As a head coach Kirby Smart is now 8-5 in postseason play counting playoffs and the SEC championship….Nick Saban was 18-6 with 9 SEC championships and 6 National Championships. There will never be another even close to his level. Last College Football Dynasty..

In the modern era of college football, the name Nick Saban is synonymous with dominance. For more than a decade, Saban has been the gold standard for coaching excellence. His impact on college football, particularly at Alabama, has been nothing short of revolutionary. As his protege, Kirby Smart at Georgia continues to build a program that has the potential to be the next great dynasty, the question remains: Can anyone truly replicate the unparalleled success that Saban achieved over the course of his career? Or are we witnessing the last true college football dynasty?

As of the 2023 season, Kirby Smart is 8-5 in postseason play, including College Football Playoffs and SEC Championships. While this record is commendable, it is still far from the greatness that Nick Saban achieved in his career. By comparison, Saban holds an 18-6 record in postseason play, with 9 SEC Championships and 6 National Championships. The disparity between their records is significant, but it also underscores just how historically great Saban has been.

The dominance that Saban brought to Alabama has been unlike anything college football has ever seen. His ability to build sustained excellence—year after year, decade after decade—has been unprecedented in the sport. As his career winds down and as Smart emerges as one of the leading figures in college football, the question arises: will anyone ever come close to what Saban achieved? Or is his era the last of the true college football dynasties?

Nick Saban: The Gold Standard

When Nick Saban took the helm at Alabama in 2007, the program was a shadow of its former self. Although Alabama had won national championships in the past, the team had fallen into a period of mediocrity. Saban’s arrival marked the beginning of a new era for Alabama football, one that would redefine what it meant to be a college football powerhouse.

Saban’s success at Alabama is unparalleled. With a career record that speaks for itself—6 national championships (2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, and 2020)—he transformed Alabama into the premier program in the country. Saban’s ability to recruit elite talent, develop players, and create an almost robotic level of consistency is what set him apart. His focus on discipline, attention to detail, and relentless pursuit of perfection created a culture of excellence that permeated every aspect of the program.

At Alabama, Saban wasn’t just a coach; he was a program-builder. His impact on the university and the sport of college football is immeasurable. Under his leadership, Alabama became the destination for top recruits, and his coaching tree—filled with successful former assistants like Kirby Smart, Jimbo Fisher, Lane Kiffin, and Jeremy Pruitt—has reshaped the coaching landscape across college football.

Beyond his national championships, Saban’s record in postseason play further solidified his legacy. With 9 SEC championships under his belt and a record of 18-6 in postseason games, Saban demonstrated a level of dominance that few could replicate. His success wasn’t just about winning; it was about winning in big moments. Alabama’s program was built to rise to the occasion, whether in the College Football Playoff, the SEC Championship, or any other high-stakes game. Saban’s consistency in delivering championships year after year was a hallmark of his career.

But as Saban approaches the twilight of his career, the question is whether we will see another coach achieve the same level of sustained excellence. Can a program be built like Alabama, or is Saban a once-in-a-lifetime talent?

Kirby Smart: The Next Great Coach?

When Kirby Smart left his position as Nick Saban’s defensive coordinator at Alabama to take over the head coaching job at Georgia in 2016, the expectations were high. Smart was inheriting a Georgia program that had all the resources in place to succeed, but it had yet to reach the heights of Alabama. Fans and pundits alike wondered if Smart, who had been part of Saban’s dynasty for so long, could replicate the success he enjoyed at Alabama or build his own legacy as a head coach.

By 2021, Kirby Smart proved that he was more than capable. His Georgia team, after years of near-misses, finally broke through and won the College Football Playoff National Championship, defeating Alabama. That victory signaled that Smart had built a program capable of competing with, and defeating, Saban’s Alabama dynasty. It was a win that validated Smart’s approach and proved that he had the coaching acumen and leadership to build a national champion.

Smart’s coaching philosophy is deeply influenced by Saban’s principles. Much like his mentor, Smart emphasizes recruiting, player development, and defense. His defenses, much like those at Alabama, are built to suffocate opposing offenses with speed, physicality, and relentless pursuit. The Bulldogs’ success is largely predicated on the same defensive philosophies that have made Alabama’s defense the envy of the college football world.

But while Smart has demonstrated the ability to win on the biggest stage, it’s important to note that his postseason record of 8-5 pales in comparison to Saban’s 18-6. Smart has proven that he can win big games, but whether he can maintain that level of success and build a dynasty like Saban’s remains to be seen. After all, building a dynasty isn’t just about one championship or one great season—it’s about sustained excellence over a decade or more.

The Changing Landscape of College Football

As Kirby Smart continues to build a championship-caliber program at Georgia, it’s important to recognize that the landscape of college football has changed significantly since Nick Saban first took over at Alabama. The rise of the NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) era, changes in the transfer portal, and the impending expansion of the College Football Playoff are all factors that could alter the trajectory of college football dynasties. These changes have created a more fluid and unpredictable recruiting landscape, making it more difficult for programs to maintain dominance over the long term.

Under Saban’s leadership, Alabama became the king of recruiting, routinely landing the top-ranked recruiting classes year after year. With the advent of NIL deals, however, the recruiting landscape has shifted. Players now have the ability to monetize their name, image, and likeness, which has introduced new dynamics into the recruitment process. This could benefit programs that are able to capitalize on these changes, but it also creates more competition for the top talent. Smart’s Georgia program, like Alabama, is in a position to benefit from these changes, but other programs—such as Texas, USC, and Ohio State—are also becoming major players in the recruitment game.

Additionally, the expansion of the College Football Playoff, slated to begin in 2024, could have significant implications for dynasties. With more teams having a shot at the playoff, it could be harder for any one program to dominate the postseason. While the expansion will provide opportunities for teams like Georgia and Alabama, it also means more programs can break through and challenge for championships. In this new era, dynasties may become harder to maintain, as the talent pool and postseason opportunities are spread more evenly.

While these changes don’t necessarily rule out the possibility of Smart building a dynasty, they do complicate the process. Sustained success in the modern college football landscape requires not only elite coaching but also the ability to adapt to new rules, manage a constantly changing roster, and navigate the complexities of the playoff system.

The Last True College Football Dynasty?

As we look to the future, it’s clear that Kirby Smart is on the verge of something special at Georgia. He has built a program that is capable of competing at the highest level, and he has proven that he can win championships. But whether Smart can replicate the sustained excellence that Nick Saban achieved at Alabama remains to be seen.

Saban’s career is one of unmatched consistency. His ability to win national championships in multiple decades and in multiple formats—BCS, playoff, and SEC Championship games—sets him apart from any other coach in the modern era. His 18-6 postseason record and 9 SEC Championships are testament to the unparalleled success he achieved over his long career.

But as Saban approaches the end of his coaching career, it’s important to recognize that college football is entering a new era—one in which dynasties may be harder to come by. The changes to recruiting, NIL, and the expansion of the College Football Playoff all signal a shift in the landscape of the sport. While it’s possible that Smart could build a dynasty at Georgia, it’s clear that the days of the traditional, decade-long dynasty—like the one Saban built at Alabama—may be numbered.

In the end, Saban’s legacy will likely stand as the last true dynasty in college football. His unparalleled success, his ability to sustain greatness, and his profound impact on the sport make him a once-in-a-lifetime coach. Kirby Smart, while poised to build a formidable program at Georgia, will have to contend with a very different college football environment than the one Saban dominated for so long. As such, we may be witnessing the end of the traditional dynasty era in college football—an era that will forever be defined by Nick Saban’s Alabama Crimson Tide.