In a stunning turn of events that’s setting college football social media ablaze, CBS Sports has released its annual ranking of college football coaches — and Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart’s placement has fans buzzing with disbelief. While Smart is widely regarded as one of the premier minds in the sport, his position in the latest CBS list has left Georgia fans absolutely speechless — and not necessarily in a good way.
Kirby Smart, who has led Georgia to two national championships in the past three seasons and has solidified the Bulldogs as a perennial powerhouse, was not ranked No. 1 on the list. Instead, that honor once again went to Alabama’s Nick Saban, despite Georgia’s more recent dominance and Saban’s program showing signs of vulnerability in recent seasons.
Many Georgia fans took to X (formerly Twitter), Reddit, and fan forums to express their disbelief. “This man brought us two rings, 29 straight wins, and we’re still playing second fiddle?” one user wrote. Others were more direct, calling the ranking “blatant disrespect” and “out of touch with reality.”
To some, the CBS ranking feels like a nod to legacy rather than current results. While Saban’s resume is undeniably historic, the argument from many in Bulldog Nation is that the rankings should reflect today’s college football landscape — and in that arena, Kirby Smart is king.
It’s not just fans who are reacting; media personalities and analysts have also chimed in. Some defended CBS’s choice by pointing to Saban’s consistency over a longer period, but even neutral voices acknowledged that Smart’s recent achievements — including turning Georgia into a recruiting juggernaut and leading one of the most dominant defenses in college football history — make him a legitimate No. 1 candidate.
Despite the controversy, one thing is clear: Kirby Smart’s ranking has reignited the Georgia-Alabama rivalry in a way few things could during the offseason. With both programs expected to be in the College Football Playoff mix once again this fall, fans won’t have to wait long to see if Smart can prove CBS wrong — on the field.
Until then, Bulldogs supporters will continue to wear their disbelief like a badge of honor, rallying behind the coach who’s brought them to the mountaintop — even if CBS refuses to place him there.
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