We Screwed That Up": Kirby Smart Laments Critical Coaching Errors in Playoff Loss to Ole Miss
NEW ORLEANS For nearly a decade, Kirby Smart has built the Georgia Bulldogs into a juggernaut defined by discipline, defensive ferocity, and calculated aggression. But on a humid night in the Caesars Superdome during the 2026 Sugar Bowl, that very aggression became the catalyst for a heartbreaking exit from the College Football Playoff. Following a 39-34 loss to the Ole Miss Rebels, a somber Kirby Smart stood before the media, not to defend a winning strategy, but to lament a series of fourth-down decisions that he admitted were "screwed up."
The Play That Changed Everything
The most glaring error occurred with 9:21 remaining in the fourth quarter. Georgia, trailing 27-24, faced a 4th and 2 from their own 33 yard line. In a high-stakes moment of gamesmanship, Smart opted for a "sugar huddle" or a quick change look, pulling his punt team off the field and rushing the offense back on to catch Lane Kiffin’s Rebels off guard.
It was a tactic Georgia had used successfully in the past, but this time, the execution was disastrous. Redshirt freshman quarterback Gunner Stockton was sacked for a 10 yard loss before the play could even develop. The Rebels took over at the Georgia 23-yard line and scored just two plays later, extending their lead to 34-24.
"We screwed that up a little bit. We had a misfire there," Smart said after the game. "The ball was not supposed to be snapped in that situation. It was a change up from what we had done twice before. We knew teams were going to sit back and not honor us because we hadn't snapped it on those looks previously."
Smart clarified that the intent was to draw Ole Miss offsides or observe their alignment not to actually run a play. However, backup center Malachi Toliver, filling in for the injured Drew Bobo, snapped the ball to a Stockton who wasn't fully prepared for a live rep. "That was on us as coaches," Smart added. "We could have taken a delay. We didn't have to snap it."
A Pattern of High Stakes Gambling
The failed 4th and 2 wasn't the only time Smart rolled the dice. Earlier in the second half, sensing the momentum shifting toward Ole Miss, Smart called for a fake punt on 4th and 6 from his own 30 yard line. On that occasion, the gamble paid off; wide receiver Landon Roldan completed a 17 yard pass to Lawson Luckie, eventually leading to a field goal.
However, the "live by the sword, die by the sword" philosophy eventually caught up to the Bulldogs. Later in the game, trailing 34-24, Smart again went for it on a 4th and 9 from the Georgia 48. While Stockton found Zachariah Branch to keep that drive alive eventually leading to a game tying field goal the cumulative effect of these high risk decisions left the Georgia defense with no margin for error.
The Final Minutes: To Tie or To Win?
The scrutiny on Smart’s decision making didn't end with the fourth-down tries. In the final minute of the game, with the ball at the Ole Miss 6 yard line, Georgia faced a 3rd and goal. Instead of running the ball to force Ole Miss to use their final timeout and bleed the clock to essentially zero before a field goal, Smart opted for a pass play. The pass fell incomplete, stopping the clock and allowing Ole Miss to retain 56 seconds for a final drive.
The Rebels used every second of that gift, driving down the field for a game winning field goal and a safety to seal the 39-34 victory. "The book says we needed to go for it. I don't believe in playing for a tie," Smart explained, addressing the decision to pass on third down. "I wanted to score a touchdown to win the game right there. I felt like if we scored and were up, I'd take our defense in a two-minute situation every time."
Reflections on a Season Cut Short
The loss marks the second consecutive year Georgia has seen its season end in the Sugar Bowl at the hands of a lower-seeded opponent after a first round bye. The recurring theme of "bye week rust" combined with aggressive situational coaching will likely be the talking point of the offseason in Athens.