Kentucky believes in ability to beat Georgia, make SEC Championship Game

Kentucky is coming off a bit of a disappointing season, finishing 7-6 with first-round quarterback Will Levis banged up and not at full health for much of the season. But optimism abounds in Lexington.

The Wildcats are only two years removed from a 10-win campaign in 2021, and they’ve got their sights set on a return to those levels. The addition of NC State quarterback Devin Leary makes it a real possibility.

Just how real is the buzz at Kentucky? KSR‘s Drew Franklin joined On3’s JD PicKell for a roundtable discussion and left it perfectly clear.

Kentucky wants to beat Georgia.

“I mean if you think quiet buzz is already booking hotels for the SEC Championship, maybe,” Franklin said. “Two years ago Will Levis only had one target in Wan’Dale Robinson and they went down to Athens and played Georgia as well as anyone. Last year Georgia comes to Lexington, a Kentucky offense that was struggling, Levis struggling, that’s why the coordinator lasted only one year, but they still gave Georgia a big game then.”

In a defensive struggle, Georgia came out on top of Kentucky 16-6 in 2022.

The Bulldogs will once again have one of the most loaded rosters in the nation. But the Wilcats have slowly and consistently upgraded the talent level ever since coach Mark Stoops took over back in 2013.

The 2023 team could have the best collection of talent in a long time, perhaps even enough to beat Georgia.

“So now if Leary works out as we discussed, they have all kinds of playmakers around him,” Franklin said. “They’re deep at running back, deep at tight end and receivers unlike Kentucky’s ever seen in Barion Brown, (Tayvion) Robinson, Dane Key and a bunch of young freshmen coming in behind them.”

That is sufficient reason for optimism indeed. Enough to beat Georgia?

That might take a few things going right beyond just having quality playmakers at most spots. Against a program as good as the one Kirby Smart has built, you also need some favorable bounces more often than not.

“The problem in that game is it’s later in the year and there’s some key positions where I worry about depth, but if Kentucky is healthy and they’re rolling out some energetic first-stringers, yeah, we can dream against Georgia,” Franklin said.