Georgia coach Kirby Smart was an assistant under Nick Saban at Alabama for several years, so it should be no surprise that his Bulldogs are starting to look like the Crimson Tide.

Now, though, he’s even starting to sound like his former boss, especially when it comes to outside influences.

On Monday, both Smart and Saban referred to the College Football Playoff rankings, which come out on Tuesday, as “poison” during their press conferences:

Though the imagery is strong, the point is a good one — neither the Bulldogs nor the Crimson Tide can afford to get caught up in their own hype.

If both teams keep rolling, they’ll meet up in the SEC Championship Game with a title on the line.

Both should also be in the top four of the debut rankings that come out Tuesday night, but whether or not they can stay there will be interesting to see.