117-Win Head Coach Named the ‘Standard’ in the SEC

Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt recently unveiled his post-2025 rankings for the top 10 head coaches in college football, sparking a debate about the sport's current hierarchy.

At the center of the conversation is Georgia's Kirby Smart, a coach who has defined consistency in a league known for its volatility.

Smart has successfully navigated his alma mater through a decade of monumental shifts, ranging from the dawn of NIL to the expansion of the College Football Playoff.

Even as the sport evolves into a more transactional landscape, the screams from his practice field microphone serve as a reminder that his internal "standard" remains unchanged.

The Bulldogs enter the 2026 off-season following a decade that saw the program climb to the summit of the sport. For Klatt, this sustained excellence confirms that while faces may change across the sideline, the path to a title still runs through Athens.

Kirby Smart ranks as the standard for SEC football coaches

"At No. 3 is Kirby Smart," Klatt said during his analysis. "Kirby Smart at Georgia is No. 3. He won two titles back in '21 and '22. He's only lost seven games over the last five years combined.

"Five of those have come over the last two, however. So, it hasn't been as good in the last two years as maybe they were in previous years, but that's obvious with those back-to-back national titles. It seems like a dip, but that's only because their standards are insanely high."

Klatt pointed to the Bulldogs' dominance in conference play as the primary reason for the high ranking. "They've won the SEC the last two years and three of the last four," Klatt noted.

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart speaks during a press conference for the Sugar Bowl and College Football Playoff quarterfinals. | Ayrton Breckenridge/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"And check this out: the only year in the last nine seasons that Georgia wasn't at least in the SEC title game was the 2020 COVID season. That's ridiculous consistency in a really tough conference."

Since taking over his alma mater in 2016, Smart has compiled a career record of 117-21. His success is built on a recruiting machine that has produced 20 first round NFL draft picks, a number that nearly equals his total career losses.

"Kirby is the standard. Georgia is the standard in the SEC. Let's face it," Klatt said. "You think of the SEC, it's Georgia. It's Georgia. It's Georgia. It's Georgia. You got to take down Georgia in order to be crowned the champion in that league. And certainly, it's been tough to do."

"As long as Kirby is there, Georgia is not going anywhere," Klatt concluded. "They're still recruiting and developing at an elite level. This guy is 100% one of the best coaches in college football."

The Bulldogs scheduled their spring game, or "G-Day," for Saturday, April 18.