Top-ranked Georgia seeks 3-0 start in SEC opener at Kentucky, which aims for improved performance

Updated Sep. 12, 2024 6:28 p.m. ET

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No. 1 Georgia (2-0) at Kentucky (1-1, 0-1 SEC), Saturday, 7:30 p.m. EDT (ABC)

BetMGM College Football Odds: Georgia by 24 1/2.

Series: Georgia leads, 63-12-2.

WHAT’S AT STAKE

Georgia opens Southeastern Conference play looking to tie South Carolina atop the standings and win its 15th straight against Kentucky. The Wildcats aim to avoid a 0-2 SEC start after losing 31-6 to South Carolina in an effort that was flat in all aspects.

KEY MATCHUP

Georgia’s scoring defense is tied for fourth in FBS with just two second-half field goals allowed to Clemson and Tennessee Tech, the second coming on the game’s final play. The Bulldogs enter with linemen Mykel Williams listed as doubtful and Jordan Hall, Xzavier McLeod and Warren Brinson questionable by the SEC. The Bulldogs will face a Kentucky offense hungry to rebound from gaining just 183 yards and kicking two field goals against South Carolina, the first time since December 2022 it hasn’t scored a touchdown. The Wildcats yielded five sacks to the Gamecocks and must shut down a pass rush that has registered five through two games.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Georgia quarterback Carson Beck is 15-1 as the starter and is coming off a career-best five-touchdown passing performance against Tennessee Tech. The senior is 53 yards away from 5,000 career and has completed 72% of his passes for 520 yards and seven TDs this season.

Kentucky linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson transferred from Georgia last winter after earning an Associated Press second team All-American selection in 2022. He recorded 126 tackles and 9.5 sacks over three seasons with the Bulldogs and has six stops (1.5 for loss) so far with the Wildcats. Dumas-Johnson intercepted a pass in the season opener against Southern Miss.

FACTS AND FIGURES

Georgia RB Trevor Etienne rushed five times for 78 yards in his debut after transferring from Florida. ... The Bulldogs have a SEC-record 27 consecutive regular season wins. … Fifteen Georgia receivers caught passes last week against TTU. … Arian Smith (129 yards), TE Lawson Luckie (80), Dillon Bell (78) and Dominic Lovett (66) each has one TD to lead the receivers corps. … Kentucky starting quarterback Brock Vandagriff transferred from Georgia after backing up Stetson Bennett through two national title runs and Carson Beck last season. … The Wildcats face Georgia as the No. 1 team for the fourth consecutive season. … Kentucky’s Barion Brown needs three catches to become the school’s 20th receiver with 100 career. He had caught one in 27 consecutive games before the streak ended against South Carolina. ... Offensive linemen Gerald Mincey and Jager Burton are listed as probable and doubtful respectively on the SEC player availability list. ___

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