Roman Harper calls out Kirby Smart for losing record vs. Alabama

Morning, noon, or night, Athens is going to be bumping when Alabama comes to town. Georgia is looking for revenge after last season’s thriller in Tuscaloosa. Sanford Stadium will be looking to match the intensity of Bryant-Denny Stadium and will get a 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff, the SEC revealed Wednesday.

SEC Network’s Roman Harper was a part of the announcement and called out Kirby Smart in the process. Smart does not have the best record against Alabama since leaving the program to become the Georgia head coach. From Nick Saban to now Kalen DeBoer, just one win is on Smart’s resume against the Crimson Tide.

“How much does Kirby Smart need to win this game?” Harper asked. “You know what I mean? Because he just hasn’t beaten Alabama. It’s just, overall. He doesn’t beat Alabama.”

In defense of Smart, the one win was pretty important. Georgia got its first national championship under Smart head-to-head against Alabama in Indianapolis. People around the program thought some demons were excorised and turned out to be right by winning another title the following season.

However, Harper’s overarching point came back due to last season due to the loss. The other six games Smart has played against Alabama have all resulted in disappointing results.

Not many of those have been in the regular season either. Four have been in Atlanta, three of which were the SEC Championship game. The other was the famous 2017 national championship game that Tua Tagovailoa and DeVonta Smith remember quite well.

Another feather in Smart’s hat heading into the 2025 season is that Georgia has never played host. This will be the first time he has welcomed Alabama to Athens after the Crimson Tide hosted in 2020 and 2024. A massive opportunity appears to be on the way for Georgia.

“What’s everybody else’s record against them? Anybody got one better than 1-6?” Smart asked, rhetorically, in his Alabama postgame presser last September. “That’s played them six times? I don’t think so. I think they’ve got really good players, they’ve got a great program. I’ve got an immense amount of respect for ’em. They do a great job.”

As they might say in college basketball, this is only June. People will continue to discuss Smart’s poor performances against Alabama through the summer, into the fall, and until the moment the ball is kicked on Sept. 27. Getting a win will silence some doubters, while another loss will only extend the narrative until the next game.