ATHENS, GA — In a season filled with shifting rankings and coaching speculation, one name remains firmly at the top: Kirby Smart. The Georgia Bulldogs’ head coach has been ranked the No. 1 coach in the SEC for 2025 by CBS Sports, confirming what many already knew—Smart is not only one of the top coaches in the conference, but across all of college football.
The honor comes after a consensus among voters that Smart’s resume, recruiting dominance, and championship pedigree set him apart. CBS Sports, ESPN, Pro Football Focus, and other major outlets have echoed the sentiment, repeatedly recognizing Smart for his consistent success, including two national championships, three SEC titles, and an incredible 105-19 overall record at Georgia.
Smart’s Bulldogs finished the 2024 regular season with a 10-2 record and captured the SEC Championship before falling to Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals. Despite that postseason setback, Georgia’s sustained excellence under Smart’s leadership remains unrivaled in the SEC. In fact, Smart has three times as many wins over ranked opponents at his current post than any other SEC coach.
Since taking the reins in 2016, Smart has built a juggernaut in Athens. His Bulldogs went 13-1 in 2023, blowing out Florida State in the Orange Bowl, and set an SEC record with 29 consecutive wins—a streak that now stands as one of the longest in college football history.
Even in the era of NIL and the transfer portal, Smart has adapted with precision. His recruiting classes consistently rank among the top in the country, and his ability to develop talent into elite-level performers has been a cornerstone of Georgia’s rise.
As he enters his 10th season at Georgia, Smart’s trajectory is pointing toward even more titles. With another strong recruiting class and a talented roster returning for 2025, the Bulldogs are once again poised for championship contention.
For Georgia fans and college football enthusiasts alike, Kirby Smart remains not just a coach, but the standard. And as CBS Sports and the rest of the country continue to take notice, Smart’s legacy in Athens grows even stronger.
