ATHENS — They just can’t put Kirby Smart No. 1, can they?

The annual coach rankings by CBS Sports and 247Sports panelists are the latest evidence that Georgia football still has work to do shifting the narrative.

Alabama coach Nick Saban is No. 1 in these most recent rankings, Smart is No. 2, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney is No. 3, USC coach Lincoln Riley is No. 4 and Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher is No. 5.

This is where it’s important to note they only ranked the Power 5 conference coaches, or else Cincinnati coach Luke Fickell would sure be near the top.

At least, based on the most recent results, which I thought rankings were supposed to reflect?

Saban is a first-ballot Hall of Fame coach and belongs on the Mount Rushmore of SEC football coaches alongside Steve Spurrier, Paul “Bear” Bryant and Gen. Robert Neyland.

But rankings and polls are typically about the “now,” and not the “then,” and Smart built a team for the ages.

It’s possible the voters overlooked Georgia setting a modern-era (12-game schedule) record for the fewest points allowed per game (6.9) in a regular season.

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