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Kentucky went toe-to-toe with potential national champion Georgia, led a lot of the game and held Georgia to only 264 total yards.
This was nothing like the Kentucky team that got blasted 31-6 by South Carolina a week earlier but in the end, it turned into another loss for Kentucky against Georgia.
The Bulldogs had two sustained scoring drives in the second half and that was enough to hold on to beat Kentucky 13-12 Saturday night in front of a passionate Kentucky fan base.
Kentucky coach Mark Stoops got a much more spirited effort from his team but while the offensive line atoned for its miserable play against South Carolina, Georgia did get pressure on quarterback Brock Vandagriff but UK adjusted. However, what Kentucky didn’t do was take a chance or two when it was in scoring position to go for a touchdown rather than a field goal.
And trailing 13-12 with 3:03 to play, Stoops elected not to go for it on fourth-and-eight at the Georgia 47. Instead, UK punted and Georgia ran out all but the final nine seconds on the clock. Kentucky also had the ball at the Georgia 15-yard line with nine seconds left in the first half when Stoops had Alex Raynor kick a field goal on third down rather than taking a shot into the end zone. That gave UK a 6-3 lead but to beat the No. 1 team that has won 42 straight regular-season games, maybe you have to take a few chances.
However, there’s no denying this was more like the team Kentucky fans expected to have this year. It didn’t miss tackles. It didn’t get pushed around. It showed passion.
“You see the plays we gave up against South Carolina and we know we are better than that. We know we are a better football team than we put on the field against South Carolina but stuff happens,” safety Zion Childress, who had five tackles in the first quarter, said. “We knew we could do better.”
Probably the biggest surprise in the game was the way the UK offensive line played. Quarterback Brock Vandagriff did get hit and have the ball stripped away for a 25-yard loss/fumble that set up a Georgia field goal. But three sacks and five tackles for loss was an improvement against a big-time defense.
Kentucky rushed for 170 yards and went 9-for-16 on third-down conversions AGAINST GEORGIA. Kentucky had 73 plays to 54 against Georgia.
“I think the offensive line showed its true colors. They were stung by criticism from South Carolina and they really came out and played a lot better,” UK Radio Network analyst Jeff PIecoro said.
“They are holding up at the line of scrimmage. They have had mistakes and not flawless but it has been much better (than South Carolina). The running game is better and receivers have made some plays, too,” ESPN analyst Greg McElroy said during the game.
Georgia coach Kirby Smart admitted that his offense “wasn’t able to generate anything” against UK’s defensive front.
But now you have to wonder — who is the real Kentucky? Is it the team that got pushed and knocked around by South Carolina or is it the UK that had a great chance to beat Georgia.
Kentucky is 1-2 with road games left at Ole Miss, Tennessee and Texas — all top 20 teams — along with Florida. Play like the Cats did against Georgia and more wins can be had. Play like they did against South Carolina and the wins could be few and far between.
“I thought we had the right recipe to win. We did the things necessary. We just had to make a few more plays,” Stoops said.
15 Responses
Coulda, woulda, shoulda. The game of football is not for dreamers.
These were the real UK players who overcame the typical pre-game in-pep talk that usually puts UK in a trance. The players must have had ear plugs in so they would not fall asleep before kick off.
Zero credit to overpaid Stoops & most of his staff.
Any team that holds Georgia or any other team to just 13 points should win that game. How did this defense allow 31 points to South Carolina? Running for 170 yards against the Dawgs was impressive, scoring only 12 points was not. The O line is definitely better suited for the run game, but we have to do better in the air. You can’t expect to beat a good team if you can’t score touchdowns, or in this game, at least one touchdown. Ohio should be a blowout, Ole Miss will be the game that tells us if the Georgia game was a fluke or not. A loss is still a loss, leaving us at 1-2. I still see a 6-7 season…at best. I don’t see us beating Ole Miss, Tennessee, Texas, or Louisville. Go CATS!
