Kirby Smart mixing up Indiana with ‘Purdue’ was a tough scene

If Indiana manages to beat Notre Dame and Georgia, perhaps we’ll look back at Kirby Smart’s College GameDay appearance as the turning point.

Playing with house money, the Hoosiers enter Friday’s matchup in South Bend as clear underdogs. But anything feels possible with the expanded College Football Playoff in full swing. Since Friday’s game marks the first of the 12-team CFP era, there’s no reason to think that anything doesn’t go.

As Smart and his Georgia Bulldogs prepare to face the winner of Friday night’s game, he and his staff have done their homework on Indiana and Notre Dame. They’ll be watching the matchup with interest, maybe even enjoyment, but Smart might want to be a little more careful with his words the next time he talks about one of these two teams.

That’s because he inadvertently referred to Indiana as another Indiana school — Purdue.

Oof.

Kirby Smart calling Indiana “Purdue” was a tough scene. pic.twitter.com/ZftG31v1eI

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) December 20, 2024

Smart quickly corrected himself, but the damage was done.

There was a slight delay with College GameDay broadcasting live from South Bend and Smart phoning in remotely. But once Desmond Howard caught wind of Smart mixing up the two Indiana schools — one that went 1-11 (0-9 Big Ten) and the other being in the CFP — he couldn’t contain his laughter.

In fact, he was absolutely howling.

Nobody consumed any of what he said except for Purdue.

“I don’t know how much you’ve seen of Purdue, but if they were Purdue, you wouldn’t have to practice,” Rece Davis quipped.

Indiana beat Purdue 66-0 less than a month ago.

“I watched that game, and I said, ‘Oh my gosh, they’re all in the same state, and they’re dominating,'” Smart said.

That might not be all he says if the Hoosiers find a way.

[College GameDay]