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 was a regular at his son’s games since Kirby became head coach at his alma mater in 2016.

Sonny Smart coached Kirby when he was in high school.

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 (8-4) in the Bahamas Bowl 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.