KIRBY SMART

Georgia coach Kirby Smart insists he has not lost control of a program that has produced back-to-back national championships but has been rocked by offseason arrests and a car crash that claimed the lives of a player and a recruiting staffer.

Georgia coach Kirby Smart says proposed changes to clock operating rules shouldn't significantly impact games next season.

Georgia offensive lineman Devin Willock and a recruiting staff member have been killed in a car wreck hours after the Bulldogs celebrated their second straight national championship.

Kirby Smart didn't really want to discuss his Georgia Bulldogs' chances for a three-peat on the morning after they won their second straight College Football Playoff championship game.

Stetson Bennett threw two touchdown passes and ran for two scores in the first half as No. 1 Georgia demolished No. 3 TCU 65-7 to become the first team to win consecutive College Football Playoff national championships.

Based solely on the recruiting rankings, this national championship game between No. 1 Georgia and No. 3 TCU is the most lopsided in the nine-year history of the College Football Playoff.

Georgia coach Kirby Smart’s plan for a deep running back corps was based on more than making it through a 12-game regular season.

Josh Newton and Tre'Vius Hodges-Tomlinson are two examples of TCU’s success in the transfer portal during the offseason.

TCU’s Sonny Dykes is The Associated Press Coach of the Year after leading the Horned Frogs to the College Football Playoff in his first season with the school.

Georgia, Michigan, TCU and Ohio State have made the College Football Playoff, giving the Big Ten multiple programs in the four-team field for the first time.

With all sorts of turmoil behind them, No. 1 Georgia left no doubt about the top team heading into the College Football Playoff.

Kenny McIntosh rushed for a career-best 143 yards, including a crucial 9-yard score late in the third quarter, and top-ranked Georgia withstood Kentucky’s fourth-quarter rally Saturday for a 16-6 win and its second consecutive unbeaten season in the Southeastern Conference.

Georgia added another title to its growing collection, yet didn't see a whole lot of reason to celebrate.

Georgia leaned on its defense in winning its first national championship since 1980 last season.

Three key takeaways from the state’s football scene this weekend.

Stetson Bennett threw for 289 yards and two TDs as Georgia stamped its return to No. 1 with a 55-0 rout of Vanderbilt.

Brock Bowers scored two more touchdowns and No. 1 Georgia survived a sloppy performance and surprisingly gritty effort from Kent State, holding off the Golden Flashes 39-22.

Stetson Bennett went 16 for 23 for 284 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another score to lead No. 1 Georgia to a 48-7 victory over South Carolina.

Stetson Bennett passed for 300 yards while throwing and running for touchdowns and No. 2 Georgia’s rebuilt defense delivered another dominant performance in the Bulldogs’ 33-0 win over Samford.

Third-ranked Georgia made a statement that its offense is ready to take the lead.

Stetson Bennett threw for 368 yards and accounted for three touchdowns and Georgia's revamped defense didn’t miss a beat.

When you build a powerhouse program, it’s inevitable that others will try to copy your success.

Alabama coach Nick Saban is getting a new eight-year contract worth at least $93.6 million, eclipsing the recent megadeal of Southeastern Conference rival Kirby Smart.

Georgia's Kirby Smart has agreed to a contract extension through the 2031 season worth more than $110 million that strengthens his status as one of college football's highest-paid coaches.

Life at the top of the Southeastern Conference can be difficult, especially when anything short of a national championship in football is considered unsatisfactory.

Nick Saban tried to put an end to his feud with Texas A&M’s Jimbo Fisher at the Southeastern Conference meetings.

Georgia coach Kirby Smart told a near-capacity crowd at Sanford Stadium the Bulldogs don’t plan to wait another 41 years for their next national championship.

Kirby Smart learned from his former boss that the time for celebrating is short in college football.

Alabama had plenty of chances in the College Football Playoff championship Monday — but rarely turned those opportunities into touchdowns.

Georgia won its long-awaited national championship the way it dominated during an undefeated regular season — by relying on its defense.

Stetson Bennett delivered the biggest throws of his storybook career and Georgia’s defense sealed the sweetest victory in program history, vanquishing rival Alabama 33-18 to win the College Football Playoff title game.

Stetson Bennett threw two touchdown passes to lead Georgia to a 33-18 win over Alabama for its first national championship in 41 years.

The Georgia Bulldogs defense has a chance at redemption.

Georgia coach Kirby Smart sees challenges everywhere for his defense — even with Alabama missing one of its top receivers.

Georgia coach Kirby Smart got an inside look at what it takes to build a college football juggernaut working for Nick Saban at Alabama for eight years.

A mere 37 days after they last played, Alabama faces Georgia again with a national football championship on the line.

