After a letdown loss to South Carolina in Week 2, Kentucky hosts No. 1 Georgia on Saturday at Kroger Field. The Wildcats need to show some resiliency after losing 31-6 to the Gamecocks, but the schedule was cruel, sending the top-ranked Bulldogs to Lexington. A 24-point betting favorite, Georgia has won 41 consecutive regular season games and the last 14 meetings with Kentucky. It’s the worst possible opponent for the Wildcats.

Before the game kicks off, the KSR office has its weekly round of pregame predictions, a Friday tradition around here. This week, everyone agrees that Kentucky is in for a long Saturday night.

Drew Franklin

I incorrectly predicted Kentucky over Georgia the last few years, hoping to speak an upset into existence. This year, though, I can’t find the optimism to make the unpopular pick again, not after how Kentucky played last week. So, I expect Kentucky will take its 15th straight loss to the Dawgs on Saturday, likely by a wide margin. I don’t see how Kentucky’s offense can score many points, if any, after the way the offense looked against South Carolina.

I have higher expectations for UK’s defense, which held Georgia to 16 and 14 points in Georgia’s last two trips to Lexington. Still, the programs are too far apart in 2024, so I predict Georgia will keep being Georgia. However, Kentucky covers.

Score: Georgia 30, Kentucky 10

Zack Geoghegan

2009 was the last time Kentucky beat Georgia on the gridiron. I don’t see that streak ending in 2024. The Bulldogs are primed to make another run to a national championship. Kirby Smart’s team hasn’t lost a regular season game since 2020! After what we saw from Kentucky last week, it’s tough to make a good argument in favor of the Wildcats.

What I do expect to see, however, is a better performance from Kentucky than whatever the hell happened last week. It’s almost required — anything close to a repeat of the South Carolina game would seriously result in a loss so bad I don’t want to think about the final score. Hand the ball to Demie Sumo-Karngbaye all game long and see if he can keep the ‘Cats alive. Is that a recipe for success? Probably not, but there aren’t many tasty ones out there right now.

Georgia will likely win, but Kentucky — as it usually does against the Bulldogs under Mark Stoops — will find a way to keep it “close” and cover the spread.

Score: Georgia 35, Kentucky 13

Nick Roush

This Kentucky football team has been unpredictable. That’s why I’m going to zig when everything else is telling me to zag.

Carson Beck should be able to carve up the Kentucky secondary. The Georgia defense hasn’t allowed a touchdown in its last three games and they’re facing a Kentucky offense that looked lifeless at times in week two.

Despite the obvious disadvantages, my gut tells me Kentucky will play an A- game and score early. A Georgia miscue will set up another great chance, but the Cats will miss the opportunity and be forced to kick a field goal. Given an inch, the Dawgs will take a mile and eventually run away with the game.

Score: Georgia 31, Kentucky 13

Adam Luckett

Kentucky is reeling and must find answers on offense after a disastrous performance against South Carolina. Coverage busts are still an issue for the secondary. The special teams unit also didn’t play well last week. The Wildcats are back to the drawing board after an embarrassing performance and must figure out a team identity that can allow them to win football games.

Georgia knows its team identity and will score points on anyone once they decide to turn Carson Beck and this passing game loose. Expect the Bulldogs to find an early lead and then likely sit on that lead with a game against Alabama on the horizon.

Kentucky’s run defense will allow them to hang around, but the offense prevents the home team from making a real run at an upset. The Bulldogs get a two-possession lead in the first half and keeps Kentucky at arm’s length before ultimately extending that lead in the second half.

Score: Georgia 30, Kentucky 7

Tyler Thompson

Score: Georgia 34, Kentucky 10

Jack Pilgrim

Kentucky is down to two scholarship backs with Chip Trayanum and Jason Patterson both out while the passing game is non-existent and the offensive line continues to be a trainwreck. The Cats couldn’t find the end zone against a mediocre South Carolina team, so what does that say about their chances to do so against the best team in college football? As Jerry Tipton once eloquently said time and time again, it doesn’t bode well, folks.

The defense needs to tighten up on the key downs, but showed some juice against South Carolina. You can see a scenario where Brad White’s unit mucks things up for the Bulldogs to keep things interesting early, only for the cream to rise to the top in the second half to solidify the blowout. I just can’t trust this offense right now, especially when considering the inevitable butterflies coming for Brock Vandagriff facing his former team. If the Gamecocks had him rattled, a defense that hasn’t given up a touchdown since the SEC Championship last December could have him seeing ghosts.

Show me, don’t tell me, Cats. I am a blind optimist no more.

Score: Georgia 35, Kentucky 3

Kentucky vs. Georgia: How to Watch

Kentucky‘s offense struggled mightily against South Carolina in Week 2, setting up the Wildcats as four touchdown underdogs against No. 1 Georgia this weekend.

Ahead of their Week 3 matchup, Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart explained what it’s like to face a team with a brand new offensive coordinator. In Kentucky’s case, they’ve changed coordinators in each of the past five seasons. Being a former SEC East opponent, Georgia has had to face all five.

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“When you change coordinators, then you change offenses, right? I mean, there’s different tendencies and things like that, but their coordinators have been really successful,” Smart told reporters on Tuesday. “They’ve had good quarterback transfers. They’ve had guys come in there and play, and, you know, he’s had coordinators move on. He’s made some changes. But, you know, you prepare for the guys that’s there.

“When you look at history, too, we go back and watch games against them and things like that. But we’re preparing for the coordinator that’s there now.” 

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After pitching a 31-point shutout against Southern Miss in the season opener, UK mustered just 44 passing yards as both quarterbacks Brock Vandargriff and Gavin Wimsatt combined for 6 of 17 passing with an interception each. The running game would have been impressive if it weren’t for the Wildcats 11 penalties that negated much of those would-be yards.

Smart also spoke highly of Mark Stoops. Despite continuously having to replace his offensive coordinator, he’s been able to maintain strong recruiting class for Kentucky’s standards and brings his team ready to play a physical brand of football. Smart speaks to Kentucky’s toughness on an almost yearly basis at this point.

“We’ve had some really physical teams and the coaches haven’t lasted,” Smart said. “I mean, it’s not a guarantee. A lot of things that go into sustaining a good program, and Mark’s done an incredible job at a place which, you know, it’s tough at Kentucky. It’s got a great basketball program. They don’t have the recruiting base we have. He’s gone out and done it.”

While Stoops has recruited at an all-time high level for a Kentucky football coach, one thing that has evaded him during his 12-year tenure is a signature win against a high-ranked opponent. Stoops and the ‘Cats will have a chance to break that streak as they prepare for the top-ranked team in the country. Kickoff from inside Kroger Field is set for 7:30 p.m. ET live on ABC.