Amid CFB playoff controversy, Georgia HC Kirby Smart shifts focus on "biggest decision" to be made

Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs have been regulars at the later stages of the College Football Playoff for quite some time. Smart has led the Bulldogs to two national championships and numerous playoff berths.

The defensive specialist coach has seen the college football playoffs evolve from a four-team event to the current 12-team format. Heading into the 2025 season, the CFB committee has decided to alter playoff seeding.

However, rather than dwell on the seeding, Smart shifted his focus to the "biggest decision" to be made. Speaking at the annual SEC Spring Meeting on Tuesday, Smart said:

"The biggest decision that has to be made in college football right now, by far to me, is when is the portal window and is there one or two. That will not be decided by us today. A lot of people do not even know how it is being decided, who is deciding it. But I need you to think for a second. There is a strong contingent."

The Bulldogs coach continued:

"We had an AFCA meeting, we had a meeting where we unanimously decided that there really needed to be one portal window and whenever that is what it is and it needs to happen sometime in January.

"There is an outcry, there is different programs that feel like it should not fall during the playing season. I would love that. I would love to be able to play the season without it."

Smart is rooting for a sole January portal window. That would reduce distractions for playoff teams competing for the national championship. Teams like Georgia, Alabama, Texas and Ohio State stand to gain a lot from such a shift in the portal calendar.

Who are Kirby Smart and Georgia's toughest opponents in 2025?

Kirby Smart's Georgia Bulldogs posted an 11-2 regular season record to qualify for the expanded College Football Playoff. However, they were promptly bounced by an inspired Notre Dame Fighting Irish side at the quarterfinal stage.

So, the Bulldogs will aim for redemption in the upcoming campaign. They have tricky games against the Tennessee Volunteers, Alabama Crimson Tide, Ole Miss Rebels, Florida Gators, Texas Longhorns and Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.

Georgia must lose no more than two of the above games to qualify for the postseason. Then, Kirby Smart's quest for a third national championship as the Bulldogs' coach can proceed.