Kirby Smart Says SEC Championship Game Elimination Depends on Playoff Parameters

Georgia head coach weighs in on the future of the SEC title game as playoff expansion looms.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 10:05pm

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A fragmented, cubist-style painting depicting a college football game, with sharp geometric shapes in the team colors of the competing schools overlapping and intersecting to create a dynamic, abstract visual representation of the high-stakes matchup.The high stakes and shifting playoff landscape leave the future of the SEC championship game in flux.Athens Today

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart discussed the future of the SEC championship game, saying he is in favor of an expanded College Football Playoff but that the SEC title game should remain if the playoff stays at 12 teams. Smart acknowledged the game's importance in SEC culture, but said its fate depends on the parameters of any future playoff expansion.

Why it matters

The SEC championship game has been a marquee event in college football for over 30 years, but its future is uncertain as the playoff format continues to evolve. Smart's perspective, as a coach who has won multiple SEC titles, provides insight into the debate over whether the conference title game should be eliminated with an expanded playoff.

The details

Smart said he would be open to eliminating the SEC championship game if the playoff expands to 16 or 24 teams, as that would require moving the end of the season up. However, he said he does not agree it should be eliminated with the current 12-team playoff format. Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne had previously suggested the SEC title game had 'run its course' and should be ended. Smart acknowledged the game's importance in SEC culture, saying 'the reward to get a bye versus the risk to get knocked out completely, that's a pretty big risk' for teams in contention for the playoff.

  • In 2021, Georgia won its first of back-to-back national championships under Smart without winning an SEC title.
  • In 2023, Georgia entered the SEC championship game on a 29-game winning streak but lost to Alabama and was left out of the playoff in the last year of the four-team format.
  • In 2024, former Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin said he had talked to several coaches who didn't want to be in the SEC championship game due to the risk of being knocked out of playoff contention.

The players

Kirby Smart

The head football coach at the University of Georgia, where he has led the Bulldogs to two national championships and multiple SEC titles.

Greg Byrne

The athletic director at the University of Alabama, who suggested the SEC championship game had 'run its course' and should be eliminated.

Lane Kiffin

The former head football coach at the University of Mississippi, who said in 2024 that he had talked to several coaches who didn't want to be in the SEC championship game due to the risk of being knocked out of playoff contention.

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What they’re saying

“'But I'd want to know the parameters of it before we did anything. Where we are right now with 12 teams (in the playoff), I don't necessarily agree that it needs to quit being played. But if it gets to 16 or 24 and we've got to move the end of the season up and we've got to get everything done by the second week of January, then I'd say it probably has to go.'”

— Kirby Smart, Georgia Head Coach

“'The reward to get a bye versus the risk to get knocked out completely, that's a pretty big risk. That's a really big risk.'”

— Lane Kiffin, Former Ole Miss Head Coach

“'Having grown up and played in the SEC, I get it. The SEC championship game will always be a big deal.'”

— Kirby Smart, Georgia Head Coach

What’s next

The College Football Playoff will remain at 12 teams in 2026, but there is no timetable for when the playoff may or may not expand. SEC commissioner Greg Sankey has said there will be 'ongoing dialogue' about the future of the SEC championship game as the playoff format evolves.

The takeaway

The future of the SEC championship game remains uncertain as the College Football Playoff continues to expand. While some coaches see the game as a risky proposition that could jeopardize playoff chances, others like Kirby Smart recognize its importance in SEC culture. The fate of the conference title game will ultimately depend on the parameters of any future playoff expansion.