In year three of the Kirby Smart regime, the Dawgs have been contenders and very much in the conversation of the college football playoffs.
In fact, just a season ago, they were playing in Mercedes-Benz Stadium against Alabama, coming within a play of winning the national title. Just earlier this month, those two clashed again in the SEC Championship game, giving us another thriller, where the winner moved on to the CFP.
These past three years of Georgia football might seem like a complete transformation, but they are actually almost identical to Mark Richt's first three years as UGA's head coach.
First take a look at the records.
They both won the same amount of games in the first three years. Overall Richt was 32-8, while Kirby is 32-9 (and this year's team still has one more game to play, which is the Sugar Bowl).
In Richt's first season, which was 2001, they finished (8-4). In 2002, (13-1), and in 2003 (11-3). In Kirby's first year (2016), they finished (8-5). Then in 2017, (13-2), and in 2018 (11-2).
And then when you look at the accomplishments in the first three years, the resemblance continues, almost to the T.
They both played in 2 SEC Championships, and both of them won it once. That's not all. In their first 3 years, the Dawgs also played in a Sugar Bowl. Richt won in 2002, in his second year, and Kirby of course will play on New Year's Day, in year 3.
You can't forget Kirby led the Dawgs to the Rose Bowl last year in the semifinals of the CFP. So Kirby might have the advantage right now since they have already played for a national title in three years, something Richt never did in 15 seasons at UGA, but be mindful the playoff system is now completely different than when Richt was in Athens.
If the CFP format would have been around in Richt's first three years, there is a good chance they would have made the playoffs in 2002, Richt's second year (same as Kirby by the way). They finished third in the AP poll that year.
If you are interested in how the Dawgs will do in 2019? Just look at Richt's fourth year. They won 10 games.