Georgia Bulldogs Football vs. Kentucky: Back in the Saddle

We knew Bulldogs fans would be rooting for Florida this week, so the Gators can beat South Carolina and restore Georgia's opportunity to win the SEC East division. Aaron Murray's even telling people to.

Murray told the AP that Georgia faithful have "a free pass" to be one-time Florida fans and added, "I definitely am."

UGA head coach Mark Richt also got into the act, telling the press: "I'm definitely a Gator fan this week."

Of course, what Richt, Murray and Bulldogs fans really need to concentrate on is getting the job done at Kentucky on Saturday. David Ching of ESPN's DawgNation blog notes that the Wildcats have played Georgia closer than their record might indicate, including a 19-10 game in 2011 in which the Bulldogs had to come from behind.

Murray had a rough day against South Carolina two weeks ago and came home to find his house egged, but he's ready to turn things around against the Wildcats. The Associated Press reports Murray is just one touchdown pass shy of David Greene's Georgia career record of 72.

Meanwhile, Georgia's defense is facing heightened scrutiny. "The defense was supposed to be the backbone of the Georgia team this year," The Macon Telegraph's Seth Emerson reports. "It returned nine starters, including two All-Americans, from a team that ranked fifth in total defense last year. Instead, the defense has been a huge disappointment."

Then, there are the inevitable questions about Richt, and whether he's got what it takes to succeed in the really big games. SB Nation's Doug Gillett dug into the statistics, and came away unimpressed. "[I]t's the sense that things are stuck in place and not appreciably improving that bothers me and a growing number of Georgia fans," Gillett writes.

None of those concerns will likely be dispelled Saturday against Kentucky, which is 1-6, 0-4 in the SEC. Anything short of a blowout, and the questions might keep on coming.

What do you think? Are the Dawgs on the mend or running in place? Tell us in the comments.

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