Photo by UK Athletics
I’m not sure Kentucky has ever played defense for a full game like they did vs. the No. 1 ranked Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday. The Wildcats gave the Bulldogs their toughest test of the season, but fell short in the 16-6 loss.
Before Saturday’s game, Kentucky’s defense had given up an average of 24.6 points per game over their last six games. During that same span, the Georgia offense had averaged 39.5 points per game.
The Wildcats have dealt with injuries all season, specifically with their veteran linebacking core of DeAndre Square and Jacquez Jones. They’ve also been without veteran defensive back Vito Tisdale for the entire season.
Despite dealing with those injuries and an offense that couldn’t move the ball until the fourth quarter of Saturday’s game, the Wildcats went blow for blow with a Bulldogs offense that ranks No. 3 in the country.
Kentucky limited Georgia to three field goals from inside the red zone and held the Bulldogs out of the end zone during the first half to give their team life.
They forced an interception to begin the third quarter and gave up their only touchdown of the day after back-to-back three and outs from the Kentucky offense.
Kentucky’s defense then held Georgia scoreless over the remaining 21 minutes with a goal line stand on their own one-yard line and two punts afterwards.
Every time Kentucky’s offense turned the ball over or was forced to punt, the defense rose up to the challenge of keeping a lid on the Bulldogs offense. Brad White continues to be a gem of a defensive coordinator and his players left it all on the field Saturday night.
It’s painful to realize Kentucky needed just 17 points from their offense of Will Levis, Chris Rodriguez, Barion Brown and others to pull off what would have been a shocking upset and inarguably one of the greatest victories in program history.
But that pretty much sums up the 2022 season for Kentucky. Painful.
4 Responses
The defense has had its stumbles over the course of the season, but the defense has been the only bright light shining for this team.
Yesterday, as has been the case all season, the offense was …. well, ineffective to be kind. It shot itself in the foot repeatedly again, and only managed one score with another interception in the red zone, and an inability to move the ball 1 yard in three attempts within striking range.
The kicking game was again inept with long snap problems and kicking problems that are simply inexplicable given the number of times Coach Stoops has said "we just have to get this fixed"
Well, coach, if you are not able to get it fixed, why not hire a special teams coach who either can or be held specifically responsible for the failures?
A season on the brink, we were told. Most of us bought into this idea. I know I did. The question no one asked is, "On the brink of what?"
I believed it was the brink of SEC Championship competitiveness.
I believed it was the brink of permanent national prominence.
Well, I was wrong.
It is a season on the brink alright. The Brink Of a Major Program Reversal to the days of old, the days of missed opportunities, the days or excuses. The days of half empty Commonwealth on cold windy days.
This fan is suffering from a shocking reality check!!!!
It’s like life some things just don’t go as planned and this football season hasn’t gone the way we had hope when the season started. Life is too short to dwell on it let’s cheer them on next week against Louisville. With a win it will salvage the disappointed season and give us confidence to go for our 5th in row bowl win.
Of course, you are right, and that is what I am doing on my part.
A bowl with 7-5 will be better than one at 6-6, and a win over Louisville is always sweet.
Louisville is a worthy opponent this year, and Louisville has been on the rise throughout the season. UK has been Up and Down.
UK will have to perform as well as it did yesterday to get this win, and if it takes the day off like it did in games 4, 5, 6, 8, and 10, it will lose game 12.
Louisville has played better this season than Missouri and South Carolina.
Louisville will be ready for the Cats. Will the Cats be ready for them?
Good question
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