COLUMBIA, S.C. – Georgia football coach Kirby Smart has gone from matching up at South Carolina with one close friend in Will Muschamp to another in Mike Bobo.
The three men were college teammates at Georgia in the 1990s and have remained close throughout their coaching careers.
Smart, who took over at his alma mater before the 2016 season, is 3-1 against South Carolina, with the Gamecocks coached by Muschamp in each of those games. That includes South Carolina’s 20-17 double-overtime upset of the Bulldogs – ranked No. 3 at the time – in Athens last season.
However, with Muschamp fired two weeks ago, it will be Bobo in charge on the South Carolina sideline Saturday night as Smart’s 13th-ranked Bulldogs (5-2) visit the Gamecocks (2-6) for a Southeastern Conference matchup.
“I respect both of them as coaches and as friends, and they know as well as I do when you get in this profession that’s a possibility that that happens,” said Smart, who referred to Bobo’s attitude and energy as strengths that appeal to players.