After a sluggish start, Georgia’s run game took over, and the No. 7 Bulldogs defeated Kentucky 42-13 on Saturday at Sanford Stadium in Athens.
The familiar formula of a strong run game, one that worked well in most games this season against teams not known as Auburn, carried the Dogs again.
Georgia (10-1, 7-1 SEC) did seem to carry an early hangover from its first loss of the season a week ago, a 40-17 rout at the hands of Auburn. Then midway through the second quarter, the Bulldogs came to life and went on to overpower the Wildcats (7-4, 4-4) for their eighth consecutive victory in the series.
Here are three observations from the game.
Georgia run game takes over.
After Georgia’s offensive line was dominated by Auburn a week ago, whether the Dogs passed or ran, things were a bit familiar for most of the first half Saturday. Quarterback Jake Fromm was sacked once for minus-3 yards, and the run game struggled.
In the first half, Georgia gained 123 yards on 20 carries, a healthy 6.2 yards per carry, but take away Sony Michel’s 37-yard touchdown run and Fromm’s 21-yard gain on a draw play, and Georgia ran 18 times for 65 yards
Then came the second half. The Dogs rushed for 258 yards on 24 carries to finish with 381 yards on 44 carries. Georgia gained 94 yards on 12 carries in the third quarter, and the Dogs’ first four rushes of the fourth quarter went for 55, 17, 25 and 14 yards.
Nick Chubb, who gained 31 yards on seven carries in the half, but 17 of the yards on two carries, finished with 151 yards on 15 carries and two touchdowns. His big play was a 55-yard TD run on the second play of the fourth quarter. Michel finished with 87 yards on 12 carries and scored three touchdowns. D’Andre Swift gained 66 yards on seven carries, after gaining seven yards on his first three carries.
Fromm kicks off the second-quarter surge.
About midway through the second quarter, Georgia’s freshman quarterback was 4-of-7 passing for 34 yards before he got the hot hand. On the ensuing UGA drive, Fromm was 3-of-3 for 63 yards, including a 27-yard touchdown pass to Javon Wims that gave the Bulldogs a 14-6 lead.
On Georgia’s next drive, set up by a 20-yard punt return by Mecole Hardman to the Georgia 49, Fromm put the Dogs in Kentucky territory with an 11-yard pass to Terry Godwin. His next pass was ruled incomplete along the sideline, but TV replays showed that Wims came within inches of catching the pass.
Fromm finished the half 8-of-12 passing for 108 yards and a touchdown. He also had a pass intercepted to set up Kentucky’s first field goal. Because of the run game, Fromm was quiet in the second half. He completed one of two attempts for 15 yards.
Miscellaneous thoughts.
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