Blue Preview: Storyline, odds and key players to watch for UK football at Georgia

No. 20 Kentucky at No. 1 Georgia

When: 7 p.m. (EDT) Saturday.

TV: ESPN

Announcers: Play-by-play, Sean McDonough; analysis, Greg McElroy; sideline, Molly McGrath.

Radio: WLAP-AM 630, WBUL-FM 98.1.

Satellite Radio: XM Channel 192, Sirius Channel 134, Internet Channel 963.

Records: Kentucky 5-0, 2-0 SEC; Georgia 5-0, 2-0 SEC.

Series history: Georgia leads the all-time series with Kentucky 62-12-2 and has won the last 13 games between the teams.

Most-recent meeting: No. 1 Georgia survived a determined Kentucky defensive effort and won 16-6 on Nov. 19, 2022, at Kroger Field.

Line: Georgia is favored by 17 points.

The storyline

In a battle for the SEC East lead, Kentucky seeks to snap the Bulldogs’ overall 22-game winning streak by claiming its first victory in Athens since 2009. During what will be the final season of division play in the Southeastern Conference, UK’s aspiration of winning the SEC East title for the first time in school history is likely dependent on beating Kirby Smart’s Bulldogs.

The number to watch

Kentucky’s red-zone efficiency. A season ago, three UK trips into the Georgia red zone yielded only six Wildcats points. In what became a 16-6 Kentucky loss, that offensive inefficiency cost the Cats a chance at a massive upset. This season, UK stands 100th in the FBS in red-zone efficiency, having converted 13 of 17 trips into points (11 touchdowns). This season’s Georgia defense has allowed only eight red-zone invasions, but has surrendered points on seven of them (six touchdowns).

The big threat

Brock Bowers. Pound-for-pound, the 6-foot-4, 240-pound Georgia tight end (30 catches, 413 yards, three touchdowns) is the best player in college football. In the Bulldogs’ narrow escape, 27-20, at Auburn last week, the junior from Napa, California, caught eight passes for 157 yards and scored the game-winning TD on a 40-yard pass with 2:52 left in the game.

On the spot

The Kentucky passing attack. It seems unlikely that UK can make an earnest bid Saturday night for what would be its fourth all-time football victory over a team ranked No. 1 in the AP poll without getting its passing game going. The Wildcats need greater throwing accuracy from quarterback Devin Leary (57.7 percent completions) and a higher rate of catching of the footballs they get their hands on from featured wide-outs Barion Brown (19 catches, 251 receiving yards, one touchdown) and Dane Key (13, 196, two).

The mood

Is hopeful. As Kentucky coach, Mark Stoops is 0-8 against teams ranked in the top five of the AP Top 25. Since upsetting No. 1 LSU in 2007, UK has lost its last 14 games vs. top five-rated foes. However, Kentucky’s 33-14 throttling of then-No. 22 Florida last week coupled with the reality that Georgia, so far, hasn’t looked quite as dominant in 2023 as it was while winning the past two national championships has given Kentucky fans license to dream.