Game & Broadcast Info
- Kickoff: Saturday, October 7 – 7:00 p.m. ET
- Location: Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium (92,746) | Athens, Ga.
- 2023 Records: Georgia 5-0 (2-0 SEC), Kentucky 5-0 (2-0 SEC)
- 2023 Rankings: Georgia #1 AP/#1 COACHES, Kentucky #20 AP/#20 Coaches
- TV: ESPN (Play-by-Play: Sean McDonough; Analyst: Greg McElroy; Sideline: Molly McGrath)
- Video Stream: ESPN+
- Radio: 95-5 FM WSB – Bulldog Network | Affiliates | Scott Howard (PxP), Eric Zeier (Color), DJ Shockley (sideline)
- Audio Stream: georgiadogs.com
- Satellite: Ch. 82
- Web Stats: georgiadogs.com
- Twitter: #UKvsUGA
- SECN ReBroadcast: 10/12 12:00 p.m. and 10/13 1:00 a.m.
- History: Georgia vs. Kentucky All-Time Series Results: UGA 62-12-2
- Last Meeting: 11/19/22 – W, 16-6 in Lexington, Ky.
- Tickets: SeatGeek
“Better Never Rests”
Kirby Smart is in his eighth year directing the Georgia Bulldogs who are 86-15 in this span including back-to-back national championships in 2021 and 2022. This offseason, Georgia took a deep dive on the New Zealand All Blacks, the world’s most successful rugby team, or quite frankly, any sports team in history.
SEC Nation Returns To Athens
Georgia is 23-10 all-time with SEC Nation on site, including 7-3 in Athens. Along with being at last year’s College Football Playoff games, SEC Nation’s last on campus visit came in Georgia’s 27-13 win over No. 1 Tennessee in 2022.
Student-Athlete Mental Health Week
The UGA Athletic Association has teamed with Hilinski’s Hope for its 2023 Student-Athlete Mental Health Week, which runs Sept. 30-Oct. 7. The goal of this week is to raise awareness about the mental health resources available to students and student-athletes. Georgia football players will wear green ribbon decals on their helmets for the Kentucky game. Created in memory of Tyler Hilinski, who died by suicide in 2018, Hilinski’s Hope is a national organization promoting mental health support and suicide prevention for student-athletes.
Bulldogs Welcome Ranked Matchup Under The Lights
Top-ranked Georgia meets No. 20 Kentucky in a battle of unbeatens Saturday night at Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium. Both teams are 5-0 overall and 2-0 in the SEC. ESPN will televise the matchup at 7 p.m., and SEC Nation will be on campus starting Friday. SEC Nation was in Lexington last week for UK’s win over No. 22 Florida.
The Bulldogs have won a record 13 straight in the series including 16-6 in Lexington last year that featured a 99-yard TD drive by the Wildcats in the fourth quarter. Georgia had just three possessions in the first half that resulted in three field goals for a 9-0 edge. Kentucky’s last win over Georgia came in 2009 in Athens. Georgia leads the all-time series 62-12-2 including 31-4-2 at home. The last ranked matchup between the two came here in 2021 when top-ranked Georgia beat No. 11 Kentucky 30-13.
Getting Off The Field
One of the keys to Georgia’s latest SEC win was its ability stop Auburn on third down. The Tigers were just 2-for-12 in third down conversions while the Bulldogs were 8-for-13. Georgia is ranked sixth nationally in third down defense, allowing opponents to convert just under 25 percent of the time. The last two years, Georgia’s offense has had limited possessions against Kentucky due to some methodical drives by the Wildcats. Last year, UK had the second longest non-scoring possession in Georgia history as it held the football for 10:20. It was a 13-play, 57-yard drive that ended with a Bulldog interception by Kelee Ringo at the UGA 2 yard line. In 2021, UK had the longest ever scoring possession by an opponent, holding the football for 11:23, going 75 yards in 22 plays that ended with a TD.
About Kentucky
5-0 (2-0 SEC) for the third time in the last six seasons under Mark Stoops (also 2018 and 2021). Now in his 11th season, Stoops is 71-59 and is the second longest tenured SEC coach.
Ranks 19th in Scoring Defense, giving up just 15.2 points/game.
Held each of its first five opponents of the season under 100 yards rushing for the first time in school history.
Has forced a turnover in nine consecutive regular-season games, going back to last season.
Senior transfer Ray Davis (76 rush, 594 yards, 8 TDs), who began his career at Temple and then Vanderbilt, had a monster day in the latest win over No. 22 Florida this past Saturday. He had 26 carries for a career-high 280 yards and a career-best three touchdowns rushing plus a nine-yard touchdown reception.
Sophomore DB Maxwell Hairston has a team-best 33 tackles and three INTs. UK Football SID: Susan Lax; Email: slax0@uky.edu
Bulldogs Again Among The Leaders In Scoring Defense
Since the arrival of Kirby Smart in 2016, the Bulldogs have featured talented defenses and twice led the nation in Scoring Defense. This season, Georgia is ranked 14th nationally allowing 13.0 points/game. The Bulldogs return 12 players who have starting experience from a group that ranked fifth nationally in 2022 allowing opponents only 14.3 points per contest.
