What Kentucky must do to beat No. 1 Georgia

All eyes will be on the Kentucky Wildcats and Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday. College football’s most intriguing matchup will air in CBS’s illustrious 3:30 time slot. ESPN College Gameday, SEC Nation, and the KSR Pregame Show will also be in Athens which boosts the atmosphere and anticipation leading up to kickoff. 

The Cats have slugged their way to a 6-0 start. Georgia is the number one ranked team in America and it’s really not very close. Both are physical football teams that rely on the run game. Kentucky’s defense is ranked 18^th in the nation after allowing 305 yards per game. The Dawgs feature the top-ranked defense in America after giving up an amazingly low 203 yards per contest. 

Conference title and playoff ramifications are on the line. In order to improve its standing, Kentucky must find a way to beat an ultra-talented squad in a forceful road environment. Let’s take a look at what Kentucky must do in order to depart Athens with a victory. 

OFFENSE

After struggling against South Carolina and Florida, the Kentucky offense exploded against LSU. Will Levis played his best game of the season after rushing for 75 yards, completing 82% of his passes, and accounting for five touchdowns. Chris Rodriguez Jr. and Kavosiey Smoke went for over 100 yards on the ground. Overall, Kentucky accumulated 475 yards and scored 42 points in its lopsided victory over the reeling Tigers. Up next is the best defense in college football. Georgia is ranked first in the nation in scoring defense after surrendering 5.5 points per game. It also tops national charts against the pass and total defense. The Dawgs are deep, talented, well-coached, and have been downright nasty in 2021. 

Georgia’s front seven is scary. It’s led by 6’6, 340-pound All-American nose tackle Jordan Davis. Linebackers Channing Tindall, Nakobe Dean, Adam Anderson, and Nolan Smith have combined for 93 tackles and 11 quarterback sacks. Safety Lewis Cine paces the third level with 22 tackles and one interception. 

It’s imperative that Kentucky doesn’t try to reinvent itself. The Wildcats will need to stay true to their personality and culture. Liam Coen’s play-calling creativity was on display against LSU. He deployed shifts, motions, personnel groups, formations, and other pre-snap eye disruptions prior to running downhill. Kentucky is a run-first offense that can create explosive plays via the play-action pass. In other words, the Cats have to stay with what got ’em here. Here’s what Kentucky’s offense needs to do to win. 

Hit the shots — Kentucky will likely not have a high number of offensive possessions. Converting rare explosive play opportunities will be critical. The Cats can’t afford dropped passes or errant throws that lead to turnovers. Auburn took on the Dawgs last week and suffered from self-inflicted, drive-stalling errors in the passing game. Liam Coen will dial up a home run or four. Taking advantage of an aggressive defense is one way to attack UGA. 

Hold down the havoc — Georgia has recorded 109 quarterback hurries, 36 tackles for loss, and 22 sacks this season. Those numbers are nearly unbelievable. There will be points in the game that Kirby Smart’s defense is going to win the down. Negative yardage outcomes are inevitable against a defense of this caliber. UK can’t surrender more than two QB sacks and four tackles for loss against the Dawgs. 

Stay away from negative first downs — Georgia is allowing 28% on third down. Third-down plays have been the scene for havoc that has resulted in forced turnovers. Efficient first down calls that lead to positive yardage will lessen 3^rd and long scenarios. The Bulldogs’ defense is too dynamic to live in 3^rd and 6+. Getting ahead of the chains will be paramount. 

Georgia is averaging 39 points per game. One overriding reason for its offensive success lies within its defense. The Bulldogs’ starting field position has been quite favorable. Limiting three and outs will be important. Kentucky needs to convert 38% on 3^rd down. 

Don’t abandon the run — Georgia boasts the nation’s fourth-best run defense. Kentucky’s offensive line sports two midseason All Americans in tackle Darian Kinnard and guard Eli Cox. It’s also led by super-senior center Luke Fortner and veterans Dare Rosenthal and Kenneth Horsey. Kentucky’s offensive line is the best that Georgia will have seen in 2021. The Wildcats’ dedication to the run-game can’t waiver. Yes, there will be tackles for loss. Yes, Georgia will create havoc. But, Coen can’t go away from the run. 

The Cats average 215 yards per game on the ground. Chris Rodriguez Jr. leads the SEC with 768 yards. Kavosiey Smoke has proven to be a solid option. Kentucky must stick to its run game and not panic by forcing throws on early downs. Kentucky will need to exceed 160 yards on the ground. That’s quite the ask given that Georgia is allowing 67 per contest. 

