Kirby Smart explains why SEC Championship ‘means the world’ to him
By Mark Kern
Published:
Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs took care of business on Saturday, as they knocked off Alabama by a score of 28-7 to win the SEC Championship, while also exacting some revenge from the regular season loss to the Crimson Tide.
Last season, the Bulldogs won the SEC by beating Texas in the conference championship.
Being able to get the win this season is something Smart said “means the world” to him.
“It means the world to me,” Smart told Laura Rutledge on the SEC Football Final after the game. “I grew up in this footprint. I am an SEC Kid like these guys. It really hit me today on the show, the gameday when I was there with DeBoer and Nick and they showed Roy Kramer. I almost got emotional. I didn’t even know in my wildest dreams of preparing for this game that he had passed. His dream was this game. I love the SEC, and I love this team.”
Kramer passed away on Thursday at the age of 96. He was the sixth commissioner in the history of the SEC, as he was in that role from 1990 to 2002. He played a huge role in the development of the conference, especially when it comes to the SEC Championship game.
Tim Tebow also asked Smart about the future of the SEC Championship Game during his appearance on the SEC Football Final desk.
“It means so much to so many,” Smart added. “I don’t want to say it’s bigger than the national championship, I’m not saying that. But to so many people who are so passionate about it, it means so much.”
Georgia will learn its seeding in the College Football Playoff on Sunday.
