Three takeaways from Kentucky football’s loss to the No. 1-ranked Georgia Bulldogs
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Game day: No. 1 Georgia 16, Kentucky 6
Click below for more of the Herald-Leader’s and Kentucky.com’s coverage of Saturday’s Kentucky-Georgia football game at Kroger Field in Lexington.
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Three takeaways from Kentucky football’s 16-6 loss to the No. 1-ranked Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday at Kroger Field.
1. Mark Stoops had reason to be proud of the effort
They fought. You wondered if they would. After that disappointing home loss last week to Vanderbilt, the Kentucky Wildcats entered Saturday’s game against the No. 1-ranked Georgia Bulldogs as a 22.5-point underdog. You wondered if it would be that close.
It was indeed that close and some. Not that was ever a point where you thought Mark Stoops’ team would shock Kirby Smart’s Dogs. But the Cats didn’t hang their heads after last week’s gut-punch. Instead they played with effort and fight, though in a losing cause.
“I was proud of the response of our football team,” Stoops said afterward.
Especially on defense. With all the questions about Kentucky’s continued struggles on offense, the Cats’ defensive showing against Vanderbilt had gone under the radar. In its 24-21 win, Vandy gained 448 yards on the Cats, including 264 yards on the ground where it averaged 6.0 yards per carry.
Meanwhile, Georgia hit Lexington boasting the nation’s No. 3 offense, averaging 509.6 yards per game and 7.10 yards per play. The Bulldogs left having managed just a touchdown and three field goals. Quarterback Stetson Bennett and his offense ended up with 363 yards and averaged 5.58 yards per play.
Extremely impressive was Kentucky’s ability to stop the visitors on the goal line, in short-yardage and red-zone situations. In the first half, Georgia reached the red zone three times and ended up kicking field goals all three trips.
In the second half, the Cats stuffed the Dogs on both a third-and-goal and a fourth-and-goal at UK’s 1-yard line. Next series, UK stopped Georgia on third-and-2 at the Bulldogs’ 41-yard line. The next series, UK stopped Stetson’s quarterback sneak on a third-and-1 at the Georgia 47.
Credit to defensive coordinator Brad White for the scheme and the defense, especially the defensive line, for executing the scheme. Stoops set the tone, telling his defense that on those plays, if Georgia got the first down by a bootleg or a perimeter run, so be it. He did not want the Bulldogs to beat the Cats inside. And they did not.
“I really appreciate them digging in like that because it’s hard,” Stoops said. “That’s a physical team.”
That’s a pride thing. That’s an effort thing. And despite the loss, and the disappointment of the season, the Cats showed pride and effort on Saturday.
2. To win, you have to make the routine be routine
Once again, Kentucky’s special teams let the Cats down an inopportune time. After a nine-play, 99-yard drive — considering the opponent, UK’s best drive of the season — had cut the Georgia lead to 16-6 with 9:52 left, the Kentucky offense moved the ball from its own 10-yard line to the Georgia 20-yard line with just under five minutes remaining.
The drive having stalled, Stoops sent out kicker Matt Ruffolo for a 38-yard field goal that would have made it a one-score game. But yet again, the snap was low. By the time the placement had been made, Ruffolo missed the awkward kick and Georgia remained 10 points ahead with 4:10 to play.
If that were the first time a bad snap happened this season, it would be one thing. If it were the second time. Or the third. Or …
“What do I say, it’s not good,” Stoops said afterward. “That, anybody can see. I have no good answer. We (practice it) all the time. Not good. It’s not good.”
It was especially not good considering UK’s offense finally showed signs of life in the second half. A red-zone interception — Will Levis’ fourth of the season — killed a promising first-quarter possession. Then UK had suffered three consecutive three-and-outs before that 99-yard scoring drive.
Levis got that one going with a 42-yard pass to Barion Brown. On the next series, Brown made a terrific catch for a 47-yard gain on a Levis throw. In fact, the freshman wide receiver from Nashville was terrific all night, catching 10 balls for 145 yards and a touchdown.
Levis was 20 of 31 for 206 yards with a TD and a pick. He was sacked just once. And he contributed to Kentucky’s run game, gaining 30 yards on four runs.
Mind you, this was against a Georgia defense ranked sixth nationally in total defense. The Dawgs were allowing an average of 260.7 yards per game. Kentucky gained 295. Opponents were averaging just 3.81 yards per play against Georgia. Kentucky averaged 5.27.
3. This Louisville game might mean a little more
Next Saturday’s regular-season finale against archrival Louisville might be even more interesting this time around. After a 25-10 win over North Carolina State, the Cardinals are now 7-4 and have finished 4-4 in the ACC. Kentucky enters the annual Governor’s Cup 6-5 overall and have finished 3-5 in the SEC.
Remember, the Wildcats were once 4-0 and ranked No. 7 in the nation. A loss to Louisville and Stoops’ squad will limp into a bowl game having finished 6-6 in a year in which they were picked to finish second in the SEC East.
Meanwhile, Scott Satterfield was supposed to be gone by now. Instead, a win over Kentucky would be the icing on the cake for what has been an impressive season for the Louisville coach. The Cards beat the Wolfpack on Saturday without the services of Malik Cunningham, their injured star quarterback.
Satterfield is 0-2 against Stoops, having lost 45-13 in 2019 in Lexington and 52-21 last year at Cardinal Stadium. The Cards would love nothing better than to get their eighth win by handing the Cats their sixth loss. And Kentucky would love nothing better than to end U of L’s season on a sour note.
“I’m extremely proud of the effort that they gave, they didn’t flinch,” defensive coordinator Brad White said of his players’ showing against Georgia. “But we got to redo it again.”
This story was originally published November 19, 2022 at 8:56 PM.
