KIRBY SMART

Luke, 45, joined Kirby Smart's staff ahead of the 2020 season after spending eight seasons as head coach at Mississippi.

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.

The Bulldogs defeated the Crimson Tide in a rematch of the SEC title game.

Georgia has become an elite program under Kirby Smart, but has not been able to chase down its Southeastern Conference rival until now.

Georgia is No. 1 in the final Associated Press college football poll of the season after winning its second national title by beating Alabama.

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

The final blow came from Georgia's dominant defense. Kelee Ringo intercepted an underthrown deep ball and took off for a 79-yard touchdown.

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

Georgia defeated the Alabama Crimson Tide in a rematch of the SEC title game.

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.

Kickoff is Monday night at 8 p.m. ET.

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.

USA TODAY Sports' Dan Wolken puts into perspective Georgia's win over Michigan and what it means for the program and Kirby Smart.

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

Key Georgia football support staffer resigns amid university investigation

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.

Alabama coach Nick Saban and Georgia’s Kirby Smart continue to make their ability to field elite defenses a big part of their formula for maintaining consistently elite programs in the Southeastern Conference.

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 finds itself in a most unusual position.

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.

Cincinnati quarterback Ben Bryant (6)makes the catch against Georgia during the second half of the Peach Bowl NCAA college football game, Friday, Jan. 1, 2021, in Atlanta. 6 Cincinnati its only loss of the season with a dramatic 24-21 victory in the Peach Bowl on Friday. Georgia trailed 21-10 in the fourth quarter, but its defense clamped down on Desmond Ridder and Cincinnati and JT Daniels helped rally the Bulldogs with his arm. Podlesny’s third field goal was his longest of the season and gave Georgia a 22-21 lead. Zamir White's 9-yard TD run trimmed Cincinnati's lead to 21-16, but Daniels' pass on the 2-point attempt was incomplete.

“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."

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.