KSR Staff Predictions: Kentucky at Georgia

by: KSR10/04/25

uk-helmet-georgia — Oct 16, 2021; Athens, Georgia, USA; The helmet of Kentucky Wildcats offensive lineman Jeremy Flax (77) shown during warm up prior to the game against the Georgia Bulldogs at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

The annual Kentucky–Georgia matchup returns Saturday afternoon in Athens, where the Wildcats look to snap a 15-year losing streak against the Bulldogs. Kickoff is set for noon on ABC from Sanford Stadium.

Kentucky enters the game reeling after back-to-back SEC losses, including last weekend’s embarrassing showing at South Carolina. At 0-2 in the league, Mark Stoops’ team desperately needs a response. Redshirt-freshman quarterback Cutter Boley makes his second SEC road start, this time between the hedges against one of the traditional SEC powers.

Georgia, meanwhile, is licking its wounds after a rare home loss to Alabama, which ended the Bulldogs’ 33-game home winning streak. Kirby Smart’s team will be looking to bounce back quickly and extend its decade-and-a-half dominance over the Wildcats.

Can Kentucky flip the script in Athens, or will Georgia reassert itself after last week’s loss in Athens? The KSR staff has predictions.

Drew Franklin

Kentucky should clean up some of the mess we saw last week in Columbia. After coughing it up four times in one quarter at South Carolina, I don’t expect the Wildcats to hand Georgia that many free possessions. But even with better ball security, points will still be hard to come by in Athens.

Cutter Boley and the offense will move the ball in spurts, but Georgia’s defense is too good to crack for a touchdown. Instead, Kentucky will settle for three field goals, never finding the end zone in Sanford Stadium.

On the other side, the Bulldogs find their offensive balance. The run game produces a pair of touchdowns, while Gunner Stockton throws for another and quietly keeps his 2025 interception-free streak alive. It’s not an overwhelming stat line for Stockton, but he’ll do more than enough to keep Kentucky at arm’s length and get Georgia back on track after last week’s loss. The Cats lose another.

Score: Georgia 27, Kentucky 9

Nick Roush

I posed a question for Drew Franklin on this week’s KSR Football Podcast. “Could Kentucky win if Georgia has four turnovers in one quarter?” He replied, “No,” with that answer changed to a “maybe” if the Kentucky defense scores touchdowns on two of those turnovers.

Kentucky has not had any fumble luck this year. The ball always bounces the other team’s way. Gunner Stockton has yet to throw a pick, but I got a feeling this stout defensive line will force a fumble or two to get the offense in position to score, yet it will not be in the form of multiple touchdowns.

A methodical approach may make this game closer, but Georgia’s wide receivers have a big mismatch over the leaky Kentucky secondary. Kirby Smart isn’t the kind to run it up or score a bunch of points as a big favorite. He is the kind to demoralize an opponent, and it will feel that way Saturday afternoon at Sanford Stadium.

Score: Georgia 30, Kentucky 10

Tyler Thompson

I have, admittedly, been on vacation this week, so I’ll keep my prediction short and sweet. Kentucky will still struggle on offense — at this point, I’m having to talk myself into them scoring one touchdown. I do think they’ll find the end zone once — Seth McGowan breaking loose to make it five games in a row he’s scored a touchdown — but that’s about where the good news ends. The defense will keep this game close for a half, as we’ve seen so many times in this series, but Georgia will be bigger and better, ready to make a statement at home after losing to Alabama.

Another loss, which will extend the apathy into another bye week, with no end really in sight.

Score: Georgia 31, Kentucky 10

Jacob Polacheck

Kentucky made its fair share of mistakes against South Carolina in its last matchup, turning the ball over four times in one quarter. While I think they’ll improve on that standpoint, I don’t think it will be enough to beat a Georgia team that’s especially troubled them in the past. Kentucky hasn’t had an easy time putting points on the board this season, and it won’t get easier against Georgia.

I’m predicting that Gunner Stockton finds a rhythm and has one of his best games of the season, leading the Bulldogs to 35 points. For Kentucky, I’m less optimistic, only predicting seven from Cutter Boley and the Cats. It’s not a great matchup for Kentucky’s secondary, and I’m expecting Georgia to exploit that.

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Score: Georgia 35, Kentucky 7

Adam Luckett

Kentucky is reeling. Georgia is coming off a tough home loss to Alabama. Is this a spot where UK has a letdown and UGA plays its A game? I think that’s very possible, but it is important to remember that styles makes fight.

These two teams play the same brand of football. That makes it hard to create real blowouts unless Georgia’s passing game (435 yards on 10.4 yards per attempt in 2023) or running game (381 yards on 8.7 yards per rush in 2017) goes nuclear. That is hard to envision with this UGA squad.

UK’s two offensive touchdowns or less streak will extend at Sanford Stadium, but the Cats will hang around before the big home favorite pulls away in the second half. Expect a heavy diet of the run game from both sides in a physical game.

Georgia doesn’t cover big numbers. Kentucky hangs around as a big road dog. Both of those trends continue on Saturday afternoon in Athens, but the final result is UK’s ninth consecutive power conference loss.

Score: Georgia 31, Kentucky 13

Zack Geoghegan

Kentucky has played well in the first quarters of both SEC games so far this season. The Wildcats outscored Ole Miss and South Carolina by a combined 17-7 in the opening periods. I feel another hot start coming for Mark Stoops’ squad, one that will have the Georgia fans on edge. Seth McGowan gets into the end zone early while Jacob Kauwe knocks another kick through the uprights. It’ll be a 10-7 Kentucky lead after 15 minutes — then it’ll all fall apart.

Georgia hits a groove in the second quarter and blows the game open, similar to what happened for Kentucky against South Carolina. The Bulldogs will pour it on with a couple of second-quarter touchdowns before cruising to a 21-point win, bucking Georgia’s trend of failing to cover as massive favorites.

Score: Georgia 34, Kentucky 13

Jack Pilgrim

The score is closer than the game feels, but Moral Victory U is proud of how hard they competed to keep it respectable, knowing it doesn’t mean anything. Kirby Smart talks about Mark Stoops at the podium, begging fans to appreciate his run in Lexington so he can keep his streak of ten straight wins against him rolling after checking that box again in 2025. We all know how this story goes. Don’t expect anything different.

Cutter Boley plays better and the future remains bright, but the now still isn’t good enough to make things interesting. The rushing attack is so-so on Kentucky’s side, enough to move the ball, but not enough to punch it in the end zone, leading to a pair of field goals for the lone scores of the day. Defense holds strong to make things sloppy for the Georgia offense, but too much firepower on that sideline grinds down the Wildcats to extend the lead late and earn the victory.

Cats cover again, Bulldogs win again. Rinse, repeat.

Score: Georgia 24, Kentucky 6