When its 2nd and 4 and second and 3 you have to take shots. Your already ahead of the sticks you have to let it fly. I thought we had this great receiver room and we don’t. Dropped passes plague us again this year how does that happen? I’ve seen high school teams secure the ball better. Another thing that kills us is the refs missing calls. We had a hands to the face of a defense player penalty and our running back got his helmet ripped off by a Georgia player. I seen a bunch of blown calls by the officials. That interception was a 50/50 call there wasnt enough evidence if the ball did hit the ground. It looked like his hands were underneath the ball. That would have won us the game that one touchdown called back. Our defense is unbelievable. Very very good. Yes they mess up on third downs but they’ve played great the first 3 games. Our offense can’t score a touch down and that was the difference in the game. Also I think I would have punted to on 4 th down if we would have stopped them sooner and had more time we would have won. I’m proud of there performance because I thought it would be 31-0 at halftime. We played great just couldn’t capitalize. This game brought me hope for the rest of the year. Georgia is on another level than the rest of college football. They’ve won 27 SEC games in a row and we were very close. I think we can play with anybody and beat anybody but also lose to anybody. I see a another 7-5 season if all goes well maybe 8-4. I think we lose to Texas and someone else. But it can still be a ok season. Not great but steady. If brock and Barion brown and Dane key come back next year we will have a good offense next year. Its hard in football for a first year offensive coordinator a first year quarterback who has never started. I think brocks play will continue to get better every game. Here’s another angle if we can’t pass the ball why not put a running quarterback in the game and run it every time. We get 5-6 yards a clip. Put Wimsatt in there and turn him lose running the football for a possession and see what happens. This team is to conservative.
They had acted during the week that Whimsat was going to see some PT. Our OL played much better than last week but still need to tighten it up on pass protection. The front 7 was lights out, and I think playing at a level as any in the country. Secondary continues to very porous and weakest link on D. The running backs played very well considering great UGA D. I am still not sold on Brock as SEC ready and Hamdan as SEC ready either. I think some plays for Brock to move out of the pocket were there. Stoops….still Stoops. Only shows emotion if disagrees with penalty call. I hope this is his last year.
One more thing. Forgot to mention the weakest link of the team…our over hyped wide receivers. Why is it that our receivers can never get open and then continue to miss more than should for all their hype. This has been a problem for last few years. Our receivers continue to struggle with separation. I am not sure that Brown or Key will be returning and, if not, not sure that big a deal. Also, it has been constantly said the last 3 or 4 yrs that we would be getting the tight ends more involved…..still waiting.
Our wide receiver room and offensive line were supposed to be our strongest position groups and it seems to me they aren’t even average. There is no way Barion Brown or Dane Key are not ready for the NFL. Maybe they transfer to the highest bidder for one last run at it next year but their is no way they get drafted. They can’t get any separation against south carolina. Barion Brown drops at least 2 passes a game. He’s a great return man but a average receiver at best. Key is a better wide receiver than Brown and he isn’t ready. We should have a good offense next year but we lose everyone in defense. This is a once in a 5 year type of defense. We have to have the number one rushing defense in football.
Played a great game. I wished they would have kept running the ball their next to last possession. They were 2nd and eight. I believe they could have ran it 3 times and made a first down. It would have put them close to field goal range. Maybe they should let little baron deliver the pre-game speech. In America a man is worth what someone is willing to pay them. No more, no less.
Thanks, even if you are being sarcastic. I have some experience speaking and have seen over 200 people, who were in the dumps for many, many months, get up out of their seats with bold declarations and then go out the door with amazing results to report shortly thereafter.
If words only roll off the tongue or slowly dribble out of the mind, the recipient will not receive it, even if it’s “good” things spoken about. People need to be motivated within – their inner being has to be touched and stirred up. Life is a challenge. Facing 300# solid athletes in a line should be enough to make anyone want to be at the top of their mental game as well as physical.
Even deeper within every man, deeper than his soul – deeper than his mind & emotion & will – is the human spirit which needs fanned into flame with the Lord Himself as the fuel. Then man can focus as well as perform at his best.
You are spot on Jimmy. Our run game was clicking and 3 shots to make 8 yards was our best bet. Only a dumbass like Barhnart would pay an average coach a top 5 salary. Stoops has had a good run here, but I think he has maxxed out his potential. Another losing season is almost a given. It’s time for a new coach and a new approach to being a top tier SEC team.
I don’t know which team will show up each week, but I do know UK played much, much better but they still beat themselves. They should have won last night. Had the opportunities but either didn’t take the chance or shot themselves in the foot, aka the fumble.
It makes on wonder if UK ever practices catching a deflected pass, bobbled pass popping around in the air, or practice jumping on a loose football INSTANTLY when it pops loose from the arms & hands of an opponent as well as from a teammate.
UK has been FLAT with a somewhat “oh well” response to a loose ball.
It’s probably part of the trance installed just before kickoff and it takes longer to wake up that part of the brain.
A case can be made for the call either way. In my book you’re playing the #1 team in the country and have a chance to go ahead with 4 minutes to go – what in the world do you have to lose ???????????
We read the same book Paul
Stoops coaching philosophy obviously comes from a different book. With $9 million, you would think he could afford to buy your book Paul.
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