LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Georgia scored on its opening possession of each half Saturday at Kentucky, and that was enough for the No. 5 Bulldogs to leave Kroger Field with a 14-3 victory.
Taking advantage of Kentucky's inability to throw the ball downfield against its smothering defense, Georgia (4-1) used a conservative gameplan that led to 215 rushing yards on 43 attempts.
Sophomore running back Zamir White led the Bulldogs with 136 yards on 26 carries, including one of the only two touchdowns scored on the day, a 22-yard run on a 4th-and-1 play early in the third quarter.
Quarterback Stetson Bennett produced the other points for Georgia, scoring on a 1-yard keeper to cap a 12-play, 86-yard drive to open the game.
“I’m really excited for our guys for a big win," UGA head coach Kirby Smart said. "It was one of those games that was tough and hard fought and probably costly in a lot of ways in terms of some dinged-up guys and injuries. But, every time we play them it’s a physical war, I mean it’s just tough. They play really stout, long offensive and defensive lines."
Kentucky (2-4) played better than it did last week in a disappointing 20-10 loss at Missouri but did not have the offensive firepower to overcome one of the top defensive units in the nation. The Cats were held to 229 yards in total offense, including just 91 through the air.
"You have to give Georgia credit," UK head coach Mark Stoops said. "We knew going into the game that one of the best defenses in the country, if not the best. And they really played well, put a lot of pressure on us, did some really good things."
Joey Gatewood made his first career start for the Cats at quarterback in place of an injured Terry Wilson. The sophomore transfer from Auburn completed 15 of 25 passes but for only 3.6 yards per attempt and was sacked four times. UK's longest completion was for 11 yards.
"You know going into it it's going to be a tough day," Stoops said. "Any quarterback that goes into playing Georgia, you know it's going to (be tough), there's going to be some good and some bad because they're going to create some havoc in there with the way they can rush.
"I think that was the big difference in the game, obviously, our inability to create big plays and to punch it in the end zone there."
The Cats' lone points on the day came via a 34-yard field goal by Matt Ruffolo to cap a 19-play, 77-yard drive that consumed 10:28 in the second quarter.
A lone bright spot for UK was the rushing attack. Kentucky had 138 yards (108 by sophomore running back Chris Rodriguez) against a Georgia defense that was ranked No. 4 in the nation against the run, allowing only 65.5 yards and 2.17 yards per attempt coming into the day.
"But we're way past moral victories here," Stoops said.
Kentucky has an open date next week prior to a matchup with Vanderbilt on Nov. 14 at Kroger Field.
