Kentucky takes on No. 1 UGA as a big underdog in Lexington on Saturday night and as usual the Cats Illustrated staff is sharing takes and predictions before it all kicks off.
What are the main reasons for Kentucky fans to feel optimistic going into this one?
Jeff Drummond: Even the most accomplished of optimists would concede that this is a difficult task. Let’s put it this way: if Kentucky played great last week against South Carolina and Georgia looked average in its first two games, it would still be hard to envision a scenario in which we found a path to victory for the Wildcats. I suppose one could say they are due. It’s got to happen sooner or later. (Probably the same thing I was saying 15 games into those Florida and Tennessee skids.)
Justin Rowland: I'll be honest, I'm struggling to find anything that would justify what we'd typically call optimism.
What are the main reasons for concern?
Drummond: Georgia appears to have one of those squads that will be in the hunt for another national championship, and Kirby Smart has been nearly unbeatable in the regular season. There aren’t any glaring weaknesses. The Wildcats may have a player here or there that is equal to or better than their specific counterpart on the other side, but the Bulldogs will be stronger at every level on the field. They have allowed only two field goals through the first two games, and the UK offense looked inept last week.
Rowland: Think about Alabama when Nick Saban had it rolling and now Georgia with Kirby Smart. When's the last time one of those teams lost a game to a team that wasn't a great team? Being at home, hyping yourself up, looking for an edge ... none of this seems to work when you're up against a true SEC behemoth.
The bottom line is Georgia has an answer for everything when you're talking about 99% of would-be challengers. They have better personnel, more of it, more support staff, and the list goes on.
The biggest concern is Kentucky's offense, which never scores much against UGA. The offensive line couldn't block South Carolina. Georgia is a different kind of challenge, but the point is, Bush Hamdan can't have confidence that his line is going to hold up in pass protection against the Dawgs. If you start leaving more guys back to block, who's able to get open?
What's your prediction for the game and who is a key player for Kentucky?
Drummond: Georgia 33, Kentucky 9 - This is likely going to be a struggle for the Cats, but I do believe they will put forth a better-looking performance than the one they delivered last week. If they have any chance of of looking competitive for even a quarter of this game, the offensive line has to show some fight and resolve against the Bulldogs’ front seven.
Rowland: Georgia 33, Kentucky 6. I think both teams will keep the ball on the ground for most of the game. That's preferable to Carson Beck tossing six touchdown passes and going for 400 yards. We've seen UGA play conservatively in Lexington before and I'd guess that probably happens again. Nonetheless, they will get their points and Kentucky will struggle to score theirs. Deone Walker needs to step up. UK's defense has to force a couple of big mistakes and he's got the NFL talent to make it happen.