By bringing the Bulldogs to another national title game, coach Kirby Smart has made Georgia a regular part of the championship picture.

The national championship game quarterbacks are a former five-star recruit already with a Heisman Trophy and a former walk-on ending a long journey with his home state team.

Stetson Bennett threw three touchdown passes, Nakobe Dean led an angry Georgia defense and the third-ranked Bulldogs returned to their dominant ways, beating No. 2 Michigan 34-11 in the Orange Bowl to advance to the College Football Playoff championship.

Alabama has a chance to repeat.

For years, college coaches have worried about players partying too much ahead of big games.

Texas A&M holds the lead in the race for the national recruiting title in college football.

Georgia's proud defense is seeking to redeem itself after the Bulldogs' ugly loss to Alabama in the Southeastern Conference championship game.

Alabama once again collected a Southeastern Conference title and two big league-wide individual awards.

A person familiar with negotiations says new Florida coach Billy Napier agreed to a seven-year, $51.8 million contract that makes him the fifth-highest-paid coach in the Southeastern Conference.

Bryce Young stunningly carved up the nation’s best defense, giving Nick Saban and Alabama a shot at another national championship.

It's rivalry week across the Southeastern Conference, with plenty of stakes beyond bragging rights.

Standout defensive tackle Jordan Davis scored his first career touchdown and No. 1 Georgia’s stout defense was again dominant in a 56-7 rout of Charleston Southern.

Stetson Bennett ran for a touchdown and threw for another as top-ranked Georgia remained perfect, wrapping up its Southeastern Conference schedule by routing Tennessee 41-17.

Top-ranked Georgia and No. 3 Alabama appear headed for a showdown in the Southeastern Conference championship game.

Stetson Bennett passed for 255 yards and two touchdowns before giving way to former starter JT Daniels, leading No. 1 Georgia to a 43-6 win over Missouri.

No_ 1 Georgia and its top-ranked defense dominated Florida in the annual rivalry known as “The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party."

Georgia's first game as the nation’s No. 1-ranked team since 2008 was a big success.

Georgia finds itself in a most unusual position.

Georgia quarterback JT Daniels is out of the starting lineup for Saturday’s key Southeastern Conference game against No. 8 Arkansas because of a right lat injury.

Alabama and Georgia, the top-ranked teams in the country and the favorites to win their Southeastern Conference divisions, are preparing to face the league’s biggest early season surprises.

JT Daniels threw for 121 yards and two touchdowns playing only the first quarter as No. 2 Georgia dominated Vanderbilt 62-0 Saturday in the Bulldogs’ biggest win in a series that started in 1893.

The Southeastern Conference is moving away from early season cupcakes.

Kentucky men’s basketball coach John Calipari says he contracted COVID-19 after being vaccinated, but points out that he is relieved the shot did its job in leaving him with mild symptoms.

Christopher Smith returned an interception 74 yards for a touchdown and No. 5 Georgia turned in a defensive effort for the ages, toppling third-ranked Clemson 10-3 on Saturday in the opener for both teams.

No team has lost its opening game and reached the Bowl Championship Series title game of the College Football Playoff.

Southeastern Conference officials are trying to get back to normal on football game days, with stadiums filled with fans and grills being fired up outside, even in a portion of the country where the states have among the lowest COVID-19 vaccination rates.

College coaches are trying to get a handle on the recruiting impact of athletes' ability to profit off their fame.

College football coaches around the country are spending much of the offseason urging their players to get vaccinated against the coronavirus.

The rich got even richer in the Southeastern Conference when the transfer floodgates opened wide.

Former Georgia and Miami football coach Mark Richt has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

(AP Photo/Vasha Hunt, File)Steve Sarkisian is the latest Alabama coordinator to be drawing up game plans for a national title showdown before leaving for a new head coaching job. The Longhorns fired Tom Herman and hired Sarkisian eight days before the national championship game Monday night against No. The difference this time is the accelerated time frame from Sarkisian’s hiring to the title game. Alabama beat Oklahoma in the semifinals before a 44-16 loss to Clemson in the national title game. Nearly a month passed from his hiring to the January 2012 title game rematch against LSU, which ’Bama won 21-0.

Georgia place kicker Jack Podlesny, offensive player of the game, stands with Georgia head coach Kirby Smart after the Peach Bowl NCAA college football game against Cincinnati, Friday, Jan. 1, 2021, in Atlanta. 6 Cincinnati its only loss of the season with a dramatic 24-21 victory in the Peach Bowl. Daniels, a Southern California transfer, passed for 392 yards while improving to a perfect 4-0 in four starts for Georgia. Podlesny’s winning kick tied a Peach Bowl record for longest field goal and gave Georgia a 22-21 lead. “I would feel much better if we just played our best game,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said.

