With Alabama losing last week, Georgia took over the number one spot in the college football rankings. This week, they put that ranking to the test as they take on a Kentucky team that has been shooting up the polls themselves. In this battle of SEC unbeaten, the team that comes out with a win will be in a great position to make a run to the SEC Championship Game at the end of the season.
Kentucky Wildcats
Kentucky enters this game at 6-0 and 4-0 in SEC play, just like their top-ranked opponent in Georgia. They are coming off of back-to-back home wins against Florida and LSU, which have propelled the Wildcats to number 11 in the country. The Wildcats have gone three straight weeks allowing 21 points or less to their opponents, but this game against Georgia will be the toughest they’ve faced so far.
The Wildcats enter this game as a 23.5-point underdog, which is less of an indictment against Kentucky and more of a testament to how good Georgia really is. For Kentucky, the goal for this game has to be keeping the chains moving, keeping the Georgia defense on the field for as long as possible while whittling down the number of possessions in the game. If they can do that, Kentucky could keep this game close.
Georgia Bulldogs
The Georgia Bulldogs defense is on pace to become one of the all-time great defenses in college football history. This season, Georgia has yet to allow 14 points or more to an opponent and has held opponents to seven points or less in four of their six games thus far. Kentucky is red hot right now, but the Georgia defense is designed specifically to slow down even the most successful teams and is likely to do the same here.
The question ahead of this game for Georgia will be their quarterback situation, as starting quarterback JT Daniels is battling injury. Stetson Bennett has played in his place previously but might not be enough against a Kentucky team that is more well-rounded than any of Georgia’s previous opponents. But when a team is allowing just over 200 yards per game like Georgia is, the quarterbacks have some margin for error.
Georgia Defense Too Much To Handle
The massive spread in this game does make it tempting to take Kentucky to cover the number here. But it is worth remembering that Kentucky has yet to play a team as defensively gifted as the Georgia Bulldogs this season. Combine that with Georgia being at home in the coveted 3:30 PM ET time slot during SEC play, and the atmosphere will benefit Georgia in addition to their on-field advantages.
After this game, Georgia only plays one more opponent that is currently ranked this season. That opponent is Florida in their annual rivalry game against Georgia. Expect the Bulldogs to get through Kentucky and move one step closer to getting through the rest of the season with the number one ranking in college football.
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