ATHENS IN RUINS?
BULLDOGS MUST PUT UGLY AUBURN LOSS BEHIND THEM, FOCUS ON ’CATS
KEYS FOR KENTUCKY
Long possessions. Kentucky isn’t an offensive dynamo, and it’s not as if anyone other than Auburn has gotten much traction against Georgia, anyway. But the Wildcats — with the help of 1,000-yard rusher Benny Snell — need to figure out a way to string together some first downs and keep their defense off the field. Shortening the game is a good strategy for Mark Stoops’ team.
Contain the run. If Kentucky is to pull an upset, it needs to play to its strengths to some extent. In this case, it means taming the capable Georgia rushing attack of Nick Chubb and Sony Michel. Kentucky is 19th in the country against the run (121.9 yards per game), while the Bulldogs’ average of 256 yards per game on the ground ranks 10th in the country.
KEYS FOR GEORGIA
No hangover. If Georgia had an aura of invincibility — considering it hadn’t been seriously tested deep in a game since early September, it looked like it was a top-five team — it disappeared in last week’s blowout loss at Auburn. But the Bulldogs still have a lot to play for. If they win out — against Kentucky, Georgia Tech and the SEC West winner — they’re going to the playoff. Attack through the air. Gradually, Georgia has become more comfortable with letting freshman QB Jake Fromm become more of a threat through the air. He’s attempted at least 20 passes in three of the last four games after doing so just once in the first half of the season. PREDICTION
Georgia 31-13. The Bulldogs have won seven in a row in the series, and there’s a good chance they’ll be out to atone for last week’s ugly showing on the Plains. Consider that a bit of bad timing for Kentucky, which has alternated wins and losses since the start of October and is heading to the postseason for the second year in a row. The Wildcats’ first eight-win season since 2007 is within reach; they’ll probably have to wait until next week to get it.