Kentucky looking to upset Georgia in upside-down version of rivalry game
LEXINGTON, Ky. — It seems like the Kentucky vs. Georgia game finds us here every year. By early November, the SEC contenders have been separated from the SEC pretenders. And this year, like so many before, in the UK-UGA game, one team is striving for the top of the division and a chance to represent the league in Atlanta, and the other is hoping to string together six victories to get bowl eligible.
Except, this year, Kentucky is the first team, and Georgia is the second.
It’s only one of many ways that the usual script for this rivalry is very typical — except for being turned upside down.
Things are pretty standard at the quarterback spot. One of those guys has hit on 57 percent of his passes, averages 7.7 yards per attempt, and has a quarterback rating of 133. The other has completed 53 percent of his throws for just 6.3 yards per attempt, and is almost 20 points behind the other in QB rating. But UK passer Stephen Johnson, a two-star backup UK nabbed from a JUCO after he transferred out of Grambling, is the first guy. And UGA five-star stud Jacob Eason is the second.
Even in the backfield, it looks like a typical UK-UGA game. One team has two stud running backs who will end up in the NFL, the No. 3 and No. 9 rushers in the conference, with a combined total of 1,482 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns. The other has two talented backs, who have had some injury issues and struggle at times with effectiveness. Those two have combined for 966 yards and six touchdowns. But surprising Kentucky backs Boom Williams and Benny Snell are the first group, and Georgia all-SEC disappointments Nick Chubb and Sony Michel are the second.
And of course, coaching is always an issue. The Bulldogs are the team of steady, competent leadership. Even when times are tough, they can count on a seasoned coach who will pull out the needed stops to assure a win. Except that this year, first-year head coach Kirby Smart has often looked like he skipped a few sessions of Head Coaching 101. And Kentucky coach Mark Stoops has abandoned the unfulfilled hope of Air Raid football, took an active role in his defense, and suddenly has his Wildcats winning games that they used to lose.
Georgia is one game that the Wildcats have often lost. UK’s last win over the Bulldogs came in 2009, when Georgia QB Joe Cox (no, I am not him) threw two interceptions, one of which led to a Kentucky touchdown. The last win in Lexington came in 2006, in a game where the goal posts were torn down and Coach Rich Brooks cemented his reputation as a master rebuilder who had transformed UK football from a probation-ridden mess to a team that could line up toe-to-toe with anybody in the SEC.
On one level, the fact that Kentucky has just been a competitor in the East in 2016, and is almost guaranteed a bowl appearance, means that the Wildcats are playing with house money. UGA still has a generally more talented group of players than the Wildcats, and accordingly are a 2-point road favorite.
But for this Kentucky team, after decades of dashed hopes and squandered opportunities, the chance is there to make another statement in the SEC. That statement, should Arkansas pull a mild upset against Florida, would mean being the top SEC East squad in the standings on Sunday morning.
Over the course of Kentucky’s rapid rise up the SEC East standings, the Wildcats have sometimes been good, sometimes been lucky, but mostly, just been opportunistic.
And when could chances be better to upset Georgia than the year where the UK-UGA game — and maybe the SEC East standings — has been turned upside-down?
A Kentucky win on Saturday night over Georgia would be anything but typical — which is probably the foremost reason for thinking it might happen.
Anybody else out there consider this to be a “rivalry” game?
No. They have only beaten UGA three times this century so its not much of a rivalry. It is a favorite trip to Lexington every other year.
This is not a rivalry recognized by either school. Joe Cox didn’t do his homework.
This isn’t a rivalry, out only rivals are Vandy, UT, Louisville, Miss St., Florida, & Indiana in football, even though our long one series with Indiana, which we called the battle for the bourbon barrel, hasn’t been played since 2005
The “rivalry” with Florida is only a one-way rivalry in football.
There’s no denying that, lol, I was in the swamp this year, they were only nice to me there since they knew they would beat us, haha
Our*
As a Dawg fan I don’t really know what to expect of this game. If they play like they have much of the season a win could be doubtful but if they play with an effort like they did against Tennessee then I think the Dawgs will win. It depends on which Georgia team shows up.
If GA can control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, we will win. If not, that Bluegrass will leave an awful taste in the mouth.
Kentucky will need to play perfect to win this game.
This is a rebuilding year so Kentucky better take advantage of the opportunity
If Chubb and Michel get hot it will be a long night for the Cats
Not a rivalry, but thanks. Interesting points here though. Close, hard-fought ground game on both sides. Gonna come down to it but the Cats pull it out, maybe thanks to Austin again.
Joe, apparently you haven’t been reading the Lexington Herald. If Kentucky wins, it isn’t going to be an upset. Heck, the articles this week are full of news how we are now a true competitor in the upper echelon of the SEC EAST higher archery. You win four SEC games over four teams that have won a total of four between themselves, heck, all the 2-6 seasons are simply a forgotten nightmare. We haven’t been a permanent fixture of the bottom two of the SEC EAST, for over a couple of decades, the record books just say so. No, Joe, from now on we are to be only spoken in words of praise. Mention us in only the realm of the Floridas and Tennessees. We use to respect Georgia but since they fired a coach who only averaged, what, nine or ten wins a year, who knows.
Since we really need two more wins to actually have a winning season, and if not able to beat Georgia or Tennessee, we always have the Louisville game to fall back on.
What a positive ray of sunshine!
You must be irregular and suffering from male dysfunctional disorders
Try prune juice and viagra
He averaged 10 wins a year.
In what universe is UGA-UK a rivalry game? Seriously, lay off the mind-altering drugs.
On a side note, I don’t care what the line is, a UK win would not be an upset; I expect it (just hope I’m wrong).
Did you read the article?
The point of the article is this is a very unusual SEC East season
Georgia is normally in the hunt for the SEC East. This season KY is in the hunt. That is why it is an upside down rivalry