As Kirby Smart’s Georgia faces off against Mark Stoops’ Kentucky, where does the Bulldogs stand? Recent history favors Georgia, boasting 15 straight wins over Kentucky, including last year’s razor-thin 13-12 triumph. What can we expect from the October 4 face-off? Both Smart and Stoops’ squads love to run the ball and want to win with physicality. So, it’s surely going to leave the fans on the edge of their seats. We already know that Smart is a big Stoops fan. “It’s just really amazing what he’s done at Kentucky,” Smart said this week. But the question remains, is Stoops’ quarterback, Cutter Boley, sending threats to Smart and co? The Georgia head coach broke his silence.

After starter Zach Calzada went down in game two, Boley stepped in and has impressed. He’s completed more passes, thrown more touchdowns, and fewer interceptions subbing for Calzada. Maybe he’s no Arch Manning. But the question remains whether he’s about to have his Heisman moment. However, Smart and his boys seem to hold him as they studied Boley in and out. 

On October 3, Georgia Bulldogs Athletics posted a live session with Smart presented by Wells Fargo. The host of the live show, “Voice of the Dawgs” Scott Howard, asked the Georgia head coach, “How do you prepare for Kentucky quarterback Cutter Boley when there’s as Walker says, there’s not much film of him?” But looks like Smart has already done his homework on Boley. The Georgia head coach said, “Well, he played this year, and he started, and he played last year. So, I mean, there’s more film than we have on most quarterbacks that are in the first year. So, we’ve got a little history on him and seen him play.”

According to ESPN’s Billy Connelly, Kentucky’s tandem of Boley and Calzada sits at the bottom of the Power Four rankings. Every other team at that level has produced better QB play so far this season. But that does not mean that Smart is taking Stoops’ quarterback play for granted. Instead, the Georgia head coach stays on high alert, “It’s probably more of a either quarterback could play. Zach Calzada could play and we might get either one of them and we got to be prepared for both.”

As per the latest availability report before the big day, Stoops’ quarterback Calzada now sits in the “probable” list. While Calzada’s fate still hangs in the air, Boley’s trip to Sanford Stadium is an unfamiliar territory. The pressure gets 100x since the Wildcats have dropped back-to-back SEC games and are still searching for answers on offense. Amidst the quarterback hoopla, here Stoops raises a wake-up call for Smart. 

Mark Stoops eyes a breakthrough, preying on Kirby Smart’s Georgia

Stoops and co. are all set to break the more than a decade-old drought of beating Smart’s boys. Along with this, it has now been a long time since the Bulldogs have suffered back-to-back losses at home. So, the Wildcats seem to can’t wait for Saturday to arrive. Georgia’s dominance over Kentucky rolls on. 15 consecutive wins and counting, the Bulldogs’ second-longest streak ever. But so what? 

Smart’s Bulldogs are now standing on soft soil coming off a 24-21 loss to Alabama. “Our guys are fired up, got work done, and a bunch of them came in,” Smart said. “I think when you see our guys, you realize how invested they are when they hurt (after the Alabama loss).” Now, what better opportunity for Stoops and co. to land a heavy blow when the Bulldogs are already a little weak? 

The Kentucky head coach said, “I’m sure they’ll be in a bad mood, like our players are (coming off a loss).” He further whipped up some fear, “It’s going to be a real challenge here. It’s a typical Georgia team, very good in every area, very physical, and make things tough for us, offensively, defensively. Really playing at a high level.”

If Stoops plans to throttle Smart this weekend, the Georgia head coach better take his alum’s advice seriously. Former Bulldogs quarterback Aaron Murray became pretty upset after his alma mater’s loss at the hands of Alabama. He said, “Georgia just doesn’t play well on defense in the first quarter. Georgia just doesn’t play defense in the first half… Why can’t you just show up and dominate for four quarters? Let’s get rid of this stupid narrative that, ‘Oh we will just figure it out.’”

But at least Kirby Smart no longer has to worry about his time running out, which Mark Stoops has. A $40.5 million buyout axe is swinging over Stoop’s head. As Taylor Zarzour said on the Jox 94.5 podcast, “I don’t know what the future of Kentucky football is with him.” “Kentucky faces a pivotal test: inch Stoops toward the door or rattle Smart’s pride with back-to-back home losses?