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3
Georgia 16, Kentucky 6 | Kroger Field - Lexington
Issue 13
KENTUCKY
2022National
Champions
Edition
Back-To-Back
BY JEFF DANTZLER
It was one of the coldest games
the Bulldogs ever played, and
Georgia hunkered, fought,
persevered and took Kentucky’s
best shot to pull out a 16-6
triumph on the bluegrass. This
was the second of those back-toback
road games on the second
half gauntlet that stood out as a
stiff and dangerous challenge. But
Smart’s Dawgs have avoided the
letdown and lookahead. Georgia
embraced the challenge of the
cold and these physical Wildcats
and got a big road win.
Podlesny was superb in the first
half - Bennett had one particularly
impressive hold - as Georgia
struck for field goals on all three
possessions of the first 30 minutes.
Yes, possessions were limited and
extra precious in this one. It was
9-0 Georgia at intermission. On
the second possession of the third
quarter, Kenny McIntosh struck
paydirt from nine yards out to
make it 16-0. The superb senior
running back chalked up 143 yards
on 19 carries.
Kentucky came up with a goal line
stand, and then went 99 yards
to make it 16-6. For a second
straight week, the Bulldogs made
a monster stop on a two point
conversion and it remained a
two score game. A late hook left
(foreshadowing perhaps) of a field
goal by the ‘Cats kept the lead at
10. Smart’s Bulldogs joined Steve
Spurrier’s Gators (1995-1996) and
Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide (2008-
2009) as the only teams in the
divisional era to post back to back
8-0 league records.
BULLDAWGILLUSTRATED 110 2022 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS EDITION