Stephen A. Smith Drops Honest Take on Why One College Football Coach Isn't No. 1 Anymore

Stephen A. Smith looks on before the game. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Just a few short seasons ago, it was unanimous that Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart was the best coach in college football.

Kirby Smart's Dominant Run at Georgia

Since taking over the Bulldogs in 2016, Smart quickly made them into a perennial College Football Playoff team. He then led the program to its first national championship in 2021 in over 40 years. He followed that up by leading the Bulldogs to back-to-back titles in 2022. Smart looked like he was going to be the new face of college football, and his Georgia team was going to be the new dynasty.

However, things haven't gone as well since that 2022 season. On one hand, Georgia has won two of the last three SEC championships. It has made the College Football Playoff and earned a first-round bye in the last two seasons.

The issue is that the Bulldogs have not won a playoff game since winning the national championship in 2022. They've been upset by a lower seed each year.

ESPN's Stephen A. Smith Believes Smart is No Longer No. 1 in College Football

That has brought into question whether Smart is still unanimously the best coach in the sport. SEC Network analysts Paul Finebaum and Jordan Rodgers joined ESPN's "First Take" while attending SEC media days.

They were asked if Smart's reputation had taken a hit. Finebaum believes it has slightly, while Rodgers disagreed. But ESPN's Stephen A. Smith flat-out revealed that Smart is no longer the best coach in the sport.

Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart speaks to the press during SEC Football Kickoff Media Day. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"It's not a crime to look at Kirby Smart and to say, you know what, it's been about four years since you won a national title," Smith said. "It is the SEC. You are at the University of Georgia. You're still recognized as a top-two coach in all of college football. You're just not recognized as No. 1."

Curt Cignetti's HIstoric Rise Has Changed the Coaching Conversation

While Smith didn't reveal who he'd put at the top spot, all eyes point to Indiana Hoosiers' head coach Curt Cignetti. In two seasons, Cignetti has turned one of the worst programs historically in college football into a perennial contender.

In Year 1, Indiana went 11-2, marking the first double-digit-win season in program history and a spot in the College Football Playoff. In Year 2, the Hoosiers went 16-0 and won their first national championship. So, it's hard to argue against Cignetti.

Smart's legacy at Georgia is already secure. He turned the Bulldogs into a national powerhouse, ended a decade-long championship drought and built one of the best programs in the country. However, college football is a sport defined by winning championships, and recent playoff struggles have opened the door for a new debate.

With coaches like Cignetti and Ohio State's Ryan Day building championship resumes, Smart is no longer viewed as the unquestioned No. 1 coach in the sport. The only way to silence that conversation is to return Georgia to the top of college football.