The Final Prep: Previewing Kentucky vs. Georgia

Facing the first matchup of the October gauntlet, Kentucky heads between the hedges Saturday with its season already at a crossroads. The Wildcats have dropped back-to-back SEC games and are still searching for answers on offense, turning once again to redshirt freshman quarterback Cutter Boley for the trip to Sanford Stadium.

Georgia is in unfamiliar territory too, coming off a rare home loss that snapped the Bulldogs’ 33-game winning streak in Athens, the longest unbeaten run in the nation. Kirby Smart’s Dawgs will look to bounce back in a big way, while Kentucky is eager to show progress offensively and overcome the long odds of avoiding a fall to 0-3 in the conference.

It’s the last consecutive meeting in a series that hasn’t missed a year since 1955, before the new SEC scheduling format kicks in next season. It’s the Cats versus the Dawgs at noon on ABC. Let’s get you ready for it with all of the things to know.

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Pregame Storylines

1. Boley in the spotlight: Redshirt freshman Cutter Boley makes his second SEC road start, and it doesn’t get much tougher than Sanford Stadium. After committing three turnovers at South Carolina, his poise and decision-making will be tested against a defense loaded with talent.
2. McGowan vs. Georgia’s front: Seth McGowan has carried the Kentucky offense with 387 rushing yards and seven touchdowns, ranking second in the SEC in yards per game. Georgia’s defense will make it far harder to find those running lanes.
3. Kentucky’s offensive identity search: Through four weeks, the Wildcats have struggled to establish a clear rhythm. Saturday offers another chance to find balance and prove the offense can function against elite SEC defenses. Kentucky hasn’t scored more than two touchdowns in 10 SEC games with Bush Hamdan.
4. October slate begins: The trip to Athens kicks off a brutal October for Kentucky. With Texas, Tennessee, and Auburn (Nov. 1) looming, how the Wildcats respond in this first leg will set the tone for the month.
5. Georgia’s response: Georgia’s defense ranks 12th in the SEC after giving up 24 points and several chunk plays in last week’s loss to Alabama. That’s uncharacteristic for a Kirby Smart defense, so the Bulldogs will look to reestablish their reputation as one of the most physical defenses in the SEC.
6. Streaks: The Dawgs had the country’s highest home-winning streak until last week’s loss to Alabama snapped a 33-game run in Athens. However, another streak is still alive: Georgia hasn’t lost to Kentucky in 15 years.

How To Watch/Listen to Kentucky at Georgia

• Kickoff: 12:00 p.m.
• TV: ABC (Joe Tessitore, Jesse Palmer, Katie George)
• Local Radio: UK Sports Network (Tom Leach, Jeff Piecoro, Dick Gabriel)
• AM: 840 WHAS, 630 WLAP
• FM: 98.1 WBUL
• Online: iHeart Radio
• Sirius XM: 374 (UK)

Player Spotlight

• Kentucky QB, #8 Cutter Boley: The redshirt freshman is still settling into the role after taking over as Kentucky’s starter, and Saturday marks his second SEC road start. Boley flashed arm talent at times in Columbia, but he also had a rough night with two interceptions and two fumbles in the loss. Consistency and decision-making remain works in progress, and facing Georgia’s defense inside Sanford Stadium will be his biggest challenge yet.
• Kentucky RB, #3 Seth McGowan: The journeyman transfer has quickly become Kentucky’s most consistent offensive weapon. McGowan enters Week 5 ranked second in the SEC in rushing yards per game (96.8) with seven touchdowns already on the year, giving the Wildcats a steady presence in the backfield. His ability to generate tough yards behind a rebuilt offensive line will be critical if Kentucky hopes to keep Georgia’s defense honest and take pressure off Cutter Boley.
• Kentucky TE, #88 Willie Rodriguez: The sophomore tight end has been the safety valve and deep threat for the Kentucky passing attack. Through four games, Rodriguez leads the team in receiving yards (134) and caught one of the team’s two passing touchdowns, averaging 19.1 yards per catch.
• Georgia QB, #14 Gunner Stockton: Stockton has stepped into the starting role with poise, throwing for over 850 yards so far this season, without an interception. His dual-threat ability gives Georgia flexibility in the passing game, and Kentucky’s secondary will have to be sharp and disciplined to challenge him.
• Georgia RB, #3 Nate Frazier: A sophomore who has quickly emerged as the Bulldogs’ top ball carrier, Frazier has eclipsed 200 rushing yards through the opening stretch of the season. His speed and vision make him a consistent threat, and Georgia will lean on him to establish balance offensively. Frazier has help: overall, Georgia is averaging 213.5 rushing yards per game with 12 TDs.
• Georgia LB, #10 C.J. Allen: Allen anchors the middle of Georgia’s defense as the team’s leading tackler. The junior linebacker plays sideline to sideline and will be central to the Bulldogs’ plan to contain Kentucky’s running backs and pressure Cutter Boley.

