Kirby Smart says the Clemson game 'catches people's eye'

---

Georgia's Kirby Smart says Clemson and Georgia kicking off the season is a game that catches the eye.

The Tigers will take on the No. 1 Bulldogs Saturday in Atlanta in the Aflac Kickoff Game (Noon, ABC). This is the first time the rivals have met since Georgia earned a 10-3 victory in Charlotte in 2021. With both teams ranked in the Top 15, the Bulldogs found motivation in the offseason.

"I think your build-up, your offseason program, everybody says that,” Smart said of the game providing motivation. “There's truth to that when you know that sign sitting in our locker room or weight room of how many days until kickoff, and you're able to say, OK, not only is it 20 days, 15 days, 10 days to kickoff. It's Clemson. That catches people's eye. It gets a little extra adrenaline rush for each and every practice and each and every lift we have building up to that, so I certainly think that's true."

The Tigers and Bulldogs constitute one of the great rivalries in college football.

"I think if you look at the history of Clemson and Georgia, you can go all the way back to the 80s and the great rivalries, and the games that were so epic back at that time,” Smart said. “You fast forward, whatever that is, 40 years all the way up to now, and you've still got two perennial powers facing each other in a kickoff game. They're both big-time rivalries. The schools are pretty close to each other, so I think that's pretty cool."

The rankings, however, don’t matter to Smart.

“No, I think it matters to you guys. I think y'all want to have the best matchup you can possibly have, so I know as the title sponsor, Aflac loves it,” he said. “I know you guys have done a tremendous job there in Atlanta in the kickoff game of making sure this is a great event. Nothing better than having two top-10 teams teeing up against each other to kick it off."

The winner of the game has a leg up on the College Football Playoff.

"Well, it's going to be a feather in the cap of someone. Whoever wins the game is going to be going into that playoff committee talk with a strength of schedule, a major win, because both teams are going to have great seasons after that,” Smart said. “I think it's critical. I can't say it's more critical. Obviously with four teams, not winning this game could put you out. Now with 12 teams, I don't know that losing this game does. I think it makes these games more popular. They're going to happen more often because people are going to be more willing to play out-of-conference top-notch opponents with a 12-team playoff."

Send Feedback to David Hood: Email | Comment

Trending on TigerNet

Clemson's upset bid falls short in OT to Louisville at ACC Tournament

Mississippi lineman announces Clemson offer after visit

No. 4 Tigers host Wildcats for weekend series