2024-09-15 18:35:02
It was close for three quarters, but the Kentucky Wildcats eventually ran out of gas in their narrow 13-12 loss to the Georgia Bulldogs, falling to 1-2 on the season and 0-2 in SEC play.
Kentucky had the lead going into the fourth quarter, but Georgia found the end zone in the opening minutes of the final period. The Wildcats answered with a field goal, but the inability to find the end zone ultimately cost Kentucky the win.
Despite the loss, Mark Stoops and his team certainly found a moral victory this week. After suffering an embarrassing loss to South Carolina last week, playing inspiring football Saturday against the nation’s No. 1 team has to be huge for Kentucky’s mindset moving forward.
Here are four things to know following the loss.
Defense Came to Play
Georgia scored just three points in the first half on Saturday night, which was their lowest first-half total of the season. The Bulldogs were also held to 63 yards — the lowest during Kirby Smart’s time as head coach. Kentucky was flying all over the field and closing in quickly to the football.
In the second half, Deone Walker and the rest of Kentucky’s defensive line continued to disrupt Georgia up front. Their open-field tackling was sensational. Georgia eventually wore down Kentucky’s front seven and found their first touchdown in the fourth quarter, but that was the only one they’d give up for the entire game. Overall, the Wildcats made a terrific effort.
Mark Stoops Bounce-back Game
Kentucky was clearly not prepared for last week’s loss to South Carolina. It was almost like they were gut-punched early on and gave up. This week, though, Kentucky came out early on playing inspiring football and with full confidence that they could compete with the nation’s No. 1 team. That all starts with coaching. Stoops and his staff answered the bell by making sure their team was prepared for the toughest opponent of the season. Kentucky may have lost, and their passing attack needs much improvement, but their performance as a team was nothing short of inspiring.
Keep Running Demie Sumo-Karngbaye
Coming into the game, the Wildcats were dealing with multiple injuries at running back. The position had been one of the pillars of Kentucky’s program for the last decade, but this team entered the season with questions surrounding who would take over the backfield. It became clear early on in Saturday night’s game that Sumo-Karngbaye has what it takes to be the leading force for the Wildcats’ rushing attack. He was able to find extra yards, and his shiftiness kept the Georgia defense on their heels, finishing with 22 carries for a career-high 98 yards.
Alex Raynor for MVP
How about Kentucky’s special teams? Raynor booted his team’s first 12 points through the uprights and didn’t do it alone, having excellent blocking upfront and good holds on each kick. His first of four kicks was a career-long and school-record 55-yarder for the game’s first score.
When it comes to accuracy, Raynor is the best kicker in the country and proved Saturday night he can also hit from long distance (kicks from 55 and 51 yards). Without him, the Wildcats would’ve been blanked on offense. Kentucky will need to find a way to score touchdowns to compete in Southeastern Conference games, but Raynor will no doubt continue to be a huge asset for their offense.
Now, let’s chat about what transpired.
