Georgia and Kentucky have played 68 times dating back to 1939, but the historical context between the Bulldogs and Wildcats can hardly be deemed a “rivalry.”

Georgia has dominated the series 54-12-2, and owns a five-game winning streak against Mark Stoops’ program. Kentucky has won just five of the last 37 meetings with the Bulldogs. The last time the Wildcats won in Athens, Randall Cobb hauled in two touchdowns for a 34-27 Kentucky win during the 2009 campaign.

Despite the lopsided past, the 69th installment of cats versus dogs might not be as one-sided as previous years. Both squads limp into this Week 10 matchup owners of season-altering losing skids — Georgia (5-3, 3-3 SEC) dropping three of its last four and Kentucky (4-4, 2-4) three straight.

Both the Bulldogs and Wildcats face similar questions at running back and very different scenarios under center.

The Georgia offense has plunged into disarray, scoring 45.5 points per game in its first four games and just 12.5 PPG in its last four contests. Much of that has to do with a running game that’s stalled out with the season-ending injury to star RB Nick Chubb in Week 6 against Tennessee. Sony Michel has garnered 335 all-purpose yards (277 rushing) in Chubb’s absence, but has seen his totals nearly halved in each of his last three outings and has yet to score a rushing touchdown. He’s had one receiving touchdown.

Richt revealed this week that Michel, who was also dealing with groin issues, broke his hand last week against Florida and played through the pain — albeit with about half as many carries (13) as he’d been averaging.

In search of depth, back-up Keith Marshall might see an expanded role against Kentucky, which allows 182.3 yards per game on the ground to opponents this season (No. 87 nationally). Marshall was supposed to be the third piston in an engine that was the Georgia rushing attack this season. But that hasn’t worked out as planned, as Marshall has rushed for just 155 yards and hasn’t rushed for double-digit carries in a contest since Week 1’s wash-out of Louisiana-Monroe. In fact, he’s failed to crest five carries per game since.

Kentucky can somewhat empathize, just not on such a high level. The Wildcats will be without  star RB Stanley “Boom” Williams when Kentucky lines up against a Georgia’s No. 8-ranked  SEC rush defense, but No. 35 nationally (138.0 YPG). Williams leads the Wildcats with 563 yards and three touchdowns, but will sit out in Week 10 with an elbow injury suffered last week against Tennessee.

“I know they’ve done the rest by committee between (Jojo) Kemp, (Mikel) Horton and (Sihiem) King,” Richt said of Kentucky during his Tuesday press conference. “I think Horton had over a 100-yard game after Williams was out of the game just recently. Still, I’m sure they’ll still be able to run the football and run it well, but Williams has been a pretty dynamic player for them.”

Kentucky has a marked advantage over Georgia at quarterback. While some of the offense’s struggles can be laid at the feet of the Bulldog rushing game, it’s Richt’s passing attack woes that have doomed them this season. Richt essentially opened up his quarterback competition this week, allowing the maligned Greyson Lambert, the inexperienced Faton Bauta or Brice Ramsey, who seems to want to be the team’s punter rather than its quarterback to compete of for the starting nod.

Bauta replaced Lambert last week, who’d started Georgia’s first seven games, but the junior did little to claim the job, throwing for 154 yards and 4 interceptions. Ramsey, who spent most of the season at No. 2 on the Bulldogs’ depth chart, punted five times last week for a 43.4 average and feels comfortable in the role, Richt said.

Patrick Towles is steady under center for Kentucky. The junior quarterback is on pace to equal his 2,718 yards from last season, to go along with nine passing touchdowns and five rushing scores. But Towles is coming off one of his lowest passing totals of the season (184 yards against Tennessee) and faces a Georgia secondary that can be stingy against the pass, yielding 183.0 YPG, second-fewest in the SEC (No. 22 nationally) behind Missouri. Also working in Georgia’s favor is that Towles is also good for about 1.25 interceptions per game.

The quarterback thrives in the red zone, where Kentucky scores 89 percent of the time, including 17 touchdowns in 24 trips. The Bulldogs, conversely, are tops in the conference when it comes to denying opponents inside UGA’s 20-yard line. Opposing teams score just 69 percent of the time against Georgia in the red zone, followed closely by linebacker Josh Forrest and a Wildcats defense that ranks third in the conference (75 percent in red zone).

Long story short, Saturday’s contest has all the makings of being a low-scoring affair.

KENTUCKY WILDCATS AT A GLANCE

Top returning player, offense: Patrick Towles, Jr., QB – Patrick Towles is on pace to equal his 2,718 yards passing and 13 touchdowns from last season. The junior ranks No. 4 in the SEC in passing yards with 1,914 yards and nine touchdowns.

Top returning player, defense: Josh Forrest, Sr., LB – Josh Forrest leads the Wildcats once again in tackles (66), and should surpass his 110 take-downs from a year ago. The senior from Paducah, Ky., leads Kentucky in sacks (3.5) and is second in tackles-for-loss (4.5), interceptions (1), pass break-ups (5), passes defended (6), quarterback hurries (7) and forced fumbles (1). In short, Forrest does a little bit of everything for Mark Stoops’ defense.

Top returning players, special teams: Austin Macginnis, So., PK – Kentucky has one of the best place-kickers in the SEC in Austin Macginnis. The first-team Freshman All-American set program records for points in a season (104), field goals in a season (21), extra points in a season without a miss (41 of 41), kickoff touchbacks in a season (25), longest field goal (54 yards) and consecutive field goals made (9). This season, the sophomore is 11 of 13 with a long of 48 and four field goals made between 40-49 yards out.