Georgia squeaks by Kentucky 13-12 as offense sputters

Georgia played a mistake-riddled brand of football on Saturday in a 13-12 win over Kentucky The Bulldogs had just three points at the half and failed to reach 300 total yards offense. They didn’t get into the end zone until the third quarter.

Carson Beck completed 14 of 24 passes for 160 yards. Dominic Lovett led all receivers with six catches for 89 yards while Trevor Etienne piled up 79 rushing yards on 19 carries.

Georgia’s offense was off from the jump, picking up a first down on two plays but going three and out from there. In fact, the Bulldogs punted on their first two possessions, running just eight plays combined and losing the field-position battle in the process.

The Bulldogs offensive ineptitude allowed Kentucky to draw first blood with a 55-yard field goal on its second possession of the game. Georgia would go on to punt on two more drives before it got on the board and evened the score.

That field goal was set up by a strip sack by sophomore linebacker Raylen Wilson. It was recovered by Damon Wilson but Georgia moved the football just seven yards on four plays after the turnover and Peyton Woodring came on to tie the game.

Kentucky took a 6-3 lead into the half after driving 61 yards on 13 plays to end the half and it tacked on to that lead when it got the ball first to start the second. The Wildcats marched 61 more yards and got another Alex Raynor field goal to make it 9-3.

Beck and company quickly got those three points back with a drive that stalled in the red zone, pulling back to within three at 9-6. The Georgia defense responded with its first three and out of the night and it opened the door for the Bulldogs to take their first lead.

Etienne and the run game led the way as Georgia went on a 68-yard march that ended with Branson Robinson punching it in from three yards out. Woodring’s PAT staked Georgia to a 13-9 lead but that advantage soon shrunk.

The Wildcats got another long field goal from Raynor, this time from 51 yards out, to cut the Bulldog lead to just one at 13-12. After Georgia’s offense went three and out, Kentucky got the ball and took it past midfield but the Bulldog defense stiffened and forced a punt.

UGA’s offense salted a lot of clock away the next time it got the ball and Kentucky got it back with just nine seconds left. Last-ditch efforts fell short and the Bulldogs earned their 43 consecutive regular-season win.

The Bulldogs are off this coming week before they travel to west for a showdown with Alabama in Tuscaloosa. That’ll take place on September 28 with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m ET on ABC.

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