Georgia vs. Kentucky Prediction: Bulldogs Go for a Baker's Dozen Against the Wildcats

This SEC East showdown between Georgia and Kentucky took on a really weird twist after last Saturday. As you might expect, the defending national champions are a perfect 10-0 on the season after beating Mississippi State 45-19, but the Wildcats dropped to 6-4 after an embarrassing 24-21 loss to Vanderbilt, breaking the Commodores' 26-game SEC losing streak. So in the great expectations department, you'd expect the heavy-handed Bulldogs to run roughshod over a seemingly overmatched UK squad, even at home.

Related: College Football Predictions for Every Game in Week 12

The Wildcats were ranked as high as No. 7 earlier this season but don't come close to resembling that team here at all. The Bulldogs have shown some vulnerable moments as a road team this season but have already clinched a spot in the SEC Championship Game against LSU. So there is always the chance they could show complacency and look vulnerable. Then again, they are the No. 1-ranked team in the country again and have their sights set on a repeat national title.

No. 1 Georgia at Kentucky

Kickoff: Saturday, Nov. 19 at 3:30 p.m. ET
TV: CBS
Live Stream: fuboTV (Start your free trial)
Spread: Georgia -22.5
Tickets: As low as $60 on SITickets.com* 

When Georgia Has the Ball

It should be noted that Kentucky has allowed an average of 264 rushing yards in the last nine meetings with Georgia. So get ready for the Bulldogs to run, run, run, and run again. This could be their biggest ground game of the season as they hope to use the run to set up the pass. Vanderbilt got a pair of 100-yard rushers against the Wildcats' sieve-like defense with Ray Davis running for 129 yards and quarterback Mike Wright pock-marking them for 126 yards. So you can imagine that Kenny McIntosh, Daijun Edwards, and Kendall Milton will get a steady stream of carries to control the game. Tight end Brock Bowers is probably salivating thinking about getting a reverse or two to run.

Kentucky's defense has to dial in early here. Georgia has outscored opponents 95-9 in the first quarter this season. Similarly, the Cats have given up more points in the first (55) than in any other quarter. Big Blue's D needs to set a tone early and give its team some confidence. In fact, go ahead and play the film of the Missouri game over and over again and imitate everything the Tigers did. In that game, they held the Bulldogs to 49 total yards in the first quarter and 172 total in the first half as the Tigers built up a 16-6 lead. Amping up the pressure on Stetson Bennett and also clogging up the running lanes will be of utmost importance.

When Kentucky Has the Ball

SOMEthing has to get Will Levis going. The future NFL flinger has infamously taken a huge dip since his hot start. In the last four games, he has thrown for just 149.8 yards per game with four touchdowns and five interceptions. And yes, I know it was cold, damp, and snowy against Vanderbilt, but that's no excuse for completing 11 passes for 109 yards. In fact, at the 10-minute mark of the second quarter, Levis was 9-of-12 for 95 yards. For the rest of the game, he went 2-of-11 for 14 yards. Against freakin' Vanderbilt! Of course, part of the problem has been the fact that Levis has been running for his life most of this season. In all, Kentucky quarterbacks have been sacked 39 times this season (126th nationally).

Another big factor is that Chris Rodriguez Jr. does have 733 rushing yards in six games he's played this season, including 162 last week while averaging a season-best nine yards per carry. The Wildcats don't pass block well, but if the O-line can make some lanes against the Junkyard Dogs, that could also keep them in the game.

By the way, have you noticed that the Bulldogs' defense lost five first-round draft picks to the NFL, yet here they are still second nationally in scoring defense at 11.6 points per game? Man, that's mind-boggling.

Final Analysis

The Bulldogs are still very much in line to play for a national title and the Wildcats are still struggling to live up to their basketball program, which won't happen in our lifetimes. I hate to be the bearer of bad news to Big Blue here, but this showdown will probably be more of the same. That's just the way it is.

Kirby Smart is 6-0 against Kentucky by a combined score of 168-70. The Dawgs have won seven straight games at Kroger Field, and I'm guessing that won't change here, though the Cats will get three field goals.

Prediction: Georgia 35, Kentucky 9

Podcast: Week 12 Preview, Predictions, and Picks Against the Spread + Reaction to CFB Playoff Top 25 Rankings

— Written by Eric Sorenson, who is part of the Athlon Contributor Network. He is a college football, college baseball and college hockey addict... and writer. Follow him on Twitter @Stitch_Head.

*Price as of publication.