Blue Preview: Your one-click guide to No. 11 Kentucky’s SEC showdown at No. 1 Georgia
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Preview: No. 11 Kentucky at No. 1 Georgia
Click below to read more of the Herald-Leader’s and Kentucky.com’s preview coverage ahead of Saturday’s Kentucky-Georgia football game at 3:30 p.m. in Athens, Ga.
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No. 11 Kentucky at No. 1 Georgia
When: 3:30 p.m. Saturday.
Where: Sanford Stadium (capacity 92,746) in Athens, Ga.
TV: CBS (play-by-play, Brad Nessler; analysis, Gary Danielson; sideline reporter, Jamie Erdahl).
Radio: WLAP-AM 630, WBUL-FM 98.1.
Satellite Radio: XM Channel 191, Sirius Channel 138, Internet Channel 962.
Records: Kentucky (6-0, 4-0 SEC); Georgia (6-0, 4-0 SEC)
Series history: Georgia leads 60-12-2 and has won 11 straight vs. UK.
Last meeting: Georgia beat Kentucky 14-3 on Oct. 31, 2020, at Kroger Field in Lexington.
Line: Georgia is favored by 26 points.
The story line
For the second time in four seasons, Kentucky and Georgia meet to battle for the SEC East lead. Wildcats backers are hoping for a different outcome than the Bulldogs’ 34-17 victory over the Cats in Lexington in 2018 in the game that determined the SEC East champion.
The number to watch
The rushing-yards differential. Everything Kentucky does offensively is based off the premise the Wildcats can run the ball. Over the past three meetings, the Bulldogs’ defense has limited UK to an average of 127.3 yards on the ground. Meanwhile, the Dawgs have run for an average of 260.3 yards in those three games. To have any shot to pull the upset, UK must erase that differential.
The big threat
The Georgia defense. The Bulldogs “D” is being referred to as “once in a generation” good — and the numbers bear that out. Georgia is No. 1 in the FBS in pass defense (allowing 137 yards a game), total defense (201.2 yards) and scoring defense (5.5 points a game) and is fourth against the run (64.2 yards). Making the matchup even more daunting, Kentucky has not scored a touchdown vs. Georgia since 2018.
On the spot
Will Levis. The Penn State transfer played his best game as Kentucky quarterback in the Wildcats’ 42-21 pasting of LSU last week. The 6-foot-3, 232-pound product of Madison, Conn., was effective (14-of-17 for 145 yards and three TDs) in the short passing game and a big factor in the run game (75 yards on 11 carries with two touchdowns). For UK to have a chance to pull the upset, Levis must again play at a high level.
The mood
Is stoked. Playing the No. 1 team in the country as an undefeated, ranked team itself is a huge opportunity for the Kentucky football program — and for the Big Blue Nation. With Georgia established as a substantial favorite, Mark Stoops and troops essentially have a free shot to try and shock the world.
This story was originally published October 11, 2021 at 10:44 AM.
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