Georgia's Kirby Smart Gets Honest About Playing Against Lane Kiffin
Newsweek · C · trust 34/100
0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart and LSU Tigers head coach Lane Kiffin worked together for two seasons under Nick Saban in Tuscaloosa. From 2014-15, they worked side-by-side as defensive coordinator and offensive coordinator, respectively.
This past college football season, Smart's Georgia team defeated Kiffin's Ole Miss Rebels with a 45-35 final score in Athens. Later in the year, the Rebels took down the Bulldogs with a 39-34 final score in the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff — though Kiffin had already left the program to take his new coaching job at LSU.
Smart was asked about Kiffin during SEC Media Days on Tuesday. He responded with some high praise for his former co-worker.
"He is very bright. He does an incredible job of evolving with college football," Smart replied. "He was really good with that with us at Alabama. He made Coach Saban uncomfortable — let's just say what it is."
"He's hard to play," Smart added. "I don't like having to play his teams, because I know what he knows and I know how he thinks about defenses."
Georgia is not scheduled to play against LSU this coming season. The Bulldogs will kickoff their 2026 college football schedule with a matchup against the Tennessee State Tigers on Sept. 5.
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