For the first time in over two decades, in the legendary “Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate” clash, both teams are ranked. In the annual Peach State showdown, Georgia escaped with a tight 19-16 win over Georgia Tech. Still, Bulldogs HC Kirby Smart’s post-game focus wasn’t on the scoreboard.

In the post-game conference, Smart was asked whether he would prefer to skip the SEC Championship or avoid injuries. Looks like being scared and running away is not on Smart’s syllabus. 

“If you worry about injury risk, we won’t practice next week,” he said during the press conference and asked the question. “You live your life scared of injuries, you know what you get? A very scared team. This is also an opportunity to win an SEC championship. Does that matter? Does anybody care about that anymore?”

So, Smart would not prefer to avoid the extra game and the injury risks it carries. With three SEC titles in his pocket, Smart didn’t hold back, calling the mindset around them “what’s wrong with this whole thing now.” He says the game has shifted too much toward playoff math and not enough toward the milestones that built the sport.

Well, Smart has never let injury come in the way of a conference title. Carson Beck went down in last season’s SEC championship, but the Dawgs stayed rolling thanks to Gunner Stockton, who took the wheel and didn’t let up. Beck eventually transferred to Miami, yet Georgia’s machine kept humming like nothing had changed.

It’s not that Smart’s squad has marked itself 100% safe from injuries this time. During Georgia’s nail-biter 16-9 escape in Atlanta, Dawg Nation had a collective heart attack when starting center Drew Bobo went down. He was clearly hurting, and the clip of him limping to the locker room had social media on fire. 

Without Bobo, the offense instantly felt the drop-off. Fans were eagerly waiting for some updates from the head coach himself during the post-game presser.

“Don’t know. Something foot, ankle,” Smart dropped a vague reply. 

With Saturday’s win, Georgia (11-1) pushed its dominance to eight straight over Georgia Tech (9-3), tying the Jackets’ iconic Bobby Dodd streak from the 1940s and 1950s.

Last season, the Bulldogs clinched their third SEC crown under Smart, and the trophy came with a sweet bonus. A first-round bye in the revamped 12-team College Football Playoff. Georgia came in fifth in the CFP rankings. They were later locked into the Sugar Bowl quarterfinal on New Year’s Day, chasing a third national title in four seasons.

However, things were different this time. Smart and Co.’s hands were tied when it came to the SEC Championship Game. But the path looks clear now.

Mike Elko’s loss and Kirby Smart’s win

Week 13 didn’t shake up the SEC championship picture, but the odds did move a bit. The race is tightening, and only four teams remain in the hunt: Georgia, Ole Miss Rebels, Alabama Crimson Tide, and Texas A&M Aggies. So, how do things look in the SEC race after the Week 14 clash?

Mike Elko and the Aggies couldn’t lock it down against Texas, and that miss comes at a cost. Already the weakest résumé among the undefeated at No. 3, A&M’s loss drops them straight into the one-loss crowd. Expect Smart’s Georgia to leapfrog them after surviving Georgia Tech, and No. 5 Texas Tech could crash the party too if they take the Big 12 next week.

Smart and the Dawgs’ destiny originally hinged on two outcomes- an Alabama loss or a Texas A&M stumble. While Kalen DeBoer’s crew hasn’t yet hit the Iron Bowl field, Elko’s squad made things crystal clear for Georgia by falling 27-17 to Texas.

Kirby Smart took care of business at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, topping Georgia Tech to notch his seventh 11-win season in 10 years. But there was no lingering celebration. Smart shifted into R&R: recovery and recruiting, plotting roster upgrades as SEC results shape Georgia’s title path. 

Georgia’s on the brink. Can they clinch it?