ATHENS, Ga. - The Georgia Bulldogs have improved statistically on defense, but they're about to find out why.
Georgia has blanketed Tennessee and Vanderbilt the past two weeks at Sanford Stadium, holding the Volunteers and Commodores to an average of 204.5 yards and seven points. Tennessee and Vanderbilt, however, rank 11th and 12th in the Southeastern Conference in total offense and scoring offense.
Kentucky, which hosts the Bulldogs on Saturday night, ranks third in the league with 429.3 yards per game and second with 35.3 points a contest.
"I think if we can do what we've been doing the past two weeks against Kentucky, I think we could show people that we're a really good defense," sophomore cornerback Sanders Commings said. "I think we'll earn some respect if we can shut Kentucky down."
The Wildcats have passed for 200 yards every game this season and threw for 349 in last week's 31-28 upset of South Carolina, when Mike Hartline completed 32 of 42 passes and had four touchdowns. Chris Matthews had 12 receptions for 177 yards and a score against the Gamecocks, but Kentucky's biggest weapon continues to be versatile junior Randall Cobb, who had the winning touchdown reception last week.
Kentucky has scored 72 points the past two years against Georgia, with Cobb racking up five rushing touchdowns.
"It's going to be a big test this week," Georgia senior linebacker and leading tackler Akeem Dent said. "Kentucky is a team that is going to fight until there is no time left on that clock in the fourth quarter. They've kind of been starting slow, but they've been able to finish. We're going to have to play for 60 minutes."
The Wildcats won last Saturday without top tailback Derrick Locke, who is out again this week with a shoulder stinger.
Georgia, which is operating in a 3-4 scheme under new defensive coordinator Todd Grantham, has used the last two weeks to move into the top 20 nationally in the two most prominent categories. The Bulldogs rank 14th in total defense (allowing 290.1 yards per game) and 20th in scoring defense (allowing 17.4 points per game).
"I think they're more comfortable, which allows them to play faster, and I think they're communicating well," Grantham said. "It's allowing them to make plays, too. I'm pleased with their preparation and effort, and I just think we've got to keep building on it."
Said Dent: "We're a lot more comfortable than we were in the preseason. We gave up some big plays early in the year, but now we're starting to catch on."
The Bulldogs were confused repeatedly during their 1-4 start, allowing seven gains of 20 or more yards against Arkansas, four at Mississippi State and six at Colorado. Now the only confusion seems to be whether Grantham had to simplify things following the flight back from Boulder.
Commings said this week that coaches simplified the defensive game plan "after they watched film and saw a bunch of busts." When Grantham was asked if he scaled back, he said "not really" and that the improvement was because of players getting more repetitions.
Head coach Mark Richt then weighed in, saying he asked both coordinators after the loss at Colorado to "err on the side of simplicity."
The Bulldogs responded with a pair of stout performances at home against the SEC's two most struggling offenses. Their biggest gauge to date awaits Saturday at Commonwealth Stadium.
"It's a new challenge," Grantham said. "First of all, we're going on the road. To be the kind of defense we want to be, we have to do well on the road, too. It's another opportunity to get better."