What just happened: Dawgs demolish Kentucky in statement win
Now that looked like the No. 1 team in the nation.
Georgia finally started fast and stunned Kentucky from the game's onset. By the end, Georgia came away with a 51-13 victory over the 20th-ranked Wildcats, showing that this is still the premier team to beat.
Quarterback Carson Beck had a field day between the hedges, completing 28 of 35 passes for 389 yards, four touchdowns and an interception. Beck finished the first quarter 11-of-11 passing for 146 yards and tossed two touchdowns on consecutive drives.
Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint caught the first touchdown, then RaRa Thomas came down with a spectacular grab for the second.
Backup quarterback Brock Vandagriff added an exclamation point with a 7-yard touchdown throw to running back Andrew Paul late in the fourth quarter.
What it means
To start, teams will undoubtedly fear Georgia after seeing this game. The Bulldogs hadn't looked the part of the nation's top team in five weeks, mostly due to the slow starts.
That changed with the curb-stomping the Bulldogs gave Kentucky.
An important thing to note is that Georgia flipped the script from how it opened last week's game against Auburn. Then, the Bulldogs ran the ball 18 times to 13 passes in the first half. Against Kentucky, Georgia threw the ball 21 times to 12 rushes in the opening two quarters.
It's apparent that Georgia's philosophy should be to put the ball in Beck hands first and foremost, and let the run game operate off the passing attack's emerging quarterback and dangerous receiving weapons.
And yes, Georgia may now have two Heisman Trophy candidates in both Beck and tight end Brock Bowers. Bowers finished the game with seven catches for 132 yards and a touchdown--his third consecutive week passing the century mark.
A question that needs answering
Can Georgia recreate this performance?
With the Bulldogs racing out to a big lead early, Kentucky wasn't able to establish its run game and control the clock. While head coach Kirby Smart comes from a background of establishing the run, it's clear that this team's strength is to ride the passing game.
By beating the 20th-ranked team in this fashion, the Bulldogs will now see if they can continue this kind of performance as the season continues. Perhaps the slow starts will now be a thing of the past.
Three important plays
Early deep ball: On Georgia's opening drive, it faced a second-and-3 from the Kentucky 40-yard line. Beck threw a pass over the middle of the field to Rosemy-Jacksaint, who took the ball in for a 40-yard touchdown. This play set the tone for how the game would ultimately go.
Third-down sack: With over four minutes to go in the first half, Kentucky faced a third-and-10 from its own 38-yard line. Jamon Dumas-Johnson and Kamari Lassiter burst through to sack Kentucky quarterback Devin Leary, forcing a punt. This change of possession led to a Kendall Milton touchdown on Georgia's next drive.
Bowers scores again: Bowers was somehow open over the middle late in the third quarter for a 21-yard touchdown. There isn't a more complete player in college football than Bowers.
Other important games to note
No. 12 Oklahoma 34, No. 3 Texas: The Longhorns will fall out of the top five with the two soon-to-be SEC programs competing in an instant classic. While Texas will drop, voters may move Oklahoma up to the top five, or awfully close.
No. 23 LSU 49, No. 21 Missouri 39: LSU's defense was atrocious. Missouri's was equally bad. When the Bulldogs play Missouri later this season, they should be able to put up a ton of points.
No. 11 Alabama 26, Texas A&M 20: While Alabama was unable to pull away, it showed signs of growth as the game progressed. Don't count the Crimson Tide out as playoff contenders just yet.
Florida 38, Vanderbilt 14: Georgia plays the Commodores next week at noon. It could be a bloodbath in Nashville if the Georgia begins the game as it did against Kentucky.
Grading Georgia
Offense: A
The only blemish for the offense was Beck's interception in the third quarter. But that alone won't keep this performance from being an A. The offense was stellar throughout the game.
Defense: A-
A week after Ray Davis ran for 280 yards against Florida, the Bulldogs contained him to 59 yards on 15 carries. After letting Auburn run for 219 yards, Georgia corrected course and shut down Kentucky's bread and butter.
Special teams: A-
Peyton Woodring hit three field goals with a career long of 42 yards. Mekhi Mews would have had a long punt return in the fourth quarter, but it was called back due to a block in the back.
Season grades to date
Offense: B+
Defense: B+
Special teams: B+