2026 SEC Media Days are underway, which means some reporters try to take the opportunity to lay traps for coaches and players. One reporter gave it a try with Georgia football head coach Kirby Smart, asking him what it’s like to not play Tennessee this year, and if it feels like a win being taken off the schedule.
Smart was measured in his response, not falling too deep into the trap, while tipping his hat to Josh Heupel and his Vols program.
“Yeah, you said that, not me,” Smart said. “It’s a tough place to play and tough team to play. I got a lot of respect for Josh and their staff. I mean, they’re a tough prep. They’re really hard to prepare for. I’m glad other teams get an opportunity to do that, and then we get some new teams to play. Very unique scheduling. Looking forward to the new format and the matchups that are created through the new format.”
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The new nine-game SEC schedule has shaken up who teams play on an annual basis, which is why the Vols won’t matchup with the Bulldogs in 2026. Instead, Tennessee has annual games with Alabama, Kentucky and Vanderbilt, while Georgia has Auburn, Florida and South Carolina.
Overall, the Bulldogs lead the series 23-30-2, dating back to 1899 and being played on a yearly basis since 1992. This features a current nine-game win streak for Georgia, with Tennessee’s latest win coming in 2016 thanks to the Josh Dobbs hail mary to Jauan Jennings in Athens. The last home win for the Vols was back in 2015, the year prior. Smart’s first year at UGA was 2016.
Tennessee nearly grabbed a win in the series last season, though. The Vols led by a touchdown late and had Georgia on a fourth down, but the Bulldogs connected on a touchdown pass to tie the game. Joey Aguilar led Tennessee into field goal range with no time remaining, but Max Gilbert missed the game-winning kick to send it to overtime. UT settled for a field goal before allowing a UGA touchdown, resulting in a 44-41 loss.
