COLUMN: Georgia Game-Week Provides Harsh Reminder Toward Kentucky's Failed Season
Kentucky football's season isn't over, but it sure feels like it.
This Saturday will witness the No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs enter Kroger Field as the current betting-favorite to repeat as National Champion. Kentucky was supposed to contend for the SEC East with the Bulldogs this year, but instead is still trying to recover from Vanderbilt quarterback Mike Wright carving up its usually-stout defense.
Life comes at you fast...almost as fast as Wright on a read option.
It sure ain't slowing down either, as UGA head coach Kirby Smart is revving his Dawgs up for another "bloodbath" in Lexington:
“I think there’s a major league respect for Kentucky in our program, because the kids that have played against Kentucky, it's been a bloodbath, man."
One glance at the tale of the tape and you too may think a bloodbath is in store this weekend in Lexington. The issue for Mark Stoops and his Wildcats, however, is they might be the only ones bleeding.
Georgia allows just 11.6 points-per-game. Despite losing multiple first-round draft picks to the NFL, Smart was able to reload and bring in just as good of a group on defense thanks to some budding freshmen and sophomores.
"You don’t have much time to feel sorry for yourself when you have a team like Georgia coming in," Stoops noted at the SEC Teleconference on Wednesday. "When they’re as dominant as they’ve been, they’re able to play so many guys and get valuable game experience and that’s evident in this situation where you have so many maybe star players a year ago and these guys got quality reps. They’re developing and recruiting and so, they’re plugged in and ready to go. There’s absolutely no drop-off.”
If you've watched Kentucky attempt to put some offensive drives together over the past few weeks of the season, it's easy to understand just how big of a mismatch this is between UGA co-defensive coordinators Glenn Schumann and Will Muschamp, and Kentucky offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello.
On the other side, Kentucky DC Brad White and his group have put together a solid 2022 campaign, but there's a lethal weapon named Brock Bowers that's set to steamroll through the Bluegrass this weekend.
The top-class tight end has merked one defense after another this season, tallying 39 receptions for 615 yards and four touchdowns. The battered and bruised UK linebacker core and secondary will find containing Bowers for four quarters a near-impossible task.
Flashback to the beginning of the season, where everyone in Lexington had Nov. 17 circled on the schedule. It was thought to be a potential SEC title eliminator, set to take place in front of a sold-out Kroger Field, witnessing the rowdy Big Blue Nation willing its Cats to the finish line with Brad Nessler and Gary Danielson on the call in the 3:30 CBS time slot.
Just one of those things remain true with kickoff around 48 hours away, and that's because game-times are announced two weeks before the actual game, and I don't think CBS had a 24-21 Vandy win in the cards when originally choosing to come to Lexington.
Instead, a heap of red will make its presence felt in a sea of blue...quite the metaphor for all of the internal bleeding the Wildcats have caused themselves on the field through 10 games this season.
That's not to say that Stoops' team is going to lay down for the Bulldogs. Throw in whatever "punching the clock" or "picking up the lunch pale" metaphor you want, it almost always happens to ring true with Kentucky. Physical football will be played at Kroger Field this weekend, make no doubts about that.
Chris Rodriguez is going to fight for his yardage. Will Levis will try and make something happen, healthy or not. Deone Walker will wreck a run play or two.
Unfortunately for Kentucky, it likely won't make a difference once the dust settles. Dreams of an all-time season for the Wildcats were killed some time ago...all Georgia can do now is begin the funeral, leaving Louisville with a chance to close the casket.
Kentucky Football News and Stories
Mark Stoops Adjusting to "New World" of College Football, Transfer Portal
Wildcats and Cardinals to Square Off at Midday Next Weekend
Depth Chart update for Kentucky football can be found here.
More on Kentucky's stunning loss to the Commodores here.
COLUMN: Scangarello's Fate Sealed Following Vandy Loss
Will Levis Frustrated by Kentucky's Lack of Energy, Execution
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