In the NFL, playing two games against the same team is nothing new. Sometimes, you might even face someone a third time in the playoffs.

Georgia’s Kirby Smart and Steve Sarkisian of Texas certainly have experience in that regard.

Many people might forget that Smart spent the 2006 season with the Miami Dolphins, while Sarkisian served as the offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons in 2017 and 2018.

So, while fans and pundits theorize about the outcomes in the SEC Championship (4 p.m., ABC), neither coach feels the challenges have changed since that first meeting in Austin on Oct. 19.

“They're the same challenges as they were the first time you played them. I'm a big guy of statistics and philosophies and things like that,” Smart said. “When you flip a coin, there's no greater chance that it's heads or tails the second time you flip it. And I'm not comparing our game to a coin flip. I'm just saying that the previous matchup does not determine this matchup.”

In other words, Smart believes there’s nothing that happened in his team’s 30-15 victory will have any bearing on what happens Saturday afternoon.

“You can't overstate that to your players because the flow of that game was different in the first three, four, five drives. And then, you know, after a turnover it went the other way a little bit,” Smart said. “Momentum swung throughout that game and momentum is going to swing throughout this game. It's just the way these games are. It's more about who executes well, who tackles well, who doesn't turn the ball over, and who has explosive plays. That's what it comes down to every game.”

Sarkisian agreed, noting the focus for his Longhorns has to be cleaning up the mistakes that cost his team in the first meeting against Georgia.

“You try to, A, do the things that you do well. B, you try to take in the information that maybe you can gather from seeing them in person as opposed to what it looks like on tape. Then making sure that you have an idea of some of your own tendencies, that you're able to break some of those things,” Sarkisian said. “At the end of the day, our job is to put our players in the best position to be successful, whether that's physically, mentally, schematically, whatever that looks like. That's what we always kind of fall back to.”

However, Sarkisian is quick to acknowledge there are parts of that first meeting his team cannot repeat if it wants to win the SEC crown.

“I do think there are some things you can take from a first matchup, good and bad. Clearly, there were enough things we need to fix from the first time we played 'em,” he said. “You can’t get shut out in the first half, you can’t have four turnovers in the game, and you’ve got to make sure you're not trailing 23-0, to get better from the first time we played them.”

Safety Malaki Starks was asked about cornerback Julian Humphrey, who announced his intention to enter the NCAA transfer portal.

“It’s crazy timing, I’d say,” Starks said. “You know, it’s a weird situation and, you know, I don’t know what I’m allowed to say and what I can speak on, so I wish them the best of luck and, you know, I’m just ready to go back to work.”

Humphrey's locker has already been cleaned out, according to sources. Humphrey did not play in Friday's eight-overtime win over Georgia Tech.

…Smart called running back Cash Jones a “Jack of all trades” during Monday’s press conference.

“Experience. I think third down is a lot about what you've seen in your career,” said Smart, when asked what’s made the walk-on such a key part of Georgia’s offense. “The biggest jump for a running back from high school to college is third down because you're asked to do a lot of things on third down, more than you are first and second. Cash's experience with his years here, I mean, he's gone through three springs, four springs of third downs. He's gone through four camps of third downs.”

With 22 catches for 238 yards and three scores, Jones has been a key part of Georgia’s third-down package all season.

“He's a tremendous athlete. He's one of the best hand-eye … He spent a year on the scout team as a receiver, guys. There are clips of him running around out there against Kamari (Lassiter) and Kelee Ringo, like going one-on-one at receiver, and he's catching deep balls. So, he's like a jack of all trades.”

…The Bulldogs are hopeful of getting Branson Robinson back this week.

“We're hopeful to get Branson (Robinson) back and bring him back at the speed that he's comfortable with and that he feels comfortable with,” said Smart, who added he was pleased with what he saw from Roderick Robinson (turf toe) in his first game of the year.

“I don't know how many snaps he played, 25, 28 snaps, something like that,” Smart said. “But for a guy that had not played tackle football in a long time, he got his first live-action back and he's still gaining confidence. He's still getting his play speed back."

…Smart said wide receiver Dillon Bell (ankle) escaped Friday night’s game against Georgia Tech relatively healthy.

"He adds toughness, experience, quickness. He's got body quickness and the ability to win one-on-ones,” Smart said. “I think he came out of the game pretty healthy. I think it bothered him once, but it was good to get him out of it healthy because we need him to be healthy for this game.”

…Smart credited recognitions by safeties coach Tavaris Robinson and cornerback coach Donte Williams for helping get some key timeouts called during the eight overtimes due to what the Bulldogs were seeing against Georgia Tech’s offensive looks.

"T-Rob does a great job. He and Donte both do. They both are responsible for our secondary. One works with the safeties, and one works with the corners, but they provide a lot of help to Glenn Schumann in game plan, and in-game adjustments. They're both really good coaches and help out all our defensive staff pitches in regard to that,” Smart said. “The timeouts are more relative to whether or not you feel like you're in a good call against the look. That could be offensive, or defensive. I mean, you can't take it with you, so it's one of those that you use it if you think it's an advantage."

…After former Georgia assistant and current Syracuse head coach Fran Brown credited Kirby Smart for much of his success, Smart returned the favor to Brown on Monday.

“Fran's done a great job. Fran made me a better coach. Fran thanks me all the time for what Will and I did for his career and spent time with him, but Fran did more for us than we did for him,” Smart said. “I mean, he's a great recruiter, a great person. He taught me a lot about managing players, talking to players, coaching players, and then he learned a lot of scheme here, and he's been around a lot of good coaches.”

Smart said Brown told him from the outset that he wanted to be a head coach.

“I said, well, we'll work together. You help me, and I'll help you, and both of us held up our end of the deal, and I'm so happy for him and not shocked at all because he's hired a great staff, and Fran has a way with people. They like Fran. Those players are going to fight like hell for Fran.”

...Georgia will get to wear its red tops for the SEC Championship after Texas, the home team in the game, decided to wear its home white uniforms.