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By Rowan Fisher-Shotton
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Georgia bounced back from its disappointing loss to Auburn with a convincing 27-8 victory over rivals Florida on Saturday.
The No. 3 Bulldogs controlled the game from the jump, rushing for 217 yards and two touchdowns as a team and forcing four turnovers. They also held Florida's star running back Jadan Baugh to just 38 rushing yards on 17 attempts, averaging a brutal 2.2 yards per carry, and forced a midgame quarterback change, as both Aaron Philo and Tramell Jones Jr. struggled under center.
After the win, however, Georgia head coach Kirby Smart turned his attention to the number of injuries across the SEC this season.
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"Everybody's practicing less, but everybody's getting injured more, and it doesn't make sense," Smart said. "I think about the teams that we had in 2021 and 2022, how physical they were, how they practiced. It's not even close to that now. Is it a different culture? That guys don't want to as much? I don't know. They were definitely hungrier because there was a motivation to make it. And a lot of the guys, honestly, make more than I made until I was 40. So it's just a different day and age."
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The SEC introduced a nine-game conference schedule in 2026, adding another difficult matchup for every team while requiring programs to schedule an additional Power Four opponent or Notre Dame. That creates a tougher path for several contenders, particularly in a conference where multiple ranked teams already have two SEC losses. It also puts pressure on players to stay healthy as the season progresses and naturally becomes more difficult.
Smart's comments also come as the College Football Playoff is set to expand from its current 12-team model to a 24-team format, potentially making the change as soon as 2027. The current 12-team layout was designed to give more programs a chance to compete for a national championship, but it also meant that some teams had to play additional postseason games. Moving to 24 teams could mean even more games for programs like Georgia making deep runs, putting teams at more risk of injuries.
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Smart also pointed to how NIL and revenue-sharing opportunities have dramatically changed the financial landscape of college football. Some high-profile players are now earning millions of dollars, meaning there's more at stake financially than ever before. That influences how players approach the game, particularly when it comes to risking injury. The biggest concern is how these changes have affected motivation, practice habits, and player availability. And considering how physical the SEC is, it's understandable that some players might take a more cautious approach when their health and future earning potential are on the line.
He's not necessarily blaming NIL for the increase in injuries, but he clearly believes the sport's change in culture is affecting how teams prepare and compete, and maybe not for the best.
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