Let's be honest for a second. If you look at the record books for uga vs kentucky football, it looks less like a rivalry and more like a recurring nightmare for folks in Lexington. Georgia has won 16 straight games in this series. 16. That’s a long time. The last time the Wildcats actually beat the Bulldogs, we were all still listening to Lady Gaga’s "Bad Romance" on repeat and the iPhone 3GS was the pinnacle of technology.
But 2024 and 2025 changed the vibe.
Suddenly, these games aren't just late-October blowouts where Georgia pulls its starters by the third quarter. They’ve become absolute physical grinders. Last year, in 2024, Georgia escaped Kroger Field with a 13-12 win. It was ugly. It was muddy. It was basically a 60-minute car crash where nobody could find the end zone. If you’re a fan of "old school" football—which is just code for "nobody can score"—that game was your Super Bowl.
What Really Happened in the 2025 Matchup
Fast forward to October 4, 2025. Georgia came into the game ranked No. 12, feeling a bit vulnerable after a tough loss to Alabama. Most people thought Mark Stoops might finally have the recipe to pull the upset, especially with Georgia looking human for once.
It didn't happen.
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Georgia won 35-14. On paper, that looks like a comfortable stroll through the park, but the box score hides how tense it felt early on. Gunner Stockton basically took the game over. He didn't just throw the ball; he used his legs to punch in two touchdowns himself. He looked like a guy who finally understood that in the SEC, sometimes you just have to run through a linebacker to get what you want.
Kentucky’s Cutter Boley had moments of brilliance, throwing for 225 yards and two scores. But you can't win in Athens when you rush for only 45 yards. You just can't. Georgia’s defense, led by guys like CJ Allen and Raylen Wilson, turned the Wildcats' backfield into a no-fly zone.
Why the 2026 Schedule Changes Everything
Now, here is the part that’s actually making fans upset. For over 50 years—since 1956, to be exact—these two have played every single year. It’s a staple of the SEC schedule. But with the conference expanding and the 2026 schedule shifting to a nine-game model, that annual streak is officially dead.
Georgia and Kentucky aren't scheduled to play in 2026.
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It's kinda weird, right? We’re losing these historic annual matchups in favor of "super-conferences." While Georgia fans are looking ahead to a 2026 slate that includes home games against Oklahoma and LSU, there’s a small part of the fan base that’s going to miss the trip to Lexington. Or at least the guaranteed win.
The Mark Stoops Factor (and the End of an Era)
You can’t talk about uga vs kentucky football without mentioning the coaching chess match. Or, more accurately, the coaching stalemate. Mark Stoops was recently fired after 13 seasons at Kentucky. It’s the end of an era. Stoops was the winningest coach in Kentucky history, but his record against Georgia was a staggering 0-13.
0-13.
Think about that. He did more for Kentucky football than almost anyone, yet he could never crack the Kirby Smart code. Kirby, who is now the longest-tenured coach in the SEC, has turned Georgia into a machine that specifically eats teams like Kentucky for breakfast.
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Kentucky plays a "blue-collar" style. They want to out-muscle you. The problem is, you can’t out-muscle a team that recruits five-star athletes and trains them like Olympic powerlifters. Georgia basically plays Kentucky’s own game, just with better "toys."
Breaking Down the Numbers
- Total Series: Georgia leads 65-12-2.
- The Streak: 16 straight wins for the Dawgs.
- 2025 Star: Gunner Stockton (UGA QB) with 3 total touchdowns.
- The 2024 Scare: A 13-12 Georgia win that almost broke the internet.
Honestly, the "rivalry" tag is generous here. But Kentucky has consistently been the "barometer" for Georgia. If Georgia struggles to move the ball against the Wildcats' front seven, it usually means they’re going to have a rough time against Alabama or Texas later in the month.
Insights for the Future
The 2025 game was a "get right" game for Georgia. After falling to Alabama, they needed to prove they could still dominate the trenches. They did that by holding Kentucky to roughly 2.0 yards per carry. That’s defensive dominance in its purest form.
For Kentucky, the next step is finding a coach who can recruit at a level that doesn't just "compete" with Georgia but actually threatens them. They’ve spent a decade being "the team that almost beat Georgia." At some point, that's not enough for a fan base that’s tired of seeing red and black celebrate on their home turf.
Since these teams won't meet in 2026, the 35-14 result is going to sit in the record books for a while. Georgia gets the last laugh for at least a few seasons.
Actionable Next Steps:
Keep an eye on the transfer portal this spring. With Mark Stoops gone, Kentucky's roster is likely to see significant movement, and Georgia is always looking for veteran depth. If you’re a bettor, watch the 2026 SEC schedule releases closely; the absence of Kentucky means Georgia’s Strength of Schedule (SOS) just got a lot harder, as they trade a "reliable win" for a potential heavyweight matchup. Stay tuned to official SEC communications to see when this series might actually return to the rotation.