Georgia Defense Looks to Rebound in Saturday’s Kentucky Game

One week after Alabama broke Georgia's 33-game home winning streak, the Bulldogs face Kentucky with their defense in disarray. The Bulldogs have dropped to 85th in success rate allowed and 71st in EPA/play allowed.

Pass coverage has turned into a major issue. Opposing quarterbacks complete nearly 64% of their throws, while gaining a whopping 7.45 yards each time they drop back to pass. The pass rush has gone quiet too, managing just five sacks despite getting pressure 41 times. SEC opponents have thrown for over 280 yards in two straight games.

On offense, Mike Bobo's unit puts up 6.05 yards per play, ranking 57th nationwide. QB Gunner Stockton has been steady, completing almost 70% of his passes and throwing eight touchdowns without any mistakes, averaging 7.8 yards per throw.

Since 2023 started, Georgia has gone just 9-22-1 against the spread. Even more striking, when favored by 20-plus points since 2022, they haven't covered once in 16 tries.

After losses, Kirby Smart's teams typically win but struggle to cover spreads, going 8-2 straight up but 4-5-1 against the number. Last season, after falling to Alabama, they beat Auburn but couldn't cover 21 points in a game that stayed close until late.

Kentucky is a big road underdog. When getting 15 or more points away from home, the Wildcats have covered in seven of their last 10 tries, with one push.

Stakes run high for both squads. Kentucky aims to right the ship after stumbling against Ole Miss and South Carolina. The Bulldogs must prove they can bounce back from their first home defeat in three years.