Kentucky football’s struggles continued out of the bye week, as Kentucky suffered a 35-13 loss to South Carolina on Saturday night in Columbia. The defeat drops Kentucky to 2-2 overall and 0-2 in SEC play, leaving questions about where the program stands as it heads into one of its toughest challenges of the season, which is a road trip to Georgia.
The Gamecocks capitalized on Kentucky mistakes, including costly turnovers from redshirt freshman quarterback Cutter Boley, who threw a pick-six and lost
a fumble that was returned for a touchdown. Kentucky managed just one offensive touchdown in the game, continuing a troubling trend of inconsistent production on that side of the ball.
Now, Kentucky must turn its attention to the No. 12 Georgia Bulldogs, who enter Saturday’s matchup at 3-1 and 1-1 in the SEC. Georgia is coming off its first loss of the season, a 24-21 home defeat to Alabama, and will be motivated to bounce back at Sanford Stadium. Kentucky hasn’t beaten Georgia in Athens since 2009, when the Wildcats pulled off a 34-27 victory. Their last win against the Bulldogs in Lexington came in 2006, meaning Kentucky will attempt to snap a daunting 15-game losing streak in the series.
Though the Wildcats have had some close calls against Georgia — including a 13-12 loss in Lexington in 2024 and a 16-6 loss in 2022 — the Bulldogs have also had lopsided wins. Most recently, Georgia cruised to a 51-13 victory in Athens in 2023, one of Kentucky’s worst overall performances in recent memory.
Oddsmakers aren’t giving Kentucky much of a chance this time around. According to FanDuel, Georgia is a 20.5-point favorite, with Kentucky listed at +980 on the moneyline. The over/under is set at 48.5 points.
One of the key questions for Kentucky this week is who will start at quarterback. Boley, who has made back-to-back starts in place of injured seventh-year senior Zach Calzada, has shown flashes of potential but also costly mistakes. Through three games, Boley is 23-for-43 passing with 402 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. Calzada, meanwhile, has struggled as well, completing just 47.2 percent of his passes (25-for-53) for 234 yards, with no touchdowns and one interception in limited action.
For Georgia, the quarterback position has seen a transition, too. Gunner Stockton took over after Carson Beck transferred to Miami, and through four games, the junior has been efficient. Stockton is completing nearly 70 percent of his passes (76-of-109) for 851 yards, with five touchdowns and no interceptions. His steady play has helped Georgia remain a contender despite the setback against Alabama.
With both teams searching for momentum after losses, Saturday’s matchup carries plenty of stakes. Kentucky hopes to shock the conference with an upset, while Georgia looks to continue its status as a top contender in the SEC East. Kickoff is set for 12:oo p.m. ET on ESPN.
