Has Georgia coach Kirby Smart ever faced Ohio State football?

On Dec 27, 2022

Ohio State football is heading to Kirby Smart territory.

The No. 4 Buckeyes will take on No. 1 Georgia in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Peach Bowl 8 p.m. Saturday on ESPN.

The Peach Bowl, held in Atlanta at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, will mark Ohio State’s first ever game in the state of Georgia, and only its second ever meeting with the Bulldogs after losing 21-14 in the 1993 Citrus Bowl.

Ohio State has only crossed paths with Smart once, beating his defense in the 2015 Sugar Bowl when he was a defensive coordinator at Alabama.

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Here’s three things to know about Smart ahead of Georgia’s meeting with Ohio State Saturday.

Kirby Smart was a defensive back at Georgia

Before he led Georgia to a national championship as a coach, Smart was a standout defensive back for the Bulldogs from 1995-98.

A four-year letterman, Smart recorded 13 interceptions in four seasons, recording six as a junior in 1997 and five as a senior in 1998, a season where he was a first-team All-SEC selection.

Smart was Georgia’s primary kickoff returner as a freshman in 1995, bringing in 15 returns for 332 yards.

In Smart’s four seasons as a Georgia player, the Bulldogs recorded a record of 30-17, winning the Outback Bowl against Wisconsin to end the 1997 season before beating Virginia in the Peach Bowl to cap off his college career.

Smart was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Indianapolis Colts in 1999, but was cut before the season.

Kirby Smart spent nine seasons at Alabama

After stops as either a graduate assistant or assistant coach at Valdosta State, Florida State, LSU, Georgia and the Miam Dolphins from 2000-06 after starting his coaching career as the Bulldogs’ administrative assistant in 1999, Smart was hired as Alabama’s associate head coach and defensive backs coach in head coach Nick Saban’s first season before being promoted to the Crimson Tide’s defensive coordinator.

From 2008-15 with Smart as defensive coordinator, Alabama won three BCS Championships and one College Football Playoff national championship and posted a record of 98-12. The Crimson Tide also won three SEC championships in that span, finishing ranked in the top 10 in each of his seasons as defensive coordinator.

Smart was the defensive coordinator for Alabama in the Crimson Tide’s 42-35 loss in the 2015 Sugar Bowl against Ohio State.

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Smart won the 2009 Broyles Award as college football’s top assistant coach before earning the 2012 AFCA Assistant Coach of the Year award.

Kirby Smart led Georgia to its first national championship since 1980

In seven seasons as Georgia’s head coach, Smart has led the Bulldogs to five double-digit win seasons and two College Football Playoff national championship game appearances.

After losing to Alabama to end the 2017 season, Georgia secured its first national championship since 1980 last season, beating Alabama 33-18 in Indianapolis.

Heading into the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Peach Bowl, Smart’s Georgia teams have a record of 79-15.

Georgia football’s 2022 schedule

Sept. 3: Georgia 49, Oregon 3
Sept. 10: Georgia 33, Samford 0
Sept. 17: Georgia 48, South Carolina 7
Sept. 24: Georgia 39, Kent State 22
Oct. 1: Georgia 26, Missouri 22
Oct. 8: Georgia 42, Auburn 10
Oct. 15: Georgia 55, Vanderbilt 0
Oct. 29: Georgia 42, Florida 20
Nov. 5: Georgia 27, Tennessee 13
Nov. 12: Georgia 45, Mississippi 19
Nov. 19: Georgia 16, Kentucky 6
Nov. 26: Georgia 37, Georgia Tech 14
Dec. 3: Georgia 50, LSU 30