DEFENSE 

Seems as if headlines and clickbait posts are focused on the Georgia defense in the days leading up to the game. But, Kentucky has a top 20 defense as well. Georgia is ranked 8^th in the SEC’s total offense category after averaging 432 yards per contest. The Dawgs are averaging 236 pass yards per game and 197 on the ground. Opponents have sacked Georgia quarterbacks on three occasions which is the fewest allowed in the SEC. Here’s what the Cats’ defense must do in order to beat Georgia. 

Annoy Bennett — Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett is a veteran game manager. The term “game manager” is often misconstrued as an insult. Quite the contrary. Bennett has excelled in the role and has earned respect. He’s completing 69% of his passes and has thrown for 746 yards, 8 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. 

Kentucky cannot allow Bennett to become comfortable in the pocket. Nor can it allow the quarterback to gain aggravating yards on the ground. This will be a difficult challenge. UGA’s offensive line is extremely physical and has been outstanding in pass protection. The Wildcats are without starting defensive linemen Marquan McCall and Octavious Oxendine. Pressure via the blitz will derive from various position groups. 

Bennett has been efficient in the run game after rushing for 126 yards and 2 touchdowns. The Cats must be disciplined in their rush lanes and not allow the Georgia signal-caller to get out of the pocket. The goal of annoying the opposing signal-caller doesn’t include a definite number. Kentucky cannot allow Bennett to get into a rhythm in the air or on the ground. 

Be a roadblock — Kentucky is allowing 111 rush yards per game. Keeping Georgia’s run game in check is priority number one for the Kentucky defense. The Dawgs are averaging 197 rush yards per game. They are led by a committee of four running backs that have all gained over 100 yards for the season. Zamir White paces the way with 6 touchdowns and 354 yards. James Cook is one of the best pass-catching RBs in the nation. Kendell Milton and Kenny McIntosh are also viable options. 

Georgia has its number one ranking. Style points are no longer in play. Kirby Smart has defeated Kentucky in recent history by simplifying and shortening the game by effectively running the football. I expect the same on Saturday. The Cats could see a heavy dose of between the tackle rushes by the Dawgs. Kentucky must limit Georgia to no more than 175 yards on the ground. 

Score — Kentucky is an obvious underdog. Winning on the road against an opponent like Georgia will take an extraordinary play. A pick-six or fumble recovery for a touchdown could be a deciding factor in the game’s outcome.  

SPECIAL TEAMS

Kentucky is coming off back-to-back, clean special team performances. Georgia has hurt the Cats in the third phase in recent matchups. That cannot happen on Saturday. Coverage teams are essential given the Dawgs’ athleticism in the return game. 

Block and tackle — Football fundamental tasks sound like an easy ask. But, it’s not against a team as talented as Georgia. Kirby Smart utilizes multiple starters in the third phase. The Cats cannot afford a special teams snafu and expect to pull off the upset. 

What Does All This Mean?

“Kentucky has nothing to lose” against Georgia is a defeatist and lazy narrative that I used earlier this week. I was wrong and apologize. Kentucky has a chance to secure first place in the SEC and enter the playoff discussion with a win in Athens. So yes, Kentucky has a whole heck of a lot to lose. Additionally, a segment of media types is spitting an inaccurate storyline by painting Kentucky as a cute underdog story with no chance for victory instead of being a legitimate contender. Numbers don’t lie. Statistically, Kentucky is the best opponent that Georgia will have faced in 2021. Will the Cats beat Georgia? I have no idea. We’ll see. I do know that Mark Stoops’ team plays extremely well as an underdog and will travel to Athens with full intentions on a victorious return. 

Georgia’s top-ranked defense is overwhelming. Talented and extremely well-coached, Kirby Smart’s defense presents all sorts of challenges. But, it’s also not played many teams with an offensive pulse. Georgia’s week-one win over Clemson appeared to be momentous. Then reality set in. Dabo’s offense has proven to be hapless and harmless. Matter of fact, four of its six foes rank from 96^th to 121^st in the nation in total offense: UAB (96), South Carolina (109), Clemson (117), and Vanderbilt (121).

I’m certainly not saying that this Georgia defense is overrated. Quite the contrary. It’s one of the most devastating units that I’ve ever watched play. But, Kentucky is not scared. The Cats aren’t traveling to Athens in search of a moral victory. Kentucky will not be intimidated by Georgia’s lofty ranking or crowd. 

Should be a good one in Athens.