Georgia coach Kirby Smart talks stakes in Clemson game on College GameDay

Georgia coach Kirby Smart was a guest on College GameDay on Saturday leading up to the marquee matchup of the first full weekend of college football.

Georgia and Clemson meet at 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday night in Charlotte. Both teams are ranked in the top 5 in the Associated Press and Coaches’ Poll. The winner will have a strong victory on its resume come College Football Playoff time. There’s a lot on the line – especially on an opening weekend.

Everyone knows how high the stakes are, especially Smart. He’s used to that.

“The stakes are always high in college football…so much goes into each game,” Smart said. “It’s different than the NFL because games mean so much more because there’s fewer.”

As big as the game is, there won’t be a championship decided today. Both teams will still have the ability to make the College Football Playoff with a loss if they can persevere throughout the season. Both teams can still win their conference. Georgia has been a popular pick to upset Alabama this season for an SEC title. Clemson is a strong favorite to win the SEC. Still, there’s pride on the line.

“It’s a great chance to represent our conference against a powerhouse program that’s been on of the top programs in the country,” Smart said. “We’re excited for the opportunity.”

Here is everything Smart had to say about the matchup:

“Well it’s a top-5 matchup, the stakes are high.”@KirbySmartUGA on No. 5 @GeorgiaFootball's upcoming contest vs. No. 3 @ClemsonFB. pic.twitter.com/B2iSpWO19P

— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) September 4, 2021

Dave Hooker

Dave Hooker started covering Tennessee in 1998. He hosts an SEC radio show out of Chattanooga and covers the SEC for Saturday Down South.