Kirby Smart has built a modern dynasty at Georgia on a foundation of culture and development. Even in back-to-back playoff disappointments, the head coach led the program to two consecutive SEC championships. Still, one national analyst believes that the entire empire is on the verge of collapse in the new era of college football.

FOX Sports’ Colin Cowherd released his list of the Top 10 teams that would be a regular feature in an NIL-influenced playoffs era, and he couldn’t find a place for the Bulldogs.

“I think a lot of it is your top booster and your economy,” the analyst said on a January 13 episode of The Herd with Colin Cowherd. “I have three Texas schools in it. Texas, Texas A&M, and Texas Tech. They should all be in it. I have Ohio State, Michigan, Notre Dame, Indiana – because of Mark Cuban and their coach – Miami, big NIL money, and USC and Oregon, Phil Knight and the LA economy.

“I do not have Georgia over the next 10 years. A year ago, their top booster (Don Leebern Jr.) passed away. They’ve lost five players. Georgia has five DBs in the transfer portal. The best quarterback just selected Vanderbilt, the academic school, over Georgia.”

According to On3’s Pete Nakos, Georgia also didn’t make it to the top spenders in college football in 2025. And, without any surprise, the three Texas schools, along with the Big Ten bluebloods, found places. But what’s worthy of noting here is that Georgia, being the bigger brand in the SEC, failed to spend big, while Tennessee and Auburn did. Even Ole Miss, under Lane Kiffin, opened its accounts to recruit heavily from the portal.

Cowherd’s prediction is already ringing true on the recruiting trail. The philosophy cost them dearly with the 2026 class, as top target Jackson Cantwell was lured to Miami, while conference rival Texas poached star LB Tyler Atkinson and flipped elite DL James Johnson, reportedly by doubling Georgia’s NIL offer. Even Jared Curtis, who was heavily recruited by Mike Bobo and Kirby Smart, flipped his commitment from Georgia to Vanderbilt. The program’s glittering legacy is undoubtedly a massive advantage for Kirby Smart to use while recruiting, but it is no longer getting him the biggest fish in the pool.

The other programs continue to spend heavily because it works. The National Championship this year will be fought by two teams that have spent big. This is Indiana’s first-ever appearance in the title game, while Miami is coming back after 23 years. It will still take time for Kirby Smart to become comfortable with the idea of increasing NIL spending. But weirdly enough, he might be the only SEC coach in recent years who’s still making it work.

Georgia is keeping itself afloat in the CFP era, even with low spending

Georgia has achieved enough in the NIL era to quash doubts of falling out of the Top 10. Even in the NIL era, Kirby Smart has managed to get in the right players to break into the playoffs on a consecutive basis. 2025 was certainly an anticlimax, but Georgia still boasts a Top 10 recruiting class in the 2026 and 2027 cycles. There are no names that immediately call attention, but Smart makes it happen during their time at Athens.

Carson Beck, the national championship contender, was the ninth-best QB in the cycle according to Rivals. But in the 2023 season, he was the quarterback sensation. Additionally, the program has also produced enough players to attract top talent from the high school level for the draft. Since 2018, Smart has sent 20 players as first-round picks to the NFL. This recruiting strategy has been effective for the Bulldogs, despite the rise of NIL.

Apart from Texas, Georgia seems to be the only consistent program in the SEC to achieve postseason success. But the latter sets an example here because they’re able to do it without loosening the purse. Sure, the who’s who of high school football aren’t necessarily a part of Georgia. But they at least know that they have a shot at something good when Kirby Smart makes them an offer.

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