How Kentucky and Georgia match up — with a game prediction

How Kentucky and Georgia match up — with a game prediction:

Quarterbacks

After Kentucky’s Stephen Johnson struggled (10-of-24 passing for 49 yards with one interception) against Vanderbilt, the junior-college transfer has completed 31-of-56 for an even 500 yards with four touchdowns and one pick in the two games since. Most importantly, Johnson is 4-1 as a starter in SEC games. Georgia true freshman Jacob Eason has thrown at least one TD in every game but one (Mississippi) and has two 300-yards-plus passing games (308 at Missouri, 346 vs. Vanderbilt). Eason has struggled on the road against SEC teams other than Missouri, however. He went 21-of-53 combined for only 166 yards in road games at South Carolina and Mississippi.

Advantage: Kentucky

Running backs

Kentucky’s Boom Williams and Benny Snell dropped the hammer on Missouri last week. True freshman Snell rumbled for 192 yards and two TDs, while junior Williams scooted for 182 yards and a touchdown — and also had a 13-yard TD catch on a screen pass. The 5-foot-9, 196-pound Williams is third in the SEC in rushing (821 yards); the 5-11, 220-pound Snell is eighth (661). Georgia’s Nick Chubb began the season considered a Heisman Trophy candidate, but is 11th in the SEC in rushing (606). The 5-10, 228-pound junior gashed North Carolina for 222 yards in the season opener, but has been over 100 yards only once (121 at South Carolina) since. When Chubb was out last season with a knee injury, Sony Michel, now a 5-11, 222-pound junior, ran for 165 yards and a TD vs. UK.

Advantage: Kentucky

Wide receivers

UK junior Jeff Badet has played at a star-level the past two weeks with 10 catches for 243 yards and three TDs. Dorian Baker, UK’s leading receiver a season ago (55 catches), has battled a hamstring injury in 2016. The 6-3, 208-pound junior had his first four receptions of the season at Missouri. Georgia’s Isaiah McKenzie is known more for his explosiveness as a returner, but the 5-8, 175-pound junior leads the Bulldogs in receptions (30) and receiving TDs (five). Sophomore Terry Godwin had five catches last week vs. Florida and has 21 for the year.

Advantage: Kentucky

Tight ends

Kentucky has struggled completing passes to C.J. Conrad even when the sophomore is open. Backup Greg Hart has caught a pass in three of UK’s past four games. Georgia’s Isaac Nauta, a 6-4, 246-pound freshman, has 17 catches and two TDs. Jeb Blazevich, a 6-5, 242-pound junior, has four catches.

Advantage: Georgia

Offensive line

Kentucky has had great success in recent weeks running the football straight up the gut, and center Jon Toth, a 6-5, 310-pound senior, has been a big part of that. Georgia returned three starters from last year — RT Greg Pyke, LG Isaiah Wynn and center Brandon Kublanow — but the Bulldogs have not run the ball as well as expected (173.8 yards a game, eighth in SEC) and have allowed 19 sacks.

Advantage: Kentucky

Defensive line

UK’s Adrian Middleton, a 6-3, 303-pound sophomore from South Warren, is the reigning SEC Defensive Player of the Week after recording four tackles and an important tackle for loss at Missouri. Junior-college transfer Naquez Pringle moved ahead of Matt Elam on the depth chart at nose guard for what Mark Stoops termed “very physical, very disruptive” play last week. Georgia has started 10 different players at its three DL positions. Sophomore Jonathan Ledbetter made his first start of 2016 at tackle against Florida; he missed six games due to suspension. End DaQuan Hawkins-Muckle is questionable after suffering a high-ankle sprain vs. Florida.

Advantage: Georgia

Linebackers

Kentucky WLB Jordan Jones is back up to second in the SEC in tackles (71). His backup, former Warren East star Eli Brown had three tackles at Missouri. MLB Courtney Love made six stops last week. At 6-6, 242 pounds, Georgia junior SLB Lorenzo Carter is a disruptive pass rusher (four sacks). MLB Natrez Patrick (49 tackles) and WLB Roquan Smith (48) lead the Bulldogs in tackles.

Advantage: Georgia

Defensive backs

Senior nickle back/free safety Blake McClain led Kentucky with eight tackles at Missouri. Strong safety Mike Edwards had six, and is fifth in the SEC in tackles (60). Georgia safety Dominick Sanders has two interceptions in 2016 and 11 in his career. Sanders picked off Patrick Towles twice in Georgia’s 27-3 win over UK last year. Nickle back Maurice Smith, a graduate transfer who followed new Georgia Coach Kirby Smart from Alabama, has 30 tackles and had a sack against Florida.

Advantage: Georgia

Special teams

Kentucky true freshman punter Grant McKinniss has struggled the past two weeks, kicking five times for an average of 35.8 yards at Missouri after averaging 34.3 on three kicks vs. Mississippi State. Mark Stoops said Monday he has confidence the Findlay, Ohio, product will find his groove. After missing a 47-yard field goal at Missouri, place-kicker Austin MacGinnis is 9-of-12 with a long of 51 yards. Georgia return ace Isaiah McKenzie diced UK for a 90-yard kickoff return TD and a 59-yard punt return TD two years ago. Georgia is 14th in the SEC in net punting (34.8 yards). The Bulldogs used backup quarterback Brice Ramsey in place of freshman punter Marshall Long on three punts last week, though Long is still listed first team. Redshrt freshman place-kicker Rodrigo Blankenship is 5-of-6 on field goals, with a long of 45.

Advantage: Even

Prediction

Kentucky 24, Georgia 23

This story was originally published November 4, 2016 at 11:28 AM with the headline "How Kentucky and Georgia match up — with a game prediction."