Georgia arrived in Lexington unbeaten in 41 regular college football season games and with a daunting 48-2 since the start of 2021. Georgia have struggled in their opening games on the road in recent seasons. It took them some time to get going in a 27-20 win against Auburn last season. The Bulldogs scored 14 and 16 points respectively in their last two visits to Kentucky in 2020 and 2022, so a tough test lay ahead for the number one team in the nation.
Wildcats quarterback Brock Vandagriff faced his former team for the first time since he transferred to Kentucky. He and the home team started with real intent. Kentucky focused on their physical strength to confront Georgia and not allow them to settle, keen to avoid a repeat of the 51-13 mauling they received in Athens last year.
Kentucky frustrate Georgia early on
Alex Raynor, the most accurate kicker in the college football FBS last year with a 91.2% completion rate, kicked a personal best 55-yard field goal, the longest in Kentucky football history, to give the Wildcats a 3-0 lead with 2:45 left in the first quarter. Kentucky's defensive front line weren't giving Georgia room to breathe, demonstrating a confidence and physicality after the 31-6 drubbing from South Carolina they received at Kroger Field last week. Georgia were restricted to just 32 offensive yards in the first quarter and Carson Beck started with just 1 of 4 passing completions.
Early in the second quarter, Kentucky defensive back Jordan Lovett deflected a Beck pass that was caught by Georgia receiver Dominic Lovett to convert a much needed third down . With 8:18 to go, another tipped pass popped up from Georgia's Lovett into the yards of the outstanding Kentucky safety Zion Childress who ran it back 55-yards into the Georgia end zone. The wild celebrations from Wildcats fans were quickly muted by an incomplete pass ruling.
The departure of Georgia's highly rated right guard Tate Ratledge with a left knee and ankle injury was a tough break for the Bulldogs and added strain to an offensive line already threatening to buckle under relentless pressure.
Georgia draw level
Two consecutive 15-yard penalties drove Kentucky to its own 44-yard line and Vandagriff capitalised with a 15-yard run up the field. While Georgia's offense had struggled to fire up, their defense was able to limit Kentucky's attack. Redshirt junior Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins in for Mykel Williams sacked Vandagriff, who on the next play was harried by Raylen Wilson who knocked the ball loose which was recovered by his namesake Damon with 4:52 to go. This enabled Georgia to draw level at 3-3 with a 34-yard field goal from Peyton Woodring just over a minute later.
A 32-yard field goal from Alex Raynor gave Kentucky a deserved 6-3 half time lead. Georgia had gained just 65 offensive yards in the first half, their lowest total since they faced LSU in 2009. The Bulldogs were struggling to establish their running game against Kentucky’s enormous defensive front line.
Second half
Kentucky started strong from kickoff. Coach Mark Stoops had stressed importance of starting the second half with momentum and getting points on the board. A run-heavy drive culminated in a 40-yard field from Raynor to extend Kentucky's lead 9-3 with 9:03 to go.
Carson Beck's 34-yard completion to Dominic Lovett sparked confidence that had been lacking in Georgia's offense. Beck's outstanding throw pierced Kentucky's defense to drill a 20-yard completion to Dylan Bell. Georgia converted a big 3rd-and-4 play, only their second third down conversion from seven attempts, on a back shoulder throw to the receiver Colby Young with 5:32 left. Kentucky tackled Nate Frazier in the backfield for a four-yard loss and forced a 3rd-and-9 incomplete resulting in Georgia settling for a 30-yard field goal by Woodring to bring them to within three points.
“Right now, they’re whipping us up front”, Georgia coach Kirby Smart commented to ESPN sideline reporter Molly McGrath at the end of the 3rd quarter.
A pivotal fourth quarter
With two consecutive first downs for Trevor Etienne, and a nine-yard gain ending the third quarter, Georgia's run game was opening up. A further 17-yard gain from Etienne and 6-yard completion to Arian Smith put Georgia ominously on Kentucky's three-yard line.
Branson Robinson's scoring run capped a 10-play, 68-yard drive with 12:20 left in the game gave Georgia a 13-9 lead. Alex Raynor's 51-yard field goal brought Kentucky back to 13-12.
A Malaki Starks holding penalty gave Kentucky hope with a first down 5:35 left. Wildcats running back Demo Sumo-Karngbaye was grinding out tough yards all game, rushing for 98 yards but Kentucky couldn't turn the pressure into a touchdown that could have changed the game. Georgia pressured Vandagriff and forced the punt with 3:03 left.
A 33-yard pass from Beck on a 2nd and 9 play set up Georgia for a time-sapping possession that left Kentucky nine seconds to get to field goal range from their own 20-yard line. Vandagriff was tackled on the critical play and Georgia escaped with a critical win.
Carson Beck finished the game with 160 passing yards on 15 completions from 24 attempts, while Trevor Etienne ran for 79 yards on 19 carries. Georgia's defense allowed Kentucky just 3.9 yards per play in a gritty performance. Referring to their previous tough opening away matches, Georgia's coach was honest about his team's performance, and how they could improve:
“You gotta find ways to win these, and that’s what we did. The best news is, we can wake these guys up and get better.” Kirby Smart.
They will need to. Tougher road games lie ahead for the Bulldogs. They have a well-timed bye week before travelling to Tuscaloosa to face Alabama on 28th September. Further season defining games, at Texas (19th October), and Ole Miss (9th November), lie in wait. They will be must-see games that will define the seasons of arguably the best three college football teams in the SEC.
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