What Nick Saban Told Kirby Smart During the Post-Game Handshake

The Alabama head coach was gracious in defeat as he spoke to his long time former assistant after the Crimson Tide's loss.

With Georgia football’s national title win on Monday night, Kirby Smart becomes just the second former Nick Saban assistant to beat his former boss, after Jimbo Fisher and Texas A&M's upset of Alabama earlier in the year. During their post-game embrace, it's clear that Saban has a lot of respect for Smart.

“You guys kicked our asses in the fourth quarter. Congrats,” Saban told Smart, brandishing a rare post-loss smile. 

Smart immediately asked about Alabama star wide receiver Jameson Williams, who went down in the first half with an apparent leg injury. Saban acknowledged the possibility that he suffered a torn ACL, which would make him the second Crimson Tide star receiver to go down with that injury in consecutive games against Bulldogs this season.

“God bless you, man,” Saban said, before parting with Smart amid a sea of celebrating Dawgs.

Kirby Smart and Nick Saban.

All class 🤝 pic.twitter.com/LJBibd3TOt

— ESPN (@espn) January 11, 2022

Georgia avenged an SEC championship loss to Alabama with a win on the sport’s biggest stage. Stetson Bennett IV made one of the throws of his career on a 40-yard touchdown to Adonai Mitchell to take a 19–18 lead, and found Brock Bowers for a score on the next drive, after neither team gave up a touchdown in the first half. 

On Alabama’s ensuing possession, Kelee Ringo picked off Heisman winner Bryce Young, returning it 79 yards for a game sealing score. 

Georgia takes home its first national championship in 41 years with the win, the first for the Dawgs over Alabama since 2007.