Blue Preview: Your one-click guide to the Kentucky football game vs. Georgia
Kentucky vs. No. 5 Georgia
When: Noon Saturday.
Where: Kroger Field (normal capacity of 61,000 but attendance capped at 20 percent of that (around 12,200) in 2020 because of the coronavirus).
TV: SEC Network (play-by-play, Tom Hart; analysis, Jordan Rodgers; sideline, Cole Cubelic).
Radio: WLAP-AM 630, WBUL-FM 98.1.
Satellite radio: XM Channel 191; Sirius Channel 133; Internet Channel 962.
Records: Kentucky 2-3, Georgia 3-1.
Series history: Georgia leads 59-12-2 and has won 10 straight.
Last meeting: Georgia won 21-0 on Oct. 19, 2019, at Sanford Stadium in Athens.
Line: Georgia is favored by 14.5 points.
The story line
Coming off a dispiriting 20-10 loss at Missouri, Kentucky must try to salvage its season against a rugged, second-half-of-the-season schedule that begins with No. 5 Georgia.
The number to watch
Kentucky’s total yards. Since gaining 558 yards vs. Mississippi in the season’s second game, the UK attack has failed to crack 300 yards in a game since — and the Cats have been held under 160 total yards twice. Finding an offensive spark against Georgia, which has the best defense in the SEC, will be a monumental task.
The big threat
Azeez Ojulari. The Georgia outside linebacker is one of the most disruptive defenders (six tackles for loss; three quarterback sacks; 13 quarterback hurries) in the SEC. The 6-foot-3, 240-pound redshirt sophomore is about the last person the struggling Kentucky offense needs to see across the line of scrimmage.
On the spot
The Kentucky receivers. Terry Wilson’s inconsistent play at quarterback has not gotten much help from a UK receiving corps with a penchant for drops. No reliable No. 2 receiver has emerged behind team receptions leader Josh Ali (26 catches, 293 yards, one touchdown), either. To have any hope of moving the ball vs. Georgia, UK has to get better receiver play.
The mood
Went from elation to despair in a week. The euphoria that followed UK’s 34-7 road shellacking of Tennessee dissipated entirely following the Wildcats’ offensive no-show at Missouri. Now Mark Stoops’ troops are sitting at 2-3 with the toughest half of their schedule still to play. UK fans are piecing together how a season of high hopes has already reached such a disheartening place.
This story was originally published October 26, 2020 at 10:22 AM.
