UK football fans share their hopes & (mostly) fears for the Cats at Georgia
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Preview: Kentucky football at No. 12 Georgia
Click below to read more of the Herald-Leader and Kentucky.com’s preview coverage ahead of Saturday’s Kentucky-Georgia game in Athens, Ga.
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When I asked Kentucky football fans on my social media accounts for their hopes and expectations about UK’s Saturday road game at No. 12 Georgia, many of the replies instead fell into “gallows humor and fears.”
With coach Mark Stoops and the Wildcats having lost 16 of their past 19 games against power-conference foes overall — and riding a 15-game losing skid vs. the Bulldogs in particular — that is not shocking.
“Fears? That the Cats will actually show up and go on the field and ‘play’ Georgia,” wrote @ForeverBigBlue on “X.”
“Hope we at least win the coin toss,” wrote Rick Leigh on Facebook.
“My hope is that they can find the bus after the game,” wrote Mike Gillespie on Facebook.
“My fear is Stoops coaches a great game. We keep it close and we end up keeping him,” wrote @harvcat1992 on “X.”
Now that we’ve got (some of) the gallows humor out of the way, this is what Cats fans are thinking about Kentucky’s contest vs. Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs:
Hopes for UK football success at Georgia
• From @TheMojoMissy on “X”: “Hope is that the players don’t give up on each other the way fans have. ... Go Cats! Shock the world!”
Mark’s comment: Kentucky came agonizingly close to stunning Georgia when the Bulldogs were ranked No. 1 last season at Kroger Field, falling 13-12 in a game in which a UK defensive touchdown was overturned by replay review.
• From @Russ_Kessler on “X”: Hope is that the offensive line can keep (Kentucky quarterback) Cutter Boley upright and not repeat the mistakes made at South Carolina.”
Mark’s comment: After UK’s redshirt freshman QB was sacked six times last week in the 35-13 loss at South Carolina, I have to think the UK offensive brain trust will call plays designed to let the quarterback “get the ball out quick” at Georgia.
• From Andrew B. Morris on Facebook: “Hope is Cutter and the offense show signs of life.”
Mark’s comment: Barring a sudden competitive reversal, the 2025 Kentucky football season is now about the development of Cutter Boley and evaluating whether he can be the quarterback UK builds around moving forward.
• From JLandon Ove on Facebook: “I just hope the Dawgs don’t hang 60 on us and that we score 2 OFFENSIVE TDs.”
Mark’s comment: The real trick would be Kentucky scoring three offensive touchdowns in a SEC game. UK hasn’t done that in its past 11 Southeastern Conference contests dating back to the 17-14 loss at South Carolina in 2023.
• From Joe Connor on Facebook: “I sincerely hope that they are at least not embarrassing.”
Mark’s comment: UK could draw confidence from how tough the Cats played Georgia last season. Of course, as Mark Stoops often reminds the reporters who cover Kentucky, what happened in previous years has no bearing on how a game will go in the current season.
• From John Sadlon on Facebook: “Kentucky always seems more focused when playing ranked contenders. David vs Goliath: That gives us hope vs. Georgia on Saturday.”
Mark’s comment: Have to respect a man of irrepressible optimism.
Fears of UK football failure at Georgia
• From @CeciliaKy on “X”: I try to remain optimistic about the whole football team, but I think I’m fresh out of positivity on this one.”
Mark’s comment: You can always hold out for the puncher’s chance.
• From T Bruce Simpson Jr. on Facebook: “(My fear is) we get beat up so bad that we don’t have players to even take on Texas (in the next game on Oct. 18).”
Mark’s comment: Next week’s Kentucky open date should help prevent that.
• From Sean Davidson on Facebook: “My fear for this season in general is Stoops goes 5-7, and this weird apathetic state the program is in continues.”
Mark’s comment: Given the realities of a contract buyout of some $38 million, 5-7 will all but assuredly keep Mark Stoops in place if he wants to be the UK coach.
In an existential crisis over Kentucky football
• From @Wildcats_Braves on “X”: “I have no hopes or fears about this game. I’m resigned to the idea of losing.”
• From Mark Cook on Facebook: “I really don’t want to think about how bad it’s going to be.”
• From Gene McRoberts on Facebook: “We are so screwed.”
Mark’s comment: I wanted to offer something encouraging here but, I looked it up, and the idea that “it is darkest just before the dawn” is factually untrue.
This story was originally published October 3, 2025 at 6:30 AM.
