ATHENS — Kirby Smart demands his program approach everything with maximum effort and intent, but the Georgia head coach admitted there’s an “extra” element of pride when it comes to playing in Sanford Stadium.
Indeed, the freshly ranked No. 2 Bulldogs — College Football Playoff Committee — can tie the program record for consecutive home wins (24) with a victory over No. 12 Missouri at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday.
“We want to defend our turf,” said Smart, who is 42-4 in home games, including an 11-1 record against ranked opponents. “We feel like championship teams at Georgia have not lost at home. So you better not lose at home if you want to be a championship program.”
The Sanford Stadium crowd has risen to the occasion when called upon, such as last season’s historic battle of No. 1 teams, when a Tennessee team ranked No. 1 by the CFP came into Athens to face a Georgia team that was No. 1 in the polls but No. 3 in the CFP rankings.
The decibel count soared over 130 as the Vols committed seven false starts along with a procedure penalty, the offensive linemen hindered and quarterback harassed to the tune of seven sacks.
RELATED: Georgia Sanford Stadium crowd makes loud statement for Bulldogs
To Smart’s point, the past two Georgia national championship teams have not lost in Athens.
The Bulldogs have not tasted defeat in Sanford Stadium since a South Carolina team then-coached by Will Muschamp came off a bye week and pulled off an upset in 2019.
Georgia’s 25-game win streak dates back to a loss to Florida in 2020, but that was at a “neutral site,” with the teams playing in Jacksonville.
Smart isn’t one for too many words between games, but when it comes to his affinity for Sanford Stadium, he revealed there are posted reminders.
“We have a wall that kind of says that, like you better not lose at home if you want to do something special,” Smart said. “The atmosphere has helped with that but sometimes teams come in and play well.
“You have to rise to the occasion to play against them.”
Here’s a look at Sanford Stadium Top 15 teams meetings
(Under Kirby Smart)
2023
No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 14 Missouri
No. 1 Georgia 51, No. 20 Kentucky 13
2022
No. 1 Georgia 27, No. 2 Tennessee 13
2021
No. 2 Georgia 37, No. 8 Arkansas 0
2020
No. 4 Georgia 27, No. 7 Auburn 6
No. 3 Georgia 44, No. 14 Tennessee 21
2019
No. 3 Georgia 23, No. 7 Notre Dame 17
2018
No. 5 Georgia 27, No. 24 Auburn 10
2017
No. 11 Georgia 31, No. 17 Mississippi State 3
2016
Georgia 13, No. 9 Auburn 7
No. 11 Tennessee 34, No. 25 Georgia 31
