Kentucky (4-6, 1-5 SEC)at No. 13 Georgia (8-2, 6-1 SEC)

When: 12:21 p.m. TV: WKYT-27

Radio: WLAP-AM 630; XM Channel 200; Sirius Premier Package Channel 219

Series: Georgia leads 50-12-2 Line: Georgia by 301/2

Last meeting: Georgia won 44-31 on Oct. 23, 2010 at UK

The keys

The growth of Maxwell Smith

Kentucky's true freshman quarterback showed his inexperience last week against Vanderbilt's package of zone defenses and blitzes. Georgia, which uses a 3-4 front, promises more of the same but with even better athletes. Can the young UK quarterback benefit from last week's experience and show improvement?

Play clean

In the 38-8 debacle at Vanderbilt, UK fumbled a punt attempt that turned the ball over on its own 3-yard-line, lost another fumble on a kickoff return and committed a whopping 10 penalties for 105 yards. To have any chance at derailing Georgia's bid to claim an outright SEC East crown, the Cats cannot have such a messy effort in Athens.

Show some fight

At Vandy, UK did not match the Commodores' energy or urgency levels. Now, Kentucky must score a huge road upset of Georgia to even keep alive hope for a sixth straight bowl. Beating the Bulldogs is almost certainly too much to ask; putting up a fight like the bowl streak actually matters is not.

The mood

Is nearing a full-scale nuclear meltdown. Last week's Music City mauling has the ever-growing club of Joker Phillips critics howling for the second-year head coach's job. This week, an upset for the ages against Georgia is unlikely. But playing well enough in Athens to build some momentum toward ending the now 26-game losing streak to Tennessee in the season finale would be a boost to UK.