Georgia’s 35-10 dismantling of Texas on Saturday night brought more than another victory. It brought clarity. FOX Sports analyst Joel Klatt watched the Bulldogs outscored the Longhorns 21-0 in the fourth quarter and saw something beyond execution. He saw trust.
That word keeps surfacing when people talk about this Georgia team, and after watching Kirby Smart’s crew bully Texas for the third straight time, Klatt made his declaration on Monday. Georgia is the best team in the SEC right now.
“Why is Georgia so hard to kill? Because they fight. They fight. Georgia fights on the field as hard as anybody in the country because they know their coach is also fighting for them. He’s fighting for them. Now, it can be an unconventional way, and it’s not always you know, oh I love these guys and it’s lovey-dovey and everything no, no, no they understand that Kirby is driving and striving and straining for every inch every single week, so they know he’s fighting, he’s fighting for greatness, he’s fighting for a standard. And that’s… Stockton was outstanding; the entire team was outstanding. They played better in that game, you…Georgia, now, for me is the best team in the SEC.”
Klatt said Georgia is hard to kill and noted he doesn’t want to see their quarterback, Gunner Stockton, or their coach in the playoff. The reason goes beyond talent. Klatt pointed to Georgia having too much guts and too much physicality.
Smart has built something at Georgia where players understand he’s fighting for them every single week. When he calls a fourth-and-1 from his own territory, they don’t flinch. When he calls an onside kick up 11 points, they execute.
Running back Cash Jones recovered that onside kick on Saturday, and Smart revealed afterward that Jones had taken roughly 250 practice reps of that exact play during his time at Georgia.
“That was an incredible sequence – and it was Kirby. It was Kirby’s trust in his players.”
Why is Georgia so hard to kill? @joelklatt with more on what made the difference this past weekend. pic.twitter.com/AcPgp2miGX
— The Joel Klatt Show: A College Football on FOX Pod (@JoelKlattShow) November 17, 2025
The preparation was there long before the moment arrived. Smart said they had about an 80 percent success rate on that kick in practice based on their data, and Texas having one of the best kick returners in the country in Ryan Niblett made the decision easier. Every detail had been worked through.
Kirby Smart’s Aggressive Approach Creates Window for Georgia to Dominate When Others Would Play Safe
Georgia has trailed in seven of eight SEC games this season and is 6-1 in those games. That record doesn’t happen by accident. Teams that consistently come from behind either have superior talent or superior belief. Georgia has both. Smart has coached three of their seven wins this year after his team fell behind by multiple possessions.
The Bulldogs beat Ole Miss earlier this season after trailing 35-26 entering the fourth quarter. They beat Tennessee in overtime after trailing 38-30 late. They beat Auburn after falling behind 10-0. Each time, they found a way.
The Texas game removed any questions about whether Georgia could dominate when needed. The defense held Texas to 10 points and 274 total yards. The Longhorns managed only 23 rushing yards and converted just 2 of 12 third downs.
Georgia now sits at 9-1 overall and 7-1 in the SEC. Their only loss came to Alabama at home in late September. They’ve won six straight games since. The path to the SEC Championship game remains alive, though it requires help.
Leave a Comment
Share your thoughts and join the discussion