“I could be here all day talking about how different this is,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said on the Big Ten Network. As of late Wednesday afternoon, Alabama had signed five of them and was expected to land at least one more. Even with the coach's future still to be determined, day signing was OK for the Wolverines. On the positive side for the Wolverines on signing day: In-state running back Donovan Edwards, a four-star, signed with Michigan. Smith had indicated his final decision would come down to a choice between LSU, Alabama, Georgia and Miami.

His Florida teammates took it to another level, running and leaping into the stands. Trask had another four-touchdown night, becoming the first quarterback in Southeastern Conference history to accomplish the feat in five consecutive games, and the eighth-ranked Gators beat No. Trask and the Gators took advantage, burning Georgia repeatedly with wheel routes while overcoming a 14-0 deficit. If they’re going bracket and take away and double people, he’s going to go to who you’re not doubling or covering.”Once Trask and Florida got going, the Bulldogs did little to stop them. Florida notched a signature win for Mullen, but likely can't afford a slip-up down the stretch to remain in play for a CFP spot.

He’s hard to block. … What he’s really good at is rushing the passer like all the Florida guys they’ve had over the past. …“He’s playing really well for them. He’s playing physical. He’s playing hard.

10 Florida's game against defending national champion LSU was postponed Wednesday to tentatively Dec. 12 after the SEC postponed Missouri-Vanderbilt on Monday. Vanderbilt coach Derek Mason is going through a similar situation. To play, the SEC requires at least 53 on game days. Timing is critical depending on the day of the week a positive test or tracing result returns. “Every time you’re taking a test," Mason said, “you're crossing your fingers ... you don't have anybody in harm's way."

Bouncing back from a goal-line stand at the end of the the first half, the No. “They really outplayed us in the second half,” coach Jeremy Pruitt said. All those good feelings evaporated when Tennessee turned it over on its first two possessions of the second half. Tennessee's defense held Georgia to a pair of field goals after those miscues, but the Vols offense just couldn't get anything going. SILLY MISTAKESWhile it didn't matter in the end, Georgia made plenty of mistakes that irritated Smart.

A Sept. 30 memo after the opening weekend of the SEC season included a reminder to coaches to be mindful of masking up and following other sideline protocols. According to the latest memo, going forward SEC schools will be “assessed a $100,000 reduction in Conference revenue” for failure to adhere to requirements. Repeat offenders will face an increase in lost revenue by $100,000 per offense and even suspensions, the memo said. The NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell, earlier this week issued a similarly stern warning to follow protocols as the league grapples with positive cases. Georgia coach Kirby Smart acknowledged this week he had been talked to by the commissioner and others about keeping his mask on.

Stetson Bennett threw for 240 yards and a touchdown, solidifying his hold on the quarterback job as No. Postal Service cap in an effort to get noticed, Bennett was never viewed as a starting candidate for the Bulldogs. No matter the time of year, Georgia kept the upper hand with a fourth straight victory over Auburn. Georgia star Richard LeCounte got the boot in the second period for a helmet-to-helmet collision with Auburn receiver Shedrick Jackson. His work can be found at https://apnews.com/search/paulnewberry___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher, left, talks with quarterback Kellen Mond (11) during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Vanderbilt Saturday, Sept. 26, 2020, in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

including the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry, highlights the fifth week of the college football season. 4 Georgia on Saturday night as the second month of the season starts, but only the second week of SEC play. The first of three games that decide the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy might have sneaked up on college football fans. The Falcons will play six conference games to go along with Navy and Army. ___Follow Ralph D. Russo at https://twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP and listen at http://www.westwoodonepodcasts.com/pods/ap-top-25-college-football-podcast/___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

Still, Smarts Bulldogs may lean on their experienced defense in the pandemic-delayed season. Georgia, which is ranked fourth in the country, denied the allegations and said it would share its full response to Reese’s waiver application if he is granted permission. Reese released a statement Tuesday night on Twitter expressing frustration that his waiver had yet to be granted. Reese said he decided to transfer because his 1 1/2 years at Georgia “took a devastating mental toll on me. Another Georgia transfer, offensive lineman Cade Mays, is still awaiting a decision on whether he can play right away for Tennessee.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Florida-Georgia football game is staying in Jacksonville through at least 2023. The contract between the teams to play in Jacksonville was set to expire after the 2021 game at TIAA Bank Field. The future of the game in Jacksonville has been a hot-button topic, more so in recent years. But the financial incentives to keep the game in Jacksonville make it worth it for the programs. They also split a $250,000 signing bonus and receive other financial incentives for travel.