I’ll be the first to admit I didn’t believe the Kentucky football team stood a chance in their meeting with the Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday. The Bulldogs took home the victory 16-6, but the Wildcats gave the number one team in the country all they wanted and more.
Offensive frustrations, along with continued special teams mishaps, stunted any chance of the Wildcats pulling off the David vs. Goliath upset. If you’re into finding silver linings in hard times, there was one aspect of Kentucky’s play that stood atop the rest. That would be the defensive unit.
Brad White Deserves His Praise
Every fanbase does it. We all tend to focus on the negative when things seem to be heading south. Yes, offensive coordinator, Rich Scangarello deserves to be under the microscope, but someone who deserves his moment in the sun is defensive coordinator Brad White.
White’s defense held the Bulldogs to their lowest point total all season. The Cats forced one turnover on a Stetson Bennett interception early in the third quarter by Jordan Lovett. The Georgia offense averages 509 yds of total offense per game. On Saturday, the Cats held them to 363 yds of total offense.
Even With Key Players Missing, Cats’ Defense Fought
It was mentioned in the broadcast and shouldn’t be forgotten. The Wildcats were without two stars on defense in, DeAndre Square and Jacquez Jones. The linebacking duo have missed multiple weeks, and both still are in the top ten in tackles on the team, with Square holding the top spot.
There’s no question the team was outmanned against Georgia. If there’s one thing no one can question about a Mark Stoops team is their heart. The Wildcats defense gave everything they had and left it all on the field Saturday night. That’s all you can ask for.