Georgia coach Kirby Smart’s father, Sonny, died early Saturday of complications from hip surgery after falling in New Orleans ahead of the Sugar Bowl, the school announced.

Sonny Smart, a longtime high school football coach in Alabama and Georgia, fell while walking on New Year’s Eve and fractured his hip. He was hospitalized and had hip surgery at Ochsner Medical Center, where he died surrounded by his family, Georgia said in a statement that did not provide his age.

The Smart family was in New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl, which was pushed back a day because a man rammed a pickup truck into a crowd of New Year’s revelers in the French Quarter, killing 14 people and injuring about 30.

Kirby Smart’s Bulldogs lost to Notre Dame 23-10 in the game, a College Football Playoff semifinal, on Thursday.

Sonny Smart couldn’t make it to the national title game in 2023 when Georgia beat TCU 65-7 to repeat as national champions because of health issues. Before those arose, he had been a regular at his son’s games since Kirby became head coach at his alma mater in 2016.

Sonny Smart, who coached Kirby when he was in high school, is survived by his wife, Sharon, and their three children, Karl, Kirby and Kendall.

The Smart family said in a statement issued by Georgia that it “expresses their heartfelt gratitude to the Ochsner hospital and medical staff for the exceptional care provided to Sonny.

“Additionally, they ask for your continued prayers for those affected by the tragic events that occurred in the early hours of New Year’s Day. The Smart family treasures everyone’s thoughts and prayers and now prays for God’s comfort, strength, and guidance.”

BUFFALO WINS BAHAMAS

Upton Bellenfan kicked four field goals, linebacker Red Murdock led a dominant defense with 13 tackles and a pick six and Buffalo completed a turn-around season with a 26-7 win over Liberty in the Bahamas Bowl on Saturday in Nassau.

The Bulls, 3-9 last season, finished 9-4 under first-year coach Pete Lembo and won their fourth straight bowl game. They also became the first team to win the Bahamas Bowl twice.

Bellenfant had a career-long 52-yard field goal in the first quarter and added kicks of 42 and 20 yards to give Buffalo a 9-0 lead at the half.

Al-Jay Henderson, who had 21 carries for 119 yards, scored on a 45-yard burst up the middle on the first possession of the second half to make it 16-0. Henderson became the 11th player in program history to run for more than 1,000 yards.

Liberty (8-4) was in a bowl game for the sixth straight year but is winless since 2021.

Love expected to play for Notre Dame

Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love is expected to start Thursday in the Orange Bowl against sixth-seeded Penn State, enabling the seventh-seeded Fighting Irish and their trademark ground game to operate at — or near — full capacity in the first College Football Playoff semifinal.

Love re-injured his ailing right knee late in the third quarter of Notre Dame’s 23-10 victory over second-seeded Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. He went into the medical tent twice before returning to the sideline with a hefty brace protecting the knee.

But when coach Marcus Freeman spoke with reporters Saturday, Love did not make the team’s injury report.

BOISE STate OC RETIRES

Dirk Koetter announced his retirement after just one season as Boise State’s offensive coordinator.

Koetter, a former head coach at Boise State and 42-year veteran of the profession, questioned the direction college football is taking. He cited the transfer portal and the advent of name, image and likeness payments to athletes.

In a post on Facebook, he said, “College football is changing rapidly, and maybe not for the better.”

“Conference realignment, roster limitations, transfer portal, NIL, lack of a governing body with any power are all issues that have to be dealt with.”

The Broncos won the Mountain West championship and earned the No. 3 seed and a bye in the College Football Playoff this season. They lost 31-14 to Penn State in the quarterfinals on Tuesday night.

“Our best players are getting offered between 2 and 10 times what we can offer,” Koetter wrote. “We are losing recruits in the portal to schools that are just flat outbidding us. I know it’s not all about the money, and Coach D and staff will undoubtedly continue to find the ‘right kind of guys,’ but money is an issue.”

Broncos running back Ashton Jeanty, who finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting after coming up just 28 yards shy of Barry Sanders’ single-season rushing record, reportedly was offered big name, image and likeness money deals from SEC and Big Ten schools after his sophomore year, according to CBS Sports.

Koetter will remain with the program as a senior analyst.

WASHINGTON HIRES DC

Former Purdue coach Ryan Walters was hired as defensive coordinator for the Washington Huskies.

Coach Jedd Fisch announced the hiring of Walters, who compiled a 5-19 record in two seasons with the Boilermakers and was fired at the conclusion of the season. Walters built a reputation as a defensive mind at Illinois. In 2020, the Illini ranked 97th in FBS in scoring defense and No. 114 in total defense. In his first year, those rankings improved to No. 29 and 49, respectively, and in 2022, he coached the Illinois defense to the national No. 1 ranking in scoring defense (12.3 ppg) and No. 2 in total defense (263.8 ypg).

“Hiring Ryan Walters allows us to continue to build on the foundation of the 2024 defense while continuing to grow and improve,” Fisch said. “His experience in the Big Ten was vital in this hire, along with having deep family ties in the Seattle area.”