Dawgs’ lowest point total of the season.
▪ Kentucky finished 11th nationally in scoring defense and 12th nationally in total defense.
▪ Bennett’s passing numbers against UK: 13-of-19 for 116 yards with zero touchdowns and one interception. Bennett’s passing numbers against TCU on Monday night: 18-of-25 for 304 yards and four touchdowns with zero interceptions.
▪ Yes, UK Coach Mark Stoops is 0-10 vs Georgia, including 0-7 versus Smart. But Smart is 81-15 in his seven seasons at Georgia. Throw out Smart’s first year when Georgia went 8-5 and the head coach is 73-10 in Athens.
▪ Smart quote: “To be successful, to be great, the thing people have in common, they realize they really don’t have a choice. There is one way, the right way, the hard way. There are no shortcuts. You have to be willing to do something that somebody else isn’t willing to do.”
▪ Georgia’s last loss in a regular-season game? Dan Mullen and Florida beat the Bulldogs 44-28 on Nov. 7, 2020, in Jacksonville. Mullen was fired after the 2021 season.
▪ Kentucky will play three top-10 teams in ESPN’s way-too-early Top 25 for next season — No. 1 Georgia on Oct. 7 in Athens, No. 10 Tennessee on Oct. 28 at Kroger Field, No. 5 Alabama on Nov. 11 at Kroger Field.
▪ Kentucky played four teams ranked in this year’s final AP Top 25: No. 1 Georgia, No. 6 Tennessee, No. 20 Mississippi State and No. 23 South Carolina. UK went 1-3 against that quartet.
▪ Let’s just say Pat McAfee has livened up ESPN’s “College Football GameDay.”
▪ Funny moment on Monday night’s pregame show was former Georgia linebacker David Pollack saying “Georgia has taken hold of college football” with Alabama Coach Nick Saban sitting by his side.
▪ The only coach to beat Smart the past two seasons is his former boss, Saban.
▪ Georgia’s non-conference 2023 schedule includes UT Martin, Ball State, UAB and Georgia Tech.
▪ Kentucky’s non-conference 2023 schedule includes Ball State, Eastern Kentucky, Akron and Louisville.
▪ The SEC can’t eliminate divisions soon enough.
▪ Kentucky quarterback Will Levis could go in the top 10 of the NFL Draft. The possibles: Houston Texans with the No. 2 pick, Indianapolis Colts at No. 4, Las Vegas Raiders at No. 7, Atlanta Falcons at No. 8, Carolina Panthers at No. 9.
▪ Despite playing through injuries, Levis finished 25th nationally in pass efficiency rating.
▪ If you missed it, ex-Kentucky quarterback Beau Allen is transferring to Georgia Southern. He threw for 23 touchdowns with 11 interceptions last season at Tarleton State.
▪ NFL playoff picks: 49ers over Seahawks, Chargers over Jaguars, Bills over Dolphins, Giants over Vikings, Bengals over Ravens, Cowboys over Bucs.
▪ The guess here is Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson will play vs. the Bengals on Sunday night.
▪ Speaking of Ravens-Bengals, officials will need to have their flags ready. The rematch of last Sunday’s game might set a record for unsportsmanlike conduct penalties.
▪ The Bengals complained a little too much about the playoff provisions the NFL made after canceling Bills-Bengals. The circumstances were unique. Just snap on your chin strap and play.
▪ That was quite the scene Sunday night as Aaron Rodgers and ex-UK receiver Randall Cobb walked arm-in-arm off the field at Lambeau Field for possibly the last time.
▪ You had to love the way the Lions not just showed up but competed — and beat the Packers — after being eliminated from playoff contention earlier in the day. Kudos to Coach Dan Campbell.
