Kirby Smart Gives "Alarm Bells" Warning on Georgia Football: Can UGA Offense Get Past Frustration?

Georgia football QB Gunner Stockton scrambles against Oklahoma Sooners. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

ATHENS - Georgia football coach Kirby Smart was very clear about his concern after Georiga’s 41-13 romp over Oklahoma on Saturday.

After a 28-0 first half, the Bulldogs seemed set to cruise to another blowout victory - this time over the Sooners. But UGA bogged down in the third quarter thanks to Oklahoma playing better, Georgia making mistakes and an overall “lull” from the Dawgs.

“I think it’s always indicative of your halftime adjustments; what you’re going to do the second half; what kind of energy you have,” Smart said. “Are you complacent? Do you look at the scoreboard? If you’re going to be that way it’s probably an alarm bell for upcoming games. Because if you’re going to be happy with where you are then you’re not going to improve.”

Oklahoma never got within 21 points of the Bulldogs in the second half. Still, Georgia’s offense had two turnovers, a three-and-out and only scored a field goal in the third quarter. Smart said he wasn’t happy with what he saw from his team in the second half.

Sep 26, 2026; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Chris Cole (9) runs against Oklahoma Sooners tight end Hayden Hansen (89) and running back Lloyd Avant (9) after recovering a fumble by quarterback John Mateer (not pictured) during the first half at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“I didn't think that we played to a standard in the second half,” he said. “Give Oklahoma credit - that’s what we felt like as coaches. There's some of the stuff they did that made it hard on us. But I'll always hold our standard to what we do.”

"Definitely" Frustrated

The Dawgs looked more like themselves in the fourth quarter. Two scoring drives netted 117 yards and ten points. With starting quarterback Gunner Stockton in the game the Bulldogs scored on six of 12 drives. Georgia’s 41 points is the most points the Sooners have surrendered since OU outscored Texas Christian 69–45 in 2023.

Stockton said he was not pleased with the way things went in the second half.

"Yeah, we didn't execute like we were supposed to. There's a couple plays that was on me. I didn't get us in the right plays. But definitely stuff to work on,” Stockton said. “Oklahoma - they do a bunch of stuff on defense, so you have to be ready for a bunch of stuff. Just going back to just trust what you see and executing, so that's kind of it.”

Stockton said after the game that he was “definitely” frustrated during the second half.

“When you don't execute the way you think you should - I was kind of mad at myself,” Stockton said. “You have to respond. It's not going to be perfect and (you) just have to have next play mentality and just be in the moment.”

Stockton had an answer to Smart’s question about complacency:

“We're not complacent by any means,” he said.