As the Kentucky Wildcats prepare to host the Georgia Bulldogs in Lexington, much of the focus will be on Kentucky’s starting quarterback, Brock Vandagriff, a former Georgia player. Vandagriff, once a highly-touted five-star recruit, spent his entire career at Georgia before transferring to Kentucky in search of a starting role.
While he never secured the starting job in Athens, Vandagriff made the move to Lexington, feeling it was time to showcase his talent elsewhere. In the age of the transfer portal, many athletes struggle with the process, but according to Georgia head coach Kirby Smart, Vandagriff handled it with grace and professionalism.
Smart had nothing but praise for his former quarterback, describing how Vandagriff approached his departure with maturity. “It was very lighthearted,” Smart said. “He understood and had already told us that if Carson [Beck] was coming back, he was probably going to play somewhere else. He was very professional about it. He was emotional because he loves Georgia. He graduated from Georgia, he won two national championships at Georgia. He made Georgia better and left it better than he found it.”
Despite his deep connection to Georgia, Vandagriff would undoubtedly love to lead Kentucky to an upset win over his former team. Coming off a tough game against South Carolina, where the Wildcats struggled offensively, Vandagriff will be eager to redeem himself.
While Kentucky is a significant underdog against Georgia, history suggests the Bulldogs have had some difficulty in Lexington, though they’ve always managed to come out on top. If Vandagriff and the Wildcats’ offense can bounce back, they might have a shot at covering the 24-point spread in this upcoming matchup.