Kirby Smart highlights value of SEC Championship in College Football Playoff era

Debate over the future of conference championships have surrounded college football as the first 12-team College Football Playoff draws near. Some coaches have gone as far as saying that teams won’t want to play in them moving forward.

After winning the SEC Championship on Saturday, Georgia head coach Kirby Smart explained his perspective on the matter. He particularly noted the success he’s had in the postseason without winning the SEC Championship.

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“You play football to play the game. Like, you play football to win your conference,” Smart said postgame after winning the SEC title. “You’re asking the wrong person about that because I had almost the same number of national championships as I do SEC Championships.

“I’ve had years I won the SEC that I didn’t win the natty, and then years I won the natty that I didn’t win the SEC. They’re really hard to come by. I don’t know. I think it’s going to be interesting, the direction of college football, because I hate to say it, but I didn’t think early in pregame that the game had the same juice, didn’t think it had the same atmosphere that I’ve seen it have before.”

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For the College Football Playoff, the most important aspect of the game sees the SEC champion earn a first-round bye into the playoff. Georgia is awarded that luxury this season, while Texas will be forced to play in the first round and whether or not they’ll host a playoff game is up in the air ahead of the final ranking reveal.

Depending on how seasons shake up in the future, a loss in the SEC title game could be the difference between making the playoff and getting left out. That was the case for the Big 12 this season. For Smart, however, he feels his team is up to play any team that’s put in front of them.

“The games that have been played in this venue for a conference championship are incredible,” Smart continued. “For people to devalue that over a Playoff, I just don’t see it that way. I value SEC championships.

“I hold them in high esteem because the work it requires to do that is incredible.”

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