Saturday night in Lexington can be a scary place for Dawg fans. Typically, that has been because the game has been later in the year when the weather turns colder and the fall leaves show and Keeneland is closed for the season. None of that will be the case as the nation’s #1 team rolls into the bluegrass to take on Kentucky. The Wildcats are stumbling after a 31-6 beatdown at the hands of South Carolina, and they may be playing for their season on Saturday night.
Series Record: Georgia leads 63-12-2 and is riding a 14 game winning streak over the Wildcats.
Last Meeting: Georgia ran the Wildcats out of Sanford Stadium 51-13. Carson Beck carved up the Kentucky defense by going 28-35 for 389 yards and 4 TDs. The Georgia defense suffocated Big Blue’s offense by holding them under 200 yards of total offense and only 55 yards on the ground.
Gambling Degenerate Facts: BetMGM’s line is Georgia -24 and a -5,000 money line favorite with a 45.5 total.
Interesting Statistic: Kentucky Passing Yards per Game – 106.5
Kentucky is currently 130th in FBS (last in the SEC) in passing yards per game only ahead of Western Michigan, Wyoming, Air Force and Army. I’ll admit I thought Brock Vandagriff would be an upgrade over Devin Leary, but he was absolutely atrocious in his first SEC start on Saturday at South Carolina. If this holds on Saturday, I really see no path to a win for the Wildcats without a lot of help from Georgia on both sides of the ball.
Early Outlook
This game feels a lot like the Clemson game. Mike Stoops does not want this game to turn into a track meet where Georgia’s skill players take over the game, and eventually his defense implodes from being on the field too long. I expect the Cats to try to slow the game down, take advantage of a couple of breaks, and have a chance to win late. I just don’t see how they can do that against a stingy Georgia defense without getting cheap field position.
On defense, I expect the Georgia defense to dare Vandagriff to beat them with his arm. If Kentucky can’t find some semblance of a passing game to take the pressure off their offensive line against the Georgia defensive front, this game could get out of hand relatively quickly. I like the Dawgs to win easily but maybe not as easily as the oddsmakers believe.
What’s your current thoughts midweek before the Dawgs and Cats get together on the bluegrass? Let us know in the comments.
Here Kitty… Kitty… Kitty…Dawgs roll.
HBTFD
I expect this to be a run to set up the passing game, especially if the weather is a factor. I hope to see a heavy dose of Etienne and Frazier eating up ground and wearing down UK’s defense. I also expect a heavy pass rush against BVG to rattle his cage. All the Dawgs have to do is play their game and within themselves to control things while UK has to press to try to keep close. Dawgs win 28-10 and get out (hopefully) healthy to prepare for Bama.
P.S.
Please no sweeps or end arounds Bobo, especially on a wet field.
Brock looked so bad against SC because his O line did not block anybody. I would like very much to see the same by Ken. line as the SC game. If that happen Brock may go to the hospital by halftime.
42-7
Dawgs win but may not cover. Let’s get out of there with no injuries and start prepping for Bama.
The Bluebilly’s always seem to be a tough physical game when we play there. Rain playing a factor, we must win in the trenches. I think our depth will prevail.
Dawgs win
31 – 10
Vandagriff had about as bad a day as it can get vs the chickens. Any confidence he had was blown to hell after the threw that pick 6 and was benched. The man had 3 completions for the day, 4 if you count the INT. If that’s the best Kentucky can do at QB, methinks Kroger Field is gonna be empty midway through the 3rd.
The obvious — if weather a factor, it will become a slog. Kirby will LOVE it!! Manball! If weather is not a factor, it won’t be close — Dawgs too talented, too motivated, too coached & too focused.
Totally agree. Always a little nervous when the other team invites Kirby to go manball. He seems to like it and it can make for a real nerve-racking game. Hope Beck uses his discretion to occasionally opt out of the gut run!
Georgia is going to win and I don’t really care what it looks like. All I want is to get out of it with nobody hurt. I don’t like Stoops. I was never crazy about him but after that azzhole move at the end of the game a few years ago so he could have a meaningless touchdown I haven’t been able to stand him. His fake tough guy persona is annoying.
There was a guy on GTP that used to raise hell about Stoops and make all these weird really specific accusations about him being tied in with the mafia. It was weird but pretty funny. There were some real characters over there. Seems like only the normal folks migrated here and I’m fine with that. I just think Stoops is a plain old ordinary asshole.
Excellent write-up EE! It’s sad to see a former Dawg fail, but, looking forward to it this Saturday night.
Kirby is going up there to fuck around. It will be a drubbing.
*isn’t
My only concern is if they play like Auburn last year and go heavy with the QB runs and we haven’t got Mykel healthy enough or the younger guys prepared enough to contain Brock. Otherwise I have no concerns, and it’s more about the cover.