Kirby Smart Details How Georgia Bulldogs 2025 Team is Different From Previous Rosters

Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart details how this year's roster is different from previous Georgia teams.

The Georgia Bulldogs are just over 24 hours away from their College Football Playoff matchup against the Ole Miss Rebels in the Allstate Sugar Bowl. With a win, the Dawgs will be one step closer to earning an appearance in the national championship game.

As the countdown to kickoff for this highly anticipated matchup continues, coaches for both schools recently held a media presser detailing their final thoughts before the matchup. During the availability, Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart was prompted to detail how this year's roster was different from previous ones.

Smart's explanation detailed how this year's roster seems to love the game just a little bit more than previous ones. The coach complimented the team's coachability and eagerness to work in his answer.

Kirby Smart Details What Makes Georgia's 2025 Roster Different From Former Teams

Nov 15, 2025; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart gestures in the first half against the Texas Longhorns at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

"They've got a great personality. I think I've said it before, but there were times in the past that we were a little bit older, or had a lot of guys that had been in the program for a fifth or sixth year during the COVID run," said Smart. "There were times when you felt like they didn't love the game, that they didn't want to be out there and practice. That hasn't been the case for this group; they've had a lot of energy. They're a little bit younger, and they want to be coached hard, they like practicing hard, they get out there and do exactly what you demand of them each and every day."

Before the 2025 season, Smart and his staff placed a heavy emphasis on returning to basics in being able to run the football and play Georgia's traditional style of hard-nosed, physical football. Given his comments on this year's roster, it appears those efforts have paid off.

In his 10 seasons as the Bulldogs' head coach, Smart has led a plethora of highly talented football teams that have competed for national championships, conference championships, and extremely prestigious bowl games. The fact that this year's roster ranks as one of the more coachable units he's had bodes extremely well for Georgia's chances in the College Football Playoff.

Georgia will be back in action on Thursday, January 1st, as the team takes on the Ole Miss Rebels in New Orleans, Louisiana, for the Allstate Sugar Bowl. Kickoff for this game is currently scheduled for approximately 8:00 p.m. ET, and coverage will be made available on ESPN.