Georgia football: 5 Kentucky players to watch as Bulldogs seek bounce-back win

Kentucky might be the perfect opponent for No. 10 Georgia following the Dawgs’ loss to South Carolina over the weekend.

The Dawgs have dominated the series this decade, winning the past 9 matchups. Georgia won the past 2 by a total of 46 points, including a 42-13 victory in Athens in 2017 that saw them carve up the Wildcats for 381 rushing yards.

That being said, it doesn’t mean that the Bulldogs can look past the Wildcats with the 2nd open week of the season coming up, followed by a critical contest against No. 9 Florida in Jacksonville on Nov. 2. Here are 5 Kentucky players who could affect the game Saturday:

Lynn Bowden Jr., WR

I’ve listed Lynn Bowden Jr. as a wide receiver only because that’s what his standard position. The truth is, the junior can do just about anything on offense — and did Saturday against Arkansas.

A receiving threat? Check. He tore up Mississippi State’s secondary with 7 catches for 129 yards on Sept. 21. Need him to play quarterback, a position he mastered in high school? All he did Saturday against Arkansas while starting for an injured Sawyer Smith was go 7-for-11 for 78 yards and a touchdown. Oh, by the way, he ran for 196 yards and 2 touchdowns on 24 attempts. Did we mention he’s one of the better return men in the conference?

Smith was reportedly “close” to returning against the Razorbacks and was available to play if needed. If he does return against the Bulldogs, expect Wildcats offensive coordinator Eddie Gran to install plenty of designed runs to account for the athleticism of Bowden and to keep Georgia’s defense off balance. Or it could be that Stoops plays his cards close to his vest once more and keeps everyone in suspense leading up to the game.

Asim “A.J.” Rose, RB

It was always going to be tough to follow what Benny Snell did during his historic career in Lexington. While A.J. Rose hasn’t come close to matching Snell’s numbers, he’s had a quietly steady season as RB1.

He enjoyed his best game of the season at Mississippi State (9 carries, 105 yards), but followed with just 33 yards on 10 attempts at South Carolina. Against Arkansas, though, he bounced back for 90 yards on 16 touches. Saturday’s game might take the same schematic look if Bowden starts at quarterback against the Dawgs, with Rose probably staying around that 15-16 touch number and Bowden being given similar run plays as he had in Saturday’s game. If Smith starts behind center, Kavosiey Smoke should step in to take the rest of the rushing load from Rose and pick up around 10 or so carries.

Jamar Watson, LB

Slowly but surely, Watson is starting to make more of an impact on the Wildcats’ linebacker corps. He has registered 3.0 sacks in his past 2 games, bringing his total to 3.5 on the season. His 2-sack performance at South Carolina was a bright spot for a very slow night for the Wildcats. In the win against Arkansas, he got to Nick Starkel once and forced a key fumble.

Watson’s importance to the defense is vital, and the staff has challenged him to raise his level of play over this remaining stretch of the season. He certainly has been trending upward lately; can he continue this strong form heading into Athens or will the Georgia offensive line bounce back from a disappointing showing against the Gamecocks?

Yusuf Corker, S

After redshirting his freshman season and seeing limited production last season, Corker has turned into one of the top players on the Kentucky defense, tied for the team lead with 40 tackles. He’s also deflected 3 passes and forced a fumble.

Corker has slowly increase his statistical output as the weeks have progressed. Jake Fromm must account for him. When he’s on his game, that takes away some options in the middle of the field for Fromm to choose from.

Kash Daniel, LB

I couldn’t possibly finish this list without mentioning this guy. Outspoken, controversial, you name it.

Daniel will probably try just about anything to get under the skin of the Georgia offense. More important, though, he’s the unquestioned leader of this defensive corps, the only player on the team to be named a captain in back-to-back seasons. And he has largely backed things up with his play: he’s 2nd on the team in tackles (33) and tied for 2nd in tackles for a loss (4.0). More than anyone, Daniel will be called upon to rally this defense to a victory against a Bulldogs team out to get things back on the right path.

Sydney Hunte

Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.