NO. 6 GEORGIA (7-1, 5-1 SEC) AT NO. 11 KENTUCKY (7-1, 5-1)
3:30 p.m. › Kroger Field in Lexington, Ky. CBS & 102.3
THE MATCHUP
Georgia’s run defense has been shaky at times this season and will be challenged today by Kentucky junior tailback Benny Snell, who leads the Southeastern Conference with 935 yards on 179 carries, an average of 5.2 yards per rush. The Wildcats rank fourth in the SEC as a team with 214.0 rushing yards per game, but the Bulldogs are coming off a second half against Florida in which they allowed the Gators just 60 yards on the ground. “It’s tough in the midst of a season to just magically get better,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said of his run defense. “We try to do it through fundamentals, technique, individual block destruction, demeanor and attitude, but you can’t go out and replace players. We have what we have. We would love to have some more depth at those positions, but we don’t, so we have to do a better of job of helping the guys we have to be successful.” Making Kentucky one-dimensional is the obvious goal for Georgia, as the Wildcats have averaged only 148.1 passing yards a game this season, which ranks last in the league.
ONE TO WATCH
Kentucky senior outside linebacker Josh Allen is one of the greatest rags-to-riches stories in SEC history. A two-star member of Kentucky’s 2015 signing class who was the nation’s No. 2,121 prospect according to the 247Sports. com composite rankings, Allen had a chance to turn pro after last season but elected to wreak havoc collegiately for one more year. Allen has 56 tackles through eight games and ranks among the top three Josh Allen nationally in tackles for loss (14.5), sacks (10) and forced fumbles (five). “I didn’t put ‘X’ amount of sacks for him or anything like that,” Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said, “but I did expect him to come back and be a dominant player. I truly knew in my heart that he was a first-round draft pick. I don’t think there is any question about that now.” Allen is being projected as a top-five selection in the 2019 NFL draft.
IN THE END
This is being billed as the biggest football game Kentucky ever has played in Lexington, with the SEC East title being a shared goal. “We are playing for a chance to go to Atlanta,” Georgia junior tight end Isaac Nauta said. “I would say that is all the motivation that we need for this game.” The Wildcats are a remarkable story but don’t have the offensive balance needed to prevail.