The overturned pick-six would have won the game for Kentucky

Football is a game of inches, and the difference in Kentucky‘s 13-12 loss to No. 1 Georgia was a fraction of one.

There is plenty to dissect with a long list of woulda, coulda, shoulda moments for the Wildcats at Kroger Field. All eyes were on Mark Stoops’ decision to punt on 4th and 8 with three minutes to go from the UGA 47, one he defended after the loss. UK was one conversion away from Alex Raynor lining up for the game-winning field goal after hitting all four of his attempts throughout the matchup, highlighted by his school-record 55-yarder in the first quarter.

Take away Brock Vandagriff‘s strip sack in Georgia territory, go for the end zone to close out the first half instead of settling for the field goal, a big-time interception going through Jordan Lovett‘s hands — plenty of opportunities there.

None impacted the game more, however, than Zion Childress‘ pick-six on 3rd and 7 midway through the second quarter, ultimately taken off the board after being ruled incomplete. Carson Beck attempted to hit Dominic Lovett toward the right sideline, the ball bouncing out of his arms on the ground and up into Childress’ lap, setting up the easy return to the end zone. Had it stood, the Wildcats were set to go up 10-0 and potentially set up the victory in the defensive slugfest.

Instead, that momentum was quickly ripped away upon review, the ball deemed to have touched the ground before popping back up on the interception. That led to a punt to flip the field with the ball downed at the UK 8. Kroger Field went from rocking to sitting in a matter of seconds, certainly after Vandagriff’s fumble on the following drive.

A hair away from Kentucky controlling the game against the No. 1 team in the country.

Imagine if this counted 😮 pic.twitter.com/z2wvRcQhbf
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 15, 2024

The other angles won’t make you feel any better about just how close the pick-six was, especially when it takes clear, indisputable evidence to overturn any call.

You make the call, should this have been upheld as a Pick Six?

To reverse a call, you need "indisputable evidence" pic.twitter.com/LQreDX6olu
— Tristan Pharis (@TristanUda) September 15, 2024

How about some more film that’ll break your heart? Take a look at that last drive for Kentucky before the infamous punt on 4th and 8, Vandagriff’s incompletion on 3rd down before Georgia took back over and ultimately ran the clock down.

The cut-up shows Barion Brown was wide open on the play before Vandagriff was hit to force the batted ball. Had it gotten through, the speedy receiver was undoubtedly cutting up the field well into field goal range and potentially to the house.