Uniform Watch

Kentucky will wear its road white jersey with blue pants and blue helmets this week. The icy all-whites weren’t much help in Columbia last week, so change is welcomed for the second consecutive away game.

This week's look 👀 pic.twitter.com/iYM9qZvg8w

— Kentucky Football (@UKFootball) October 2, 2025

Depth Charts

KENTUCKY

GEORGIA

Georgia does not reveal its depth chart, so find an unofficial roster for the Kentucky game on OurLads.com.

Injury Reports

KENTUCKY

OUT

• RB #10 Jamarion Wilcox
• DB #21 Nasir Addison
• DB #24 Jaden Smith
• DL #55 Nic Smith
• WR #82 David Washington Jr.
• TE #85 Elijah Brown
• WR #89 Preston Bowman

QUESTIONABLE

• DB #5 DJ Waller Jr.
• LB #32 Devin Smith

PROBABLE

• OL #53 Aba Selm
• QB #5 Zach Calzada

GEORGIA

OUT

• TE #9 Ethan Barbour
• WR #11 Talyn Taylor
• OL #51 Malachi Toliver
• OL #71 Earnest Greene III
• WR #88 Thomas Blackshear

Last Meeting / All-Time Series

Kentucky nearly took down No. 1 Georgia in last year’s meeting at Kroger Field. The low-scoring affair didn’t see a touchdown until Georgia’s Branson Robinson ran in the game’s only six-pointer, turning a 9-6 Kentucky lead into a 13-9 Georgia lead late in the game. Kentucky fans believe the Wildcats were robbed of the upset when a pick-six was called back, taking away a Kentucky touchdown before halftime. Fans also believe Mark Stoops left points on the board with conservative playcalling on a potential game-winning drive. Still, it was a 15th straight loss for the Wildcats in 2024, with Georgia’s old backup quarterback, Brock Vandagriff, throwing for 114 yards.

All-time series: Georgia leads 72-39-5

2025 Team Schedules/Results

Kentucky (2-2, 0-2 SEC)

• vs. Toledo (W, 24-16)
• vs. (20) Ole Miss. (L, 30-23)
• vs. Eastern Michigan (W, 48-23)
• at South Carolina (L, 35-13)
• at (5) Georgia
• vs. (10) Texas
• vs. (15) Tennessee
• at Auburn
• vs. Florida
• vs. Tennessee Tech
• at (18) Vanderbilt
• at Louisville

#12 Georgia (3-1, 1-1 SEC)

• vs. Marshall (W, 45-7)
• vs. Austin Peay (W, 28-6)
• @ #15 Tennessee (W, 44-41)
• vs. #17 Alabama (L, 24-21)
• vs. Kentucky
• @ Auburn
• vs. #4 Ole Miss
• @ Florida
• @ Mississippi State
• vs. #9 Texas
• vs. Charlotte
• @ #17 Georgia Tech

Join The Discussion over at KSBoard

Consider joining the conversation on KSBoard if you want to interact with the KSR crew during the game. A live discussion can be found in the game thread, plus several other topics and conversations about the Wildcats and more.

Point Spread

Point Spread: Georgia -20.5
Over/Under: 48.5
Moneyline: SC -1800/UK +1000

Coaches’ Comments

Mark Stoops

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Kirby Smart

Pregame Link Dump

• Bio Blast: Georgia Bulldogs
• KSR Football Podcast: South Carolina Loss Creates Gloomy Forecast
• 11 Personnel E330: Another SEC Loss Ahead of Trip to Georgia
• WATCH: Bush Hamdan, Kentucky offense preview Georgia
• Kentucky’s ‘methodical’ offense must play cleaner football
• Could Young Receivers Be The Answer for the Kentucky Offense?
• Stoops: Kentucky’s tackles “can play better” after cracks in Columbia
• Mark Stoops shares message to fans losing hope: ‘We’re working extremely hard to get out of it.’
• Kirby Smart Hopes Kentucky Fans Appreciate Mark Stoops
• Mark Stoops compares Cutter Boley to other great SEC quarterbacks who made early mistakes
• How Other Kentucky Quarterbacks Performed in First SEC Road Start
• Bush Hamdan believes Kentucky needs methodical approach to win football games
• Cutter Boley believes offense is ‘so close’ to breakthrough: ‘We do have what we need.’
• This isn’t your typical Georgia passing attack
• ESPN ranked every Power 4 QB in the country (and it’s not good for Kentucky)
• Execution, Execution, Execution: Kentucky Defense has to Finish
  

Weather Report

Saturday’s forecast calls for 70-degree weather at kickoff in Sanford Stadium, with intermittent clouds and no chance of any rain. Great weather for an upset.

Listen to the KSR Pregame Show

Be sure to tune in to the KSR Pregame Show at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday. Matt Jones is back from South Africa to lead the pregame conversation before the noon kickoff in Athens.

Go Cats.