Year |
Pts./Game |
NCAA Rank |
Record |
Shutouts |
2016 |
24.0 |
35th |
8-5 |
0 |
2017 |
16.4 |
6th |
13-2 |
1 |
2018 |
19.2 |
15th |
11-3 |
1 |
2019 |
12.6 |
1st |
12-2 |
3 |
2020 |
20.0 |
16th |
8-2 |
0 |
2021 |
10.2 |
1st |
14-1 |
3 |
2022 |
14.3 |
5th |
15-0 |
2 |
2023 |
13.0 |
14th |
5-0 |
0 |
We’ve Gone Streaking
Georgia is on a school record 22-game winning streak that began with a 34-11 win over Michigan in the 2021 CFP semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl.
Georgia is enjoying a school record streak of 32 consecutive regular season victories that dates to a 31-24 home triumph over Mississippi State on Nov. 21, 2020. That’s the longest streak in the FBS.
Georgia has won 21 regular season SEC games in a row dating back to a 31-24 win over Mississippi State on Nov. 21, 2020. The Bulldogs school record for consecutive SEC wins is 23, which was set during a stretch from 1980 to 1983.
The Bulldogs are 34-1 in their last 35 games including back-to-back national championships.
The Bulldogs have won 22 straight at home. The current streak began with a 21-0 win over Kentucky on Oct. 19, 2019. Georgia’s longest home winning streak is 24 set from 1980-83.
Piling Up The Points Again
The 2023 Bulldogs: Averaging 38.6 points/game (15th nationally)
Outscored their opponents 193-65, including 89-38 in the opening half
Own a +128 point differential; 23-for-26 in the Red Zone with 17 TDs, 6 FGs
The 2022 Bulldogs: Averaged 41.1 points/game (5th nationally)
Outscored their opponents 616-214, including 341-105 in the opening half
Second consecutive year led the nation in point differential at +402
81 of 83 in the Red Zone (98% led nation) with 57 TDs and 24 FGs
The 2021 Bulldogs: Averaged 38.6 points/game (9th nationally)
Outscored their opponents 579-153, including 358-65 in the opening half
Led the nation in point differential at +426
59 of 69 in the Red Zone (86% ranked 50th) with 42 TDs and 17 FGs
The Power Of Bowers
All-American and 2022 Mackey Award winner junior Brock Bowers is one of the nation’s top talents. Most recently, the Napa, Ca., native tallied eight receptions for a career-high 157 yards and a score in the road win over Auburn.
16 rushes for 172 yards and five TDs in his career
Two receiving scores and a rushing score in the same game twice (At South Carolina in 2022 and at Vanderbilt in 2021)
Nine career 100-yard receiving games; three of his career TD catches have covered 75+ yards; his first career TD catch covered 89 yards against UAB.
Bulldogs Record Book Watch
PASS RECEPTIONS – CAREER: |
1. |
204 |
Terrence Edwards |
1999-2002 |
2. |
182 |
Brice Hunter |
1992-95 |
3. |
174 |
Malcolm Mitchell |
2011-15 |
4. |
166 |
A.J. Green |
2008-10 |
5. |
161 |
Fred Gibson |
2001-04 |
6. |
158 |
Mohamed Massaquoi |
2005-08 |
7. |
149 |
Brock Bowers |
2021- |
RECEIVING YARDS – CAREER: |
1. |
3,093 |
Terrence Edwards |
1999-2002 |
2. |
2,884 |
Fred Gibson |
2001-04 |
3. |
2,619 |
A.J. Green |
2008-10 |
4. |
2,602 |
Tavarres King |
2008-12 |
5. |
2,373 |
Brice Hunter |
1992-95 |
6. |
2,350 |
Malcolm Mitchell |
2011-15 |
7. |
2,282 |
Mohamed Massaquoi |
2005-08 |
8. |
2,237 |
Brock Bowers |
2021- |
TD RECEPTIONS – CAREER: |
Year |
Pts./Game |
NCAA Rank |
Record |
|
1. |
30 |
Terrence Edwards |
1999-2002 |
T2. |
23 |
Brock Bowers |
2021- |
|
23 |
A.J. Green |
2008-10 |
“One Moment” Resonates With O-Line
The Bulldogs responded to a 14-3 halftime deficit to South Carolina in the SEC opener thanks in part to the message from coach Kirby Smart who said “Win one moment at a time.” That was evident in the play of the offensive line that helped pave the way for a season-high 189 rushing yards in a 24-14 comeback. Against USC, junior starting RT Amarius Mims went down with an ankle injury, and the unit was already without junior utility lineman Austin Blaske. Senior Xavier Truss moved from LG to RT and redshirt sophomore Dylan Fairchild came in at LG. Fairchild has started the last two games at that spot. RSo. Micah Morris also saw time at LG against the Blazers and Tigers.
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