Kirby Smart vs. Lane Kiffin has become must-see in SEC

Smart’s Bulldogs had just defeated Ole Miss and coach Lane Kiffin in a shootout, 43-35. The No. 4 Rebels were previously unbeaten and loaded with moxie thanks to their leader, who never shies from making quips.

Smart and Kiffin know each other well from their days on Nick Saban’s Alabama staff (2014-15), so pregame chatter should always be expected from Kiffin’s side. This week, when asked whether he or Smart burns more calories on the sideline, Kiffin remarked that his peer “doesn’t look like he’s burned many calories.”

Kiffin then continued his bit by posting a picture from a hot yoga class Saturday morning. That apparently wasn’t lost on Smart, who closed his postgame presser with his own (unprompted) humor.

“I do want to thank Lane, though,” Smart said. “At the end of the game, he gave me some hot yoga tickets. So I appreciate that.”

Smart and Kiffin are overseeing highly-ranked programs in totally contrasting ways. That, along with their shared history and amusingly differing personalities, makes these matchups fascinating.

There isn’t a lot of comedy or online trolling with Smart. He’s a true Saban discipline, instilling a seriousness and workmanlike attitude that trickles down throughout his operation. It hasn’t been the case this year, but he wants to win behind sturdy defense. He’s long been considered college football’s mastermind on that side.

Kiffin, meanwhile, can carry himself more like a jester at times. He takes a lighter perspective to it all. He certainly understands this is also the entertainment business.

Just before the end of the half Saturday, when he called timeout in an attempt to ice the kicker, he seemingly joked with an official that he was just clapping — a reference to Smart’s controversial moment in Auburn last week.

But beyond his propensity for fun, Kiffin has matured greatly over the years, particularly at Ole Miss where he’s taken a historically moribund program and turned it into a viable playoff contender in recent years.

And he wins with explosive offense, making him a perfect yang to Smart’s yin.

“I said it all week, Kirby does a great job,” Kiffin said. “He got it from coach Saban to install belief, like, ‘Hey, we’re going to find a way.’ And when you played Alabama before, and now Georgia, with these two coaches, I feel like you have to win the game. They’re not going to lose it at the end in the fourth quarter. You have to win the game.

“That’s why we were aggressive. … I had a note in my pocket that said when you get up, and you have a chance, you have to go for it. Don’t kick field goals. Don’t get conservative. I tried to stay aggressive.”

Saturday’s affair was nothing like last fall’s meeting. Ole Miss trampled Georgia 28-10 in Oxford behind the best defense Kiffin has fielded. That unit lacked the premier talent of a year ago this time, and it showed: Georgia never punted, scoring on eight straight drives before kneeling out the clock.

The Rebels weren’t stopped until the fourth quarter, but Smart’s defense produced three straight scoreless possessions to close the game. Consider that a better punch back than any one-liner.

“When you’re in a game like that, you just have to keep scoring,” Kiffin said. “And we didn’t do that in the fourth quarter.

“It’s just really disappointing. We’ve come a long way from where we were two years ago in this room (when Georgia won 52-17), the feeling from playing these guys. But you have a chance, man. You’re undefeated and you’re up two scores. How better can you draw it up?”

The Smart-Kiffin discussion ends when comparing ultimate success. Smart has multiple conference and national titles to his name. He has an undefeated season under his belt. Many would deem his program the shining example of sustainability in college football. No one outside Ohio State and perhaps Alabama could argue. He and his Bulldogs are the gold standard.

Kiffin’s Rebels, meanwhile, must now avoid what happened last year when they missed the College Football Playoff because of a pair of upsets by Kentucky and Florida. They’ll need to rebound in a muddled SEC. His program, which is winless in ranked conference road games under his leadership, is still trying to level up. Perhaps that finally occurs in the coming months.

It’s worth noting Georgia and Ole Miss each only have one conference loss. There’s a pathway to a rematch in Atlanta in less than two months. Maybe there’d be more punts in that one.

Here’s what’s become clear: Smart vs. Kiffin is one of the most compelling battles in this headline-snatching conference. It’s juiced with storylines, shared history, off-field amusement and NFL worthy-talent. It features beautifully conflicting styles, both schematically and in personality.

If not in Atlanta, Georgia is scheduled to play at Ole Miss next fall, which would be the fourth straight year these coaches faced off. There’s also the elephant — or Gator, rather — in the room: Kiffin is commonly speculated as a logical candidate for the Florida job, which could open at any point.