The Michigan sign-stealing scandal landed in SEC country after it was reported analyst Connor Stalions purchased tickets to see Alabama-Georgia in the 2021 SEC Championship Game.

Georgia coach Kirby Smart, during his Tuesday press conference, said there was nothing during his team’s 2021 CFP semifinal game against Michigan later that indicated the Wolverines had any inside information.

“I didn’t notice anything, or know anything,” Smart said. “Nobody that we talked to warned us or any of that. Nothing I remember about the Michigan game that makes me think that.”

Any potential sign stealing on Michigan’s part certainly didn’t impact the game as the Bulldogs defeated Michigan 34-11 in a game that wasn’t close.

“I don’t know anybody that’s ever done that or been asked to do that as a young coach or known anybody to do that. I’ve never heard of that,” Smart said of the Michigan scandal, per DawgNation. “In high school football, I grew up with my dad, (and) we would go watch other teams play. That’s a part of what you did…You sat out there with 4 other coaches and you drew up their plays while they were doing it.”

Smart said knowing an opponent’s play call could make things more difficult.

“As far as in game, I think people try to do that,” he said, per the Athens Online Banner. “It goes on. As a signal-caller when I had to call defenses, it confused me if I had to sit there and try to wait on somebody to try and tell me what they thought they got. I tried to think about what the best call for the situation is and you’re relying on misinformation or something that’s not really reliable. I don’t know.”

ESPN reported that Michigan staffer Connor Stalions bought tickets to the 2021 and 2022 SEC championship games. Georgia played in both those games, beating LSU in 2022 against losing to Alabama in 2021.

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 Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily.