Coach Kirby Smart was unhappy with the quieter-than-expected performance of home fans during No. 5 Georgia’s 31-13 victory over Auburn on Saturday.
Despite there being a reported sellout crowd of 93,033 at Sanford Stadium, Smart felt that the fans weren’t loud enough, and some even left early. He expressed a desire for more crowd noise to help create a stronger home-field advantage.
“To be honest, I’m probably disappointed in our fans for the first time,” Smart told Georgia radio network sideline reporter and former Bulldogs quarterback D.J. Shockley of Atlanta’s WAGA TV after the game. “I thought there was a lack of really affecting the game crowd-noise wise, passion, and energy.”
Georgia (4-1, 2-1 Southeastern Conference) has now extended its home winning streak to 27 games, setting a school record. This streak, which began in 2019, is the longest among FBS teams. Mississippi State will visit Athens on Saturday for another SEC game.
In his postgame news conference, Smart reiterated that he wants it to be tough for other teams to play at their stadium. He said, “But it’s not. It’s not the same as it’s been in the past. It’s got to be energetic. It’s got to be.”
Smart maintained his comments about the fans on Monday.
“I think I said what I said and stand by what I said and feel it could have been better, but my job is to coach the football team and I’m going to do the best I can in my power,” Smart said.
His concerns may have been influenced by the struggles of other AP Top 25 teams that lost on the road Saturday, including Vanderbilt’s surprising 40-35 upset of No. 1 Alabama.
After this week’s game against Mississippi State, Georgia will play three games away from Athens, including an Oct. 19 matchup at No. 1 Texas and a Nov. 9 game at No. 9 Mississippi. The Bulldogs will return home on Nov. 16 to face No. 8 Tennessee.
Smart’s comments about the fans became a popular topic at his weekly news conference. He grew frustrated when asked when he felt the fans let the team down.
“It’s like you’re wanting to make this us against them,” Smart said. “That’s not really what this is about. We’re a team. We’re a unit, and I think it’s OK to say how you feel and try to pull the family together and pull in the right direction, and you guys want to make it about ‘Kirby said this.’”
