Kirby Smart Makes Strong Statement on Texas and Steve Sarkisian: “You Better Be Excellent If You Want to Beat Them”

ATLANTA, Ga. — At the 2025 SEC Media Days held in the heart of college football country, Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart didn’t mince words when asked about Texas, their head coach Steve Sarkisian, and the budding rivalry that’s capturing national attention.

“They’re the real deal,” Smart said of the Longhorns. “If you’re going to beat a good football team, you’ve got to be a sound football team yourself.”

The respect between the two programs, and more specifically their two head coaches, is not just mutual — it’s rooted in competition, shared experience, and an understanding of what it takes to win in the ever-evolving Southeastern Conference. Both Smart and Sarkisian are former members of Nick Saban’s Alabama coaching staff, and both have used what they learned under the legendary coach to build national contenders. But at SEC Media Days, it was Smart who took the microphone and made his admiration crystal clear.

“You look at the way Sark has developed his program, the physicality, the execution, the way they handle adversity — it’s impressive,” Smart continued. “We were fortunate to beat them twice last season, but that didn’t come easy. They push you to be perfect.”

And indeed, Georgia’s 2024 season featured two of its toughest tests against the Longhorns. The Bulldogs, who ultimately fell short in the College Football Playoff semifinal to eventual champion Alabama, survived a bruising 30-15 win in the regular season before holding on for a nail-biting 22-19 overtime triumph in the SEC Championship Game.

Both games were marked by elite defensive play, clutch quarterbacking, and sideline chess matches between two of the game’s sharpest minds. For Smart, those games were defining moments — and warnings.

“Texas has every piece you need to win a national title,” Smart noted. “Their staff is elite. Their recruiting is elite. And now with Arch [Manning] stepping into that starting role, they’re going to be even more dangerous.”

Indeed, Arch Manning, the highly touted heir of football royalty, enters the 2025 campaign as Texas’ undisputed QB1. Manning, who redshirted in 2023 and saw limited action behind Quinn Ewers in 2024, is expected to shine under Sarkisian’s quarterback-friendly system. And Smart, a defensive guru himself, is already preparing for what that means for Georgia’s future battles with the Longhorns.

“You can’t let your guard down for a second with that kid,” Smart said. “He’s poised beyond his years, and you know Sark’s going to put him in great positions. We’ve got to bring our A-game every time we line up against them.”

Smart’s comments weren’t just lip service. Throughout his tenure at Georgia, he’s been known for focusing on opponent details and rarely offers public praise unless it’s earned. The two-time national championship coach usually saves those words for postgame film sessions or private staff meetings. But with Texas now entrenched in the SEC and rising fast, Smart appears ready to acknowledge a new contender — and perhaps a new threat to Georgia’s throne.

“They’re no longer just that Big 12 powerhouse,” Smart said. “They’ve made the transition. They’re here, and they’re a problem.”

The comment drew murmurs from the assembled media — not because of disrespect, but because of what it implied: Texas, even in defeat, left an impression on the SEC’s most dominant coach of the last decade.

That impression was forged not only in the game film, but in the way Sarkisian’s team carried itself on and off the field. Smart pointed to the discipline, the buy-in from the roster, and the adjustments Texas made between their first and second meetings as proof that Sarkisian’s culture is taking deep root.

“You saw it in how they bounced back,” Smart said. “A lot of teams, after losing the way they did in Athens, would’ve folded. But they got stronger, more focused. That speaks to leadership, and Sark’s got it.”

It’s no surprise the two men share mutual respect. Sarkisian has spoken glowingly of Smart in recent months, crediting him with pushing the standard across the SEC and emphasizing how their shared experience under Saban has shaped their respective philosophies.

“We’re both big on preparation, attention to detail, and holding players accountable,” Sarkisian said earlier this summer. “That’s what we took from Coach Saban — but we’ve each added our own twist.”

For Smart, Sarkisian’s twist has been most dangerous when it comes to play design and offensive creativity. During the SEC Championship, Smart admitted he had to overhaul his usual defensive strategies just to keep pace.

“They keep you guessing,” Smart said. “They’ll motion you to death, attack different levels of the field, and their red-zone efficiency is top-tier. If you’re not well-prepared — they’ll expose you.”

Still, Smart’s Bulldogs have had the upper hand. Georgia’s defense, led by a suffocating front seven and opportunistic secondary, bent but didn’t break in either showdown with Texas. And with elite talent returning in 2025, including linebacker Jalon Walker and safety Joenel Aguero, Georgia isn’t planning to relinquish its status atop the SEC anytime soon.

But Smart isn’t looking past the Longhorns — or Manning.

“You beat a team like that once, maybe you caught them off guard,” Smart said. “You beat them twice, you earn it. But if you want to keep doing it? That’s about consistency — and that’s the hard part.”

Indeed, the SEC is entering a new era. With Texas and Oklahoma now full-fledged members, the traditional power structure is under pressure. Alabama, LSU, Georgia, and Florida still occupy familiar tiers, but the rise of Texas — and Sarkisian’s knack for matching wits with the league’s best — has added a layer of unpredictability.

“There’s no ‘week off’ anymore,” Smart said. “Every game is a war. And when it’s Texas on the schedule? You better be locked in.”

The 2025 SEC schedule hasn’t officially revealed the next chapter of Georgia-Texas, but the expectation is high for another marquee showdown, perhaps again with championship stakes on the line. With Arch Manning taking center stage and Georgia looking to reload after losing several NFL-bound stars, the rivalry could take an even more dramatic turn.

“If you’re in this league and you’re not respecting what Sarkisian’s building,” Smart said in closing, “you’re already behind.”

In a conference full of bold claims and endless bravado, Kirby Smart’s words cut through: measured, direct, and filled with purpose. Texas is here. Sarkisian is for real. And Georgia — despite holding the edge so far — knows that to stay on top, they’ll have to keep evolving.

Because as Smart made perfectly clear: beating Texas isn’t just about winning a game. It’s about proving, every single time, that you belong.