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The Kentucky Wildcats had one of their biggest games in program history Saturday as they faced the No. 1 team in the nation, the Georgia Bulldogs.
It was a great start for the Kentucky defense as they showed up ready for the battle with the top team in the country.
Georgia’s offense was held in check early as the first quarter came to a close with the game tied 0-0.
Right at the end of the first quarter, Kentucky forced a fumble, but no Kentucky defender managed to fall on the ball as Georgia recovered. On the first play of the second quarter, the Bulldogs found the end zone to take a 7-0 lead.
Following yet another three and out by the Cats’ offense, the Bulldogs marched 80-yards in just over two minutes to extend the lead to 14-0.
Kentucky had to answer to keep the game alive and that is exactly what they did.
Liam Coen called a fantastic series of plays as the Cats were able to put together a 13-play, 75-yard drive that was capped off with a one-yard TD pass from Will Levis to Justin Rigg to make it 14-7.
Georgia marched right down the field to start the second half and found the end zone to make it a 21-7 ballgame.
Kentucky’s offense found a good rhythm but drops continued to plague them all day and after a punt, Georgia added a field goal to make it 24-7.
Liam Coen and the Kentucky offense put together another solid drive but had to settle for a FG attempt. Unfortunately, that attempt was blocked.
Georgia would find the end zone once again following the block to make it 30-7.
Kentucky got the ball back with 11:27 left on the clock, and they used 11:23 of it as they drove down the field in 22 plays to punch it in the end zone again. The extra point was blocked, and it is Georgia that came away with a 30-13 win.
Here is how Twitter reacted to the game.
| #ForTheTeam pic.twitter.com/L2QDFFFh7G
— Kentucky Football (@UKFootball) October 16, 2021
So @ASeaOfBlue is in the building for #1 vs #11. pic.twitter.com/wsZtsmo8I3
— Big Blue Drew (@BigBlueDrew33) October 16, 2021
Solid opening drive… Gotta stay ahead of the chains… Good job flipping field position #bbn
— Big Blue Breakdown (@BlueBreakdown) October 16, 2021
Great few plays for Yusef Corker there
— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) October 16, 2021
Kentucky Defense showing up!!!
You gotta convert that third down. Now Georgia is going to start in field goal range. Ridiculous play calling so far.
— T.J. Walker (@TJWalkerRadio) October 16, 2021
HB Dive on 3rd and 1 isn’t going to work
— Big Blue Nation (@BigB1ue9ation) October 16, 2021
How do we not make an effort to fall on that? Even if you think it’s incomplete, ya gotta go grab it.
— Brandon Patterson (@brandonpatt) October 16, 2021
Some frustrating mistakes/penalties, but it’s 0-0 at the end of the first quarter. Kentucky’s not scared.
— Tyler Thompson (@MrsTylerKSR) October 16, 2021
Georgia draws first blood on a 19-yard pass and catch from Stetson Bennett to James Cook on the first play of the second quarter.
— TheCatsPause247 (@TheCatsPause247) October 16, 2021
Georgia is swarming. Three straight three-and-outs by Kentucky. pic.twitter.com/F7MNXUhLNr
— Nick Roush (@RoushKSR) October 16, 2021
— CAMERON MILLS (@CameronMillz) October 16, 2021
Wow. A series of nice calls on that drive ends with a Justin Rigg touchdown catch.
— Ben Roberts (@BenRobertsHL) October 16, 2021
Kentucky with the first TD against the Georgia defense in the first half of a game all season. Dogs lead 14-7.
Coen worked UGA on that
— Round Daddy (@JStreble82) October 16, 2021
Liam Coen just put on a play calling clinic for @UKFootball goodness gracious that was perfection
— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) October 16, 2021
HALF: UGA 14 | UK 7
— Cats Coverage (@CatsCoverage_) October 16, 2021
Good gracious, that catch by Georgia. Filthy throw and catch. Dawgs are the real deal.
— Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_ATH) October 16, 2021
Dude seriously why do our receivers never hang on to a ball? It’s an every year thing
— Ian Teasley (@ianteasley) October 16, 2021
Will Levis has just five incompletions. Four are drops. The other was the "almost" strip sack.
— Nick Roush (@RoushKSR) October 16, 2021
Just gutty play by UK defense to at least force field goal here to make it 24-7 rather than 28-7
— Vaughts' Views (@vaughtsviews) October 16, 2021
Kentucky needed someone to step up. DeMarcus Harris has back-to-back 15+ yard receptions to move UK into scoring range.
— Nick Roush (@RoushKSR) October 16, 2021
UK has thrown more to the TE today than it did from 2010-2020.
— Jeff Drummond (@JDrumUK) October 16, 2021
We can’t judge our season off playing the #1 team in the country..: especially one that could go down as a dominant defense in history.
— Big Blue Breakdown (@BlueBreakdown) October 16, 2021
And if you do, then idk what to tell you
Levis has been awesome today.
— Rusty Hendricks (@coachhendricks) October 16, 2021
If Stoops and Co. ever recruit at or near that level, watch out.
— Sleepy Raylan Givens (@KentuckyBrandon) October 16, 2021
That's a beautiful throw to Wan'Dale from Levis. I'm telling you, there's so much to like about Levis moving forward.
— Shawn Smith (@gbbcountry) October 16, 2021
Levis has thrown for 185 yards and a TD vs nation’s best pass D after several drops and Ali out. Battled. Gutty performance. Respect.
— Freddie Maggard (@FredMaggard606) October 16, 2021
Kentucky has played well today ... aside from the drops. But college FB is only big enough to support one or two really awesome teams a year. Cats are right there with anybody other than UGA or Bama this year though.
— Justin Rowland (@RowlandRIVALS) October 16, 2021
This is woulda could've...pick up the fumble, make the block on the screen to CRod. That's big pt swings. IJS
— Van Hiles (@vstyles17) October 16, 2021
Georgia is a better team though.
Mark Stoops UGA postgame... Love our players and how hard they play, but we needed a cleaner game today, better execution and discipline, to hang with a team like that.
— Jeff Drummond (@JDrumUK) October 16, 2021
UK scored more TDs on UGA than Clemson, Arkansas, and Auburn combined @KySportsRadio
— Troy Howell (@teeroyhowell) October 16, 2021
11-1 still on the table.
— Crusty Caballero (@brow_down) October 16, 2021
Will Levis was a warrior today, I thought. If not for drops — and the defense’s failure to then try covering that early fumble — maybe it’s a real game. Kentucky scored as many touchdowns (2) on UGA as the Dawgs’ first six opponents combined. https://t.co/YzBIlXfiEs
— Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_ATH) October 16, 2021
— Big Blue Drew (@BigBlueDrew33) October 16, 2021
Tough day. We are a good football team, and we are extremely well coached. But they have some seriously good humans playing for them. On to the next. Go Cats
— Max Duffy (@Max__Duffy) October 16, 2021
Love this team. I really appreciate the Big Blue Nation coming out man you guys were loud. We will be back trust me on that. Go Big Blue.
— CoachMarrowUK (@vincemarrow) October 16, 2021
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