ATHENS — Georgia has won 14 straight games in its series with Kentucky, but Kirby Smart made it clear there has been nothing easy about it.

“We’ve always said this has been the most physical game we’ve played in most years, especially when we’ve played up there,” Smart said. “Our kids have come out and said that. We’re preparing for a super physical game with a really physical run game.”

The No. 1-ranked Bulldogs (2-0) play the Wildcats (1-1) at 7:30 p.m. (TV: ABC) in their SEC opening game and first road trip of the season.

Georgia is more than a three-touchdown favorite in a match up that features its defense facing off against former Bulldogs’ quarterback Brock Vandagriff, who transferred to Kentucky after spending his first three seasons in Athens and graduating from UGA.

“Whether he’s familiar with them or not, I don’t think it matters with how multiple Georgia is and the amount of defense they can play,” said Wildcats coach Mark Stoops, who’s hoping to generate some positive momentum after a shocking 31-6 home loss to South Carolina last Saturday.

“Last week we didn’t give him much of a chance, to be totally honest with you. That’s not on Brock …. I think Brock will be just fine, we have to play very good around him, as well.”

The Wildcats, specifically, will have to establish a run game to have any sort of success offensively.

As impressive as Georgia has looked beating Clemson 34-3 and topping FCS Tennessee Tech 48-3, the Bulldogs have appeared suspect at times against the run.

UGA ranks 28th in the nation in run defense — down from 18th last season — allowing 81 yards per game on the ground.

Georgia’s defensive line is banged up, to boot, with Jordan Hall (leg) still out, and starters Warren Brinson (leg) and standout Mykel Williams (ankle) doubtful.

Smart knows that a fired-up Kentucky, with Vandagriff featuring a duel-threat role as a runner, will come straight at the Bulldogs under the lights on Kroger Field.

“Mark (Stoops) has a workman-like, blue-collar toughness, physicalness, win at the line of scrimmage mentality,” Smart said, “and that carries over into his offense.”

Scouting Georgia

Stoops, the longest-tenured coach in the SEC entering his 12th season, has noticed a trend at Georgia under Kirby Smart.

“They always have a well-coached football team across the board,” Stoops said. “I said it last year before our game that I don’t think they get enough credit for how well-coached they always are, and they have really good players, they have answers for things, they mix things up very well.”

Stoops, a noted defensive coach, continues to be impressed with the Bulldogs’ offense.

“I always mention the running backs, because Georgia always seems to have great running backs, but it’s behind an offensive line that is very cohesive,” Stoops said. “Then you put Carson Beck in there and the way he’s playing, he’s elite, and their receivers can really roll … "

Tide Rolls North

Georgia has a bye week after its trip to Kentucky that leads into a titanic battle against a No. 4-ranked Alabama team that’s still sorting things out under first-year coach Kalen DeBoer.

“We’re just coming back to work, and we know we have to get better every single day, and that’s not going to change all season long,” DeBoer said on the heels of a game that saw Alabama turn a 14-13 fourth-quarter lead into a deceptive 42-16 final score against South Florida

“Guys were just trying to figure out our identity as we go through it, as we evolve with our personnel, as we work through the different rotations and pieces to the puzzle, this is just going to be part of it,” said DeBoer, whose team has a noon kickoff at Wisconsin.

“The game is going to have ups and downs; for us, we have to clean up some things in regard to the penalties and do a better job with our turnover margin.”

It’s only the third time Wisconsin has played host to a Top 5 non-conference team since the advent of the AP Top 25 poll in 1936.

Georgia fans are watching Alabama because UGA has won 41 straight regular-season games dating back to a 2020 season loss at Florida.

Overall, the Bulldogs have won 53 of their past 57 games dating back to a season-ending win in 2019, with three of the four losses in that span coming to Alabama.

Torrid Tennessee

The Vols are arguably the hottest team in the country, jumping to No. 3 in the AJC SEC Power Poll and No. 7 in the AP Top 25 after a 51-10 win over North Carolina State.

Duel-threat redshirt freshman QB Nico Lamaleava (6-6, 215) has thrown for 525 yards in his first two starts this season and ranks 16th nationally in passing efficiency.

“Nico, two games into this season and one start in the bowl game, has had great command and control and presence in how we’re