Kirby Smart made it clear Tuesday during the first day of SEC spring meetings in Destin where he stands on the schedule format debate and on the league’s pecking order when it comes to his Georgia Bulldogs and Nick Saban’s Alabama Crimson Tide.

The debate rages on over the 8-game conference schedule vs. the 9-game conference schedule, and Smart could care less.

“Most overrated conversation there ever was,” Smart said of the schedule. “It’s just not that big of a deal to me.”

He said teams are still going to play everybody every four years, regardless of the model.

A guy that sports a 29-1 overall record, including 16-0 in regular-season conference play, isn’t really going to have much concern for the schedule format as it turns out.

Still, when it comes to his record, Smart was asked about Georgia surpassing Alabama as college football’s elite program. He quickly shut that down.

“I don’t measure our program based on their program,” he said. “Our success is based on how we perform. I have the utmost respect for Nick and the Alabama program.”

Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Music App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily.