ATLANTA—Nick Saban retired during the offseason. You may have heard about it. His departure, coupled with Jim Harbaugh fleeing to the NFL, leaves college football with just three active head coaches who have won national championships. Two of them—the only two who have won more than one title—faced off here Saturday.
The result underscored who is the new king of the sport. It’s two-time champion Kirby Smart, and it’s not close. The coach of the Georgia Bulldogs won his 40th straight regular-season game, routing the Clemson Tigers, 34–3, in Mercedes-Benz Stadium. And his two-time champion counterpart, Dabo Swinney, looks more like a has-been than ever.
