As Georgia heads into Year 6 of Kirby Smart, expectations of a Playoff season abound

Welcome to Year 6 of the Kirby Smart era.

It’s a bit hard to believe, isn’t it?

Time seems to have flown by since the former Bulldogs defensive back-turned Alabama defensive coordinator returned to Athens with 4 national championships in tow. The hope was that eventually, he’d be able to lead his alma mater to championship glory and add to his trophy case.

And Georgia brought him in after seeking a reboot from a Mark Richt era that, while successful, was never quite able to stay in the championship discussion. The program wasn’t in the cellar by any stretch of the imagination upon Smart’s arrival, but he made an almost instant impact, needing just his 2nd season to guide them into the College Football Playoff.

They haven’t been back since.

Sure, the recruiting has improved, with the program routinely near the top in that department. The level of talent that has played at Sanford Stadium has been undeniable. So far, Smart has delivered on his promise to build a defensive team, and it’s shown consistently up front and gradually in the pass rush.

What’s next for Georgia, though, as we approach the dawn of yet another football season? With Clemson looming on Saturday at Bank of America Stadium, I’d say that outside of the 2018 season, the expectations haven’t been higher.

Sure, 2017 was a banner year. But the Dawgs haven’t been able to capitalize on it and build upon that foundation. And the shine’s continuing to wear off as sooner or later, the question Kirby Smart will need to contend with is whether the gap between Georgia and Alabama, a constant foil to his plans and the constant juggernaut in the SEC West, is shrinking.

I’d argue that it’s a question that Bulldogs fans need to ask themselves, too.

Now, beating Clemson won’t be the win that pushes this program over the edge once and for all, but it will be a big step in giving Georgia a boost toward building a strong College Football Playoff case. The talent’s certainly there, led by a possible Heisman hopeful in JT Daniels and a defense that will feature Adam Anderson — potentially set to be the first Bulldogs defender to hit double-digit sacks since Jarvis Jones in 2012 — and former Tigers star Derion Kendrick.

Simply put, while beating the Tennessees, Auburns, and (most years) Floridas and South Carolinas of the world is good, Georgia has nothing left to prove in that department. It’s set the standard in the SEC East and it’s fair to believe that missing out on a conference championship last year was simply the exception rather than the rule. But Smart will need to demonstrate that 2017 wasn’t the ceiling, a fleeting glimpse at an elusive title. And while the Mark Richt 2.0 comparisons are unfair, for generations of Bulldogs fans who have waited for years for another trophy, 1980 continues to get further and further in the rearview mirror.

It’s not a hot take to state that if Georgia tops Clemson, then it should conceivably run the table. (The keyword there is “conceivably.”) But college football is a funny sport. Think back to 2019. Did you really predict a loss to South Carolina? Granted, Georgia has some concerns — mainly surrounding that offensive line — but the best teams find ways to overcome those flaws to win ballgames.

So when Jan. 10 rolls around, what will Dawgs fans be doing? Will they be celebrating a long-awaited national championship win? Or will they be watching on television again, wondering once more what would have happened if Georgia had just won that one game or made that one play?

Let’s hope it’s the former scenario in this case and, when we’re looking at Year 7 of the Smart era in 2022, that there’s a shiny new trophy on display in Athens.

Sydney Hunte

Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.