GAINESVILLE — Georgia coach Kirby Smart has experienced the peaks and valleys of Florida football.
Entering Saturday’s annual showdown in Jacksonville, Smart doesn’t think the Gators’ situation is as dire as it might appear amid the ongoing coaching churn and recent track record during the longstanding rivalry.
“I don’t look at it as Florida’s not up and running,” Smart said during Wednesday’s SEC teleconference. “I know you have facts to argue that’s not true, but they’re extremely competitive. They’re in every game. They’re a really good team.
“I get what you’re saying in terms of dominance and SEC championship appearances and all that, but I view Florida as up and running, personally. They have really good players and have built a good, strong roster.”
Billy Napier’s ability to accrue talent and position the Gators for success didn’t translate to the field, leading to his Oct. 19 ouster and another coaching search in Gainesville.
UF (3-4, 2-2 SEC) looks to end a four-game skid against to the No. 5 Bulldogs (6-1, 4-1 SEC) and avoid a fourth losing season in five years, while decision-makers prepare to hire the program’s fourth coach since Smart returned to his alma mater in 2016.
Smart, 49, faced Steve Spurrier’s Gators four times, beginning with a 52-17 win in Athens as a freshman in 1995. He also enjoyed 37-17 upset in 1997 as he was 1-3 facing Florida as a player.
When Smart returned to the SEC in 2007 to coach defensive backs at Alabama, the Gators were coming off a national championship and a year away from another one under Urban Meyer. But Smart played a key role in Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide shifting the balance of power to Tuscaloosa, leading Meyer to leave UF in 2010 and the Gators left searching for championship success that hasn’t materialized.
Meanwhile, Georgia seeks its third SEC title since 2022 and third national title since 2021.
Smart was at a loss to explain the inability to get it right in Gainesville.
“I know what we do. I know how we do it,” he said. “Been very fortunate to have great facilities and add things here through our president and our (athletic director). Very fortunate to recruit a very fertile home base of our state and had a lot of consistency on staff.
“I don’t know how to compare that to others. I just know what we prioritize to be important.”
But when Florida is in the mix for championships, Smart admits the SEC is better.
“League’s pretty good,” he said. “It makes it even stronger.”
Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com
