Is Kirby Smart still college football’s best coach? If you’re a UGA fan, that probably sounds like a ridiculous question. However, some are starting to take Smart off the universal pedestal he was once on.
Popular college football personality Josh Pate has been in the midst of controversy this week. Now, he may have just dug himself into a deeper hole with fans in Georgia.
Tuesday, Pate released his ranking of the top-10 head coaches ahead of the 2026 season. Surprisingly, Kirby Smart was not ranked No. 1.
It is unexpected to see this not just because of Smart’s undeniable résumé, but because Pate has always sung very high praises of UGA and Kirby. Even throughout last season, the host of “Josh Pate’s College Football Show” took the blind faith approach with the Dawgs. In predicting outcomes of games, Pate repeatedly stood firm on the belief of “If I’m going to be proven wrong, I’m going to be proven wrong by Georgia losing”
After a third straight season without a playoff win, Pate has taken Kirby down a rung on his personal ranking.
Let’s take a look at his full list:
- Ryan Day
- Kirby Smart
- Curt Cignetti
- Dan Lanning
- Marcus Freeman
- Lane Kiffin
- Kalen DeBoer
- Steve Sarkisian
- Mario Cristobal
- Mike Elko
It is important to mention the specific criteria for the ranking.
Three years seems like a very arbitrary and strange way to evaluate who’s currently the best. Based off that, I guess Ryan Day has the advantage of one national championship to Kirby’s zero. The problem is Ryan Day has been Ohio State’s head coach since 2019. From 2020-22, Kirby won two national championships to Day’s zero. So, is Kirby Smart college football’s best coach of the past six years?
It seems like a ridiculous premise to even break down, but let’s indulge.
- On-field results
Over the last three years, both teams have the exact same regular-season record of 33-3. Ohio State has won a national championship; UGA has not. Even winning a national title, over the last three years, Ohio State has won zero conference championships. Georgia is the back-to-back SEC champion. What Kirby got out of the ’24 and ’25 teams may be the best work of his coaching career. - Talent acquisition
From 2024-26, Georgia recruiting classes have ranked No. 1, No. 2 and No. 6, according to the 247Sports composite. Ohio State has ranked No. 5, No. 4 and No. 4. - Development
Over the last three NFL drafts, UGA has had 31 players drafted. Ohio State has had 24. In reference to Day’s “development,” it’s also important to state that on Ohio State’s 2024 national championship team, the quarterback, leading rusher and best player on defense (maybe in the nation) were all transfers — transfers playing their first season for the Buckeyes. Two of three played their one and only season at Ohio State. QB Will Howard played at Kansas State for four seasons before his solo run in Columbus. You can buy national championship teams with no development required. Ohio State has played a big part in proving that over the last few seasons. You could argue that Day’s only national championship is a contradiction to his “ability” of elite development.
- Culture + organizational strength
I don’t think anyone would question which program has the strongest and most proven culture, even over the past three seasons. Georgia has a different heartbeat than any other program in the nation. That culture was built from scratch by Kirby Smart. Ryan Day is simply maintaining a culture he inherited from Urban Meyer. I would be interested to hear what substantial impact Day has made on OSU culture. - Predictive element
This part is completely subjective, but I am betting on Kirby Smart over anyone every day of the week.
Even going by Pate’s specific criteria, the answer to who has performed better overall is clear.
If you just want to say we are only looking at the last three years for some reason and the one national championship is all that matters, then OK. That’s not what Pate said.
According to Pate’s criteria or my criteria over the last three years, five years, 10 years, it’s the same answer however you slice it.
Kirby Smart is the best coach in college football.
I actually like Josh Pate a lot, but he missed on this one!
