Kirby Smart, Nick Saban address Alabama's recent success over Georgia

Kirby Smart learned under Nick Saban for almost a decade. Now, Smart had led the revitalization of the Georgia football program since leaving Alabama, while Saban’s monster resume has kept growing.

While Smart’s Georgia squads have had tremendous chances, the Bulldogs haven’t defeated the Crimson Tide since 2007. As Smart readies for another shot at Saban on Saturday, the head coaches addressed Alabama’s recent success over Georgia.

“I don’t know what you mean confront. Do you talk about it? We talk about the opponent every week we play somebody, right? But we focus on ourselves,” Smart stated, when asked if he confronts his team with what happened in the past. “We focus on execution. We don’t focus on history. I think every team is independent of the previous. So I mean, it is what it is.

“Our guys got to go out and play well. What happened in those games will have no relevance to this game. I think anybody with good coaching sense would tell you that. They’re independent. Both teams are different in a lot of ways. The focus will be on what we can do, what we can control, how we play, and how we execute. I think that’s the most important thing.”

While Smart may not be focused on his past matchups with Saban, he’ll attempt to avoid the same fate. While it’s been by the slimmest of margins at times, Alabama has defeated Georgia each and every time since Smart’s arrival.

Saban: ‘I think that’s what’s happened in the past in games really doesn’t have a lot of impact on what happens in the future.’

Furthermore, Saban agrees with Smart — the past has no bearing on this weekend’s showdown.

“No. I think that’s what’s happened in the past in games really doesn’t have a lot of impact on what happens in the future,” stated Saban. “I think that you’ve got to line up and play well in this game. What happened last year doesn’t matter. What happened the year before that doesn’t matter.

“You’ve got to play well in this game. So that’s the challenge that we all have.”

Alabama and Georgia face off in one of the most anticipated games in recent memory. The SEC Championship will be on the line, and the game has huge implications for not just the College Football Playoff — but the future of college football.

If Kirby Smart can knock off Nick Saban, perhaps a new king of college football will begin to reign supreme.