Georgia vs. Kentucky: Game Grades, Analysis for Bulldogs and Wildcats

The Georgia Bulldogs got back on track on Saturday with a convincing 63-31 road win over the Kentucky Wildcats.  

A 21-0 lead was never squandered, as Georgia's offense looked altogether unstoppable, and the Bulldog defense buckled down to allow just seven second-half points.

With the win, the Dawgs remain in SEC East contention.  Meanwhile, the loss puts pressure on Kentucky, a team that opened the season 5-1, to win one of its final two games and reach bowl eligibility.

Here are first- and second-half game grades and analysis for both teams.

Position Unit	First-Half Grade	Second-Half Grade
Passing Offense	A	A
Rushing Offense	A	A
Pass Defense	B	B
Run Defense	D	B
Special Teams	C	A
Coaching	B	B

Georgia Bulldogs Grade Analysis

Passing Offense

Hutson Mason was brilliant in the first half, completing 10 of 12 passes for 141 yards and three touchdowns.  He distributed the ball to five different targets, threw the ball with zip and placed several deep balls perfectly.  In the second half, he picked up where he left off, and backup Brice Ramsey was equally impressive in his late-game appearance.

Rushing Offense

Georgia continued to run the ball well in the first half thanks primarily to a 116-yard showing by Nick Chubb (on just seven carries).  Fellow freshmen Sony Michel and Isaiah McKenzie also added sparks on the ground.  The second half yielded more of the same, as Chubb and Michel continually found running lanes.

Pass Defense

Georgia's pass defense looked strong in the game's first two quarters.  On the day, the defense held Kentucky to just 139 yards on 30 pass attempts, which is downright stellar.

Run Defense

For the second consecutive game, Georgia was torched on the ground in the first half.  Kentucky ran the ball well up the middle, to the outside and even with its quarterback.  The Wildcats scored three times on the ground in the first half.  Fortunately, Georgia looked more stout against the run in the second half and as a result, the Kentucky offense stalled out time and time again.

Special Teams

Georgia's special teams play opened in terrific fashion thanks to McKenzie's touchdown return on the game's opening kick, but things fell apart thereafter, as the Bulldogs lost a muffed kick and struggled to reel in pooch kicks repeatedly.  In the second half, McKenzie got free for another score (this time on a punt return), and the sloppy play was cleaned up.

Coaching

The clear confusion on special teams returns was a blatant lack of coaching, as the same mistake was made more than once in more than one way.  Additionally, it seemed like Georgia could have used a little more clock on some drives to give the defense more rest in the first half.  Overall, however, it's hard to knock a lopsided win on the road in the SEC.

Position Unit	First-Half Grade	Second-Half Grade
Passing Offense	C	C
Rushing Offense	B	C
Pass Defense	D	D
Run Defense	D	D
Special Teams	C	C
Coaching	C	D

Kentucky Wildcats Grade Analysis

Passing Offense

Patrick Towles didn't have much time to throw the ball unless he was on the run in the first half.  As a result, the passing game never gained consistent traction.  That story remained very much intact in the second half, as Kentucky's offense remained run-heavy.

Rushing Offense

Kentucky ran the ball very well in the first half—both on early downs and in short-yardage situations.  The scores on the ground kept the Wildcats in the game.  In the second half, the yardage was harder to come by, and ultimately, that's why the Wildcats fell so far behind.

Pass Defense

Kentucky had no answer for Hutson Mason and the passing game.  Multiple receivers were open downfield in the first half and Mason took full advantage.  In the second half, the Kentucky defense remained unimpressive against the pass, as Mason and Ramsey both found success.

Run Defense

Kentucky couldn't stop the Bulldogs ground attack either, as the Dawgs racked up 172 rushing yards over the game's first two quarters.  By comparison, the second half looked better statistically, but Georgia still ran the ball at will en route to more than 300 rushing yards on the day.

Special Teams

After giving up a long kick return for a score on the game's first play, Kentucky adjusted its philosophy.  That was a good move, but Georgia's inability to execute made it a great move.  In the second half, however, punt coverage deficiencies led to another Georgia special teams score.

Coaching

Falling behind 21-0 at home is not reflective of a program on the rise, which is what Kentucky wants to be, and an inability to keep things respectable late hurt the team's momentum.

Unless otherwise noted, all stats courtesy of NCAA.com