LIVE UPDATES: Kentucky 3, No. 1 Kentucky 0 – 2Q
LEXINGTON, Kent. — It’s SEC football for Georgia today in Lexington as the Bulldogs take on the Wildcats of Kentucky. While Kirby Smart has his team off to a 2-0 start with a couple of non-conference wins (Clemson, 34-3 W / Tennessee Tech, 48-3 W), it’s been a mixed bag of results for Mark Stoops as his squad won its opener before falling against an SEC foe last Saturday.
“I have immense respect for Mark (Stoops). He and I have grown to be really good friends. He’s one of the best in the business. He’s done a tremendous job at Kentucky over the time he’s been there. His teams are always very disciplined, very physical,” Smart said about Stoops and the Wildcats this week. “That’s a really tough place to play. When you go there, as you can see from every time we’ve played there, it’s been really tough. A lot of excitement playing an SEC opponent on the road. I think we know around this place how hard that can be. You get an opportunity to play at night on the road, and you know the environment is going to be really loud. We’ve got to prepare for a tough, really physical game, which is that way every time we play Kentucky.”
Despite the ending of the SEC’s East and West divisions, Georgia and Kentucky continue a series that has seen the Dawgs and Cats meet every year since 1956 with several matchups in the years before dating back to 1939. All time, UGA owns a big advantage in the series (63-12-2) with 14 straight wins to its name. That’s true both in Athens (32-4-2) and in Lexington (31-8).
Last season, the Bulldogs handed the Wildcats, ranked No. 20 at the time, a 51-13 loss at Sanford Stadium on the back of four passing touchdowns from Carson Beck and a fast start from the UGA offense. Brock Bowers passed AJ Green for second all-time in career receiving touchdowns with his 24th score, part of a 132-yard night for the star tight end, as Georgia rolled to victory.
You can throw all that out the window today though as nothing more matters than the two teams taking the field today and how they play between the white lines for 60 minutes. Georgia enters Lexington winners of 41 straight regular season contests, second-longest all time behind Oklahoma of the 1950s, and listed as a 23.5-point favorite over Kentucky.
Emptying the Notebook: Behind the season on the Bulldogs as they ready for Kentucky
Major Matchups: Georgia at Kentucky
What we learned this week ahead of Georgia-Kentucky
Georgia-Kentucky Q&A: Previewing the Wildcats with Nick Roush
Injury Update: What to make of UGA availability report
Kirby Smart’s squad ready for tough test in Lexington
Georgia-Kentucky: Three Keys to a Bulldog Victory
Bulldogs ready for familiar face, former Georgia QB Brock Vandagriff
THOMBS: Both sides of Georgia, Jamon Dumas-Johnson separation better off for it
How to Watch, Listen and Stream
Kickoff Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
TV: ABC (Sean McDonough – Play by Play, Greg McElroy – Color Commentator, Molly McGrath – Sideline Reporter)
Streaming: WatchESPN/ESPN+ (For more info, click here)
National Radio: Touchdown Radio (Gino Toretta and Brett Dolan) / Local Radio (listed below): Georgia Bulldog Sports Network (Scott Howard, Eric Zeier and D.J. Shockley) / Satellite Radio: Sirius (84), National Sirius (381)
For local radio information and a full list of Georgia Bulldog Sports Network affiliates, click here.
STREAM | LISTEN | STATS
As always, there’s one more way to keep up with the goings on in this game. In the space below, DawgsHQ will be providing live updates, scores, highlights and news from before and during the game. Just use the refresh button on your browser to see those updates as they roll in.
Second Quarter
*** Kentucky coverts on one third down but a nice tackle by Julian Humphrey on a second gets Georgia off the field. Bulldogs will take over at their 22-yard line after the punt, still trying to pass midfield for the first time in this game.
*** Thorson punt sails for a touchback. His third punt of the game. He entered this game having punted just four times in two games.
*** Georgia lines up looking like it’ll go for it, but the Bulldogs only try to draw Kentucky offsides. It fails, and Brett Thorson is on to punt instead after the delay of game.
First Quarter
*** Beck completes to Colbie Young for a gain of seven on 3rd and 8. Kirby Smart will let the first quarter end and think about this decision as UGA possesses at its own 47.
*** Georgia has moved the chains once so far but will face 3rd and long.
*** Alex Raynor, a Georgia Southern transfer who is second all-time in NCAA career points, makes a Kentucky school-record 55-yarder. That puts the Wildcats on the board first. (UK 3-0 2:45 2Q)
*** Daylen Everette nearly comes up with an interception on a Vandagriff overthrow. Third down stop shortly after will bring on Kentucky’s kicking unit from 55 yards.
*** Facemask penalty on Kentucky backs the Wildcats up and puts them in 1st and 25.
*** Vandagriff comes out firing and completes to Barion Brown. Play picks up 18 yards to the UGA33.
*** Kentucky takes over just shy of midfield after a TV timeout. Give credit for the Wildcats for a) getting off their own goal line last possession and b) holding their own defensively. That flip in field position has put Georgia in a tough spot so far.
*** Snap is low to Beck. He recovers and throws incomplete to Etienne. Georgia escapes disaster but will punt out of its own end zone.
*** Georgia takes over at its own 13 and is quickly facing a third and long. Plays by Etienne and Dominic Lovett both either lose yardage or go for no gain. Timeout Kentucky before a 3rd and 15 from the UGA8.
*** Gabe Harris forces a fumble on 3rd and 7. Loose ball recovered by Kentucky, but the Wildcats will be forced to punt.
*** Vandagriff completes across the field for a gain of 10 yards on 3rd and 8. Gets Kentucky across midfield and keeps the Wildcat drive alive.
*** Xzavier McLeod makes his debut in the defensive line rotation and records a tackle on one of his first plays. That’s certainly a welcomed return up front.
*** Georgia appeared to get off the field thanks to a Nazir Stackhouse tackle on a scrambling Vandagriff but a holding penalty in coverage by Damon Wilson gives Kentucky a fresh set of downs.
*** Brock Vandagriff takes off for a big gain after dropping back into his end zone. Gain of 17 gets Kentucky out to its 22.
*** Kentucky called for a pair of penalties on the punt. A hold goes against the Wildcats during the play with an unsportsmanlike conduct after. UK backed up to its own 1 yard line after Brett Thorson‘s punt goes out of bounds at the 4.
*** Georgia drive ends in a punt. Carson Beck starts 0-2 with incompletions to Dillon Bell and Oscar Delp. Looked like there could’ve been pass interference called on the Delp play.
*** Kickoff sails for a touchback. Georgia quickly moves the chains with a couple of handoffs to Etienne.
*** Kentucky wins the toss and defers its decision. Georgia will receive and start the game going left to right on your screen.
*** Captains for Georgia: RB Trevor Etienne, LB Smael Mondon, OL Tate Ratledge, DB Malaki Starks
Pregame
*** McLeod was working with the second group for defensive linemen. Looks like he’s in the two-deep for that group tonight and will made his Georgia debut.
*** Harris has been a VERY limited participant in pregame warmups. When Georgia went 7-on-7 and 11-on-11, Demello Jones was the cornerback opposite of Ellis Robinson. As expected, Daylen Everette and Julian Humphrey with the first group.
*** McLeod is among the nine defensive linemen that made the trip. Gabe Harris would make it 10, although he spent his entire warmup session with the outside linebackers. For a full look at the travel roster: CLICK HERE.
*** Can confirm the reports of Daniel Harris making the trip. He is on the field and going through drills with the defensive backs during the early stages of pregame warmups.
*** No major changes on the pregame availability report from the SEC. Defensive lineman Xzavier McLeod (undisclosed) is listed as a game time decision, indicating he made the trip with the team. He has not been seen on the field yet, but that’s something we’ll keep an eye on with number of available Bulldogs up front somewhat limited.
*** Gates have opened and aside from students assembling for front row seats, most of the first few fans through seem to be in red and black. Home crowd has tailgates to hang around at, but I would expect there to be a good number of Georgia fans in attendance tonight.
*** According to the stadium clock, this game will officially get underway at 7:44 p.m. ET. Should allow a little bit extra time for lightning delayed Texas A&M-Florida to finish up.
*** For a look at the Georgia depth chart shared on the press box flip cards: CLICK HERE
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