Georgia has started 2-0 every season under Kirby Smart. This is also the fourth straight season in which the Dawgs have allowed 10 or fewer points after the first two games. That has led to large point differentials. In terms of Georgia history, these point differentials are among the school's best.
The last time Georgia and Kentucky met, the Dawgs won by 38 points, but the last time they met in Lexington, the Dawgs won 16-6. Georgia's only touchdown in the game happened with 6:22 remaining in the third quarter when Kenny McIntosh scored from nine yards out.
Georgia has a 63-12-2 all-time lead in the series and the 63 wins is the third most against any opponent. Georgia has won the last 14 meetings compared to Kentucky who has won just 12 times in the series. The last time the Wildcats defeated the Bulldogs by more than one touchdown was in 1977 when a member of British royalty attended the game.
Last week against Tennessee Tech, Carson Beck had a career-high five touchdown passes. The five also tied a Georgia record held by six other Bulldog quarterbacks (one player did it twice). The last time was in 2021 when Stetson Bennett did it against UAB. In that same game, Beck threw a late touchdown pass as well.
Also, in that same UAB game, Jamon Dumas-Johnson had an interception returned for a touchdown. "Pop" is now a linebacker for Kentucky and will face Georgia for the first time.
Both Aaron Murray's New Mexico State game and Stetson Bennett's five touchdown games were done in the first half.
Beck's five touchdown passes gives him 37 for his career. He ended up passing Buck Belue, Johnny Rauch, D.J. Shockley and Quincy Carter on Georgia's all-time list in Saturday's game alone. The next player on that list is Georgia's current offensive coordinator, Mike Bobo. Bobo is also the next player on two other career lists in Bulldog history.
Backup quarterback Gunner Stockton also played a significant amount of time last Saturday. He had career highs in both completions (10) and attempts (12). His 90 yards passing was the second-highest of his career after his 96 against Florida State in last season's Orange Bowl.
Between Beck and Stockton, 15 different players caught at least one pass for the Bulldogs. The 15 is tied for the most by a Georgia game in data going back to 1973. Georgia is also the only team in the SEC to have had 15 different players catch at least one pass since 2014 and they have done it twice. Here are the two games and the players that caught those passes.
Trevor Etienne led the Bulldogs with 78 rush yards with 45 coming on one big run. Also in the game, Branson Robinson scored from 13 yards out for his first touchdown since the 2023 CFP Championship against TCU. Nate Frazier, Chauncey Bowens and Cash Jones got carries as well.
Which of the Georgia running backs will have the most yards on the ground this Saturday night? Here is a list of the best run games of the careers so far.
All three of Etienne's games were with Florida. His Georgia-high was 78 this past week is his tenth highest game total.
Hybid back Dillon Bell's highest total in a game was 29 yards against Georgia Tech last season.
Speaking of running the ball, during this 14-game win streak over Kentucky, the rushing comparison between the two teams has not been that close.
In terms of pass defense, Georgia had one of its best statistically games in the Smart era last week. The 18 yards passing by Tennessee Tech was the second fewest since 2016. The only game that the Bulldogs allowed less was in 2019 against the Wildcats of Kentucky (the game had lots of rain).
As a player, Kirby Smart had four of his 13 career interceptions coming against Kentucky. He had two in 1997 in Athens and two more in the 1998 battle in Lexington. The interceptions came against future first pick of the NFL Draft, Tim Couch. He had another pick against a future first pick of the NFL Draft earlier in his career. That player was Peyton Manning.
