ATHENS — Kirby Smart and Lane Kiffin do not feel the same level of anger when it comes to night games in the SEC.
Kiffin voiced his frustrations with the SEC and its scheduling for the week of Nov. 9. Ole Miss will host Georgia at 3:30 p.m. ET, while LSU and Alabama got the coveted night spot.
“I think that’s proven over time in the NFL and college …. playing at night in electric atmospheres is a home-field advantage, tough when you’ve got to do that as an opposing team,” Kiffin said. “So that’s been proven for a long time…It is an advantage.
“I feel bad for our fans not having one night conference game. It’s really unfortunate for them.”
All three of Georgia’s road games this season have been at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Bulldogs are 2-1 in those games.
Being the spot Georgia has occupied in recent seasons, the Bulldogs have grown well-accustomed to playing in those primetime spots. Georgia hosted Ole Miss last year in a night game at Sanford Stadium.
With this being ESPN’s first year with the SEC television schedule, it has now turned 7:30 p.m. ET from what was the 3:30 slot into the best window. One change is that CBS limited a team to just five games in the prime viewing window.
Smart though, doesn’t see much of a difference in terms of the impact a night game has on the program from a long-term standpoint.
“Yeah, I don’t see a big difference in 3:30 and 7:30 in terms of recruiting,” Smart said. “I mean, they can come to the game either way. You can make the case the atmosphere is better at night. I get what he’s saying there, but my concern is with Florida.”
You can understand why Smart would want to defuse any potential riffs when his team is not playing Ole Miss this week. The Bulldogs will have their hands full against rival Florida, who is playing some of its best football of late.
The Georgia-Florida game has always been in the 3:30 p.m. ET slot, as this weekend’s game will be.
Georgia safety Malaki Starks does not share the same hard views as Kiffin when it comes to game times.
He’s ready to show up and play football.
“It’s just something about being in that spot at that night kinda makes you feel like you’re back in high school, 7:30 kickoff, whatever it may be,” Starks said. “But those night games are always pretty special. You always get the lights and stuff. And any time you get to go out there with your brothers and do something in front of people, it’s special.”
Georgia has not yet had a 7:30 p.m. kickoff at home this season, though the Bulldogs could have one against Tennessee on Nov. 16. That is the only game where Georgia does not yet know its game time.
Georgia’s game against Georgia Tech will be at 7:30 p.m. ET, but that game will be played on Nov. 29, a Friday.
Before facing Ole Miss, Georgia takes on Florida at 3:30 p.m. ET. The Rebels take on Arkansas this week.
