Kirby Smart Shrugs Off Texas Talk: ‘Let’s Revisit That SEC Title Claim in December’

The college football world has been buzzing ever since Texas officially joined the SEC, and the hype surrounding the Longhorns hasn’t taken long to reach fever pitch. Armed with a loaded roster, a top-five recruiting class, and a fan base ready to proclaim the return of the Burnt Orange dynasty, Texas is being touted by many pundits as a legitimate contender to win the SEC in 2025.

When asked about the speculation that Texas could immediately challenge for SEC supremacy, Smart couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. Then came the subtle, signature smirk. His response? Classic Kirby.

Win the SEC in 2025? Come see me in December,” Smart said during a media availability session, making it clear that he views the road to an SEC title as one that’s far more grueling than outsiders may believe.

While Smart didn’t outright dismiss the talent on Steve Sarkisian’s Texas squad, he reminded everyone just how treacherous the SEC gauntlet really is. “They’ve got a good team. Nobody’s denying that. But the SEC isn’t just about having a couple of good Saturdays. It’s about surviving 12 straight weeks of war,” he said.

Smart’s comments come off less as trash talk and more as a reminder. A reminder that in the SEC, talk is cheap, and reputation means very little until proven on the field. It’s a conference where upsets lurk every weekend, where the depth of your roster matters just as much as the stars at the top, and where championship hopes can unravel in the blink of an eye.

Texas may be coming in with swagger, but Smart’s Georgia Bulldogs have set the gold standard. Two national titles in the last four years. A 42-2 record since 2021. Playoff regulars. In Athens, the talk is backed by results.

If you think you’re walking into this league and taking over, good luck. We’ve been here, we’ve built this. We know what it takes,” Smart added. “It’s not something you learn in one season.”

The excitement around Texas isn’t unfounded. Quarterback Arch Manning, even if not the starter, headlines one of the most stacked QB rooms in the country. Their wide receiver corps is explosive. The defense is faster, deeper, and more versatile than it’s been in a decade. And perhaps most importantly, Sarkisian has re-energized the program’s culture and identity.

Texas ended the 2024 season as a College Football Playoff semifinalist, knocking off top opponents and showing they could hang with the nation’s elite. That momentum, paired with elite recruiting, has sparked predictions that they could hit the ground running in their first year in the SEC.

But as Kirby Smart alluded, there’s a difference between being elite and sustaining elite. That’s where his skepticism lies.

Smart’s Georgia teams earned their place through consistency, not just talent. They built their dominance through player development, physicality, and navigating an unforgiving SEC slate year after year. That’s something Smart believes Texas—and Oklahoma, for that matter—will need time to fully understand.

“I remember when Missouri came in and made the SEC Championship Game in back-to-back years. People thought they’d taken over the East. What happened after that?” Smart questioned. “You don’t get a crown because of one good season. You get it when you do it again, and again, and again.”

It’s that brand of skepticism that comes from a coach who’s lived through the bloodbath that is SEC football. A coach who knows that even elite teams can get humbled on any given Saturday in Oxford, Knoxville, Baton Rouge, or Gainesville.

Still, Smart didn’t close the door on Texas’ chances completely. In fact, he left it slightly ajar—on his terms.

Whether it’s a calculated jab or just the cold truth, Smart’s words echo a larger sentiment within the SEC establishment: the Longhorns have potential, but they haven’t earned their stripes yet. In the SEC, everyone’s got talent. What separates the good from the great is resilience, execution, and toughness when it matters most.

Texas may very well be a contender come December. But until then, they remain newcomers in a conference that has little time for hype and even less patience for pretenders. Kirby Smart will be watching—just don’t expect him to be impressed until the Longhorns walk through fire and come out clean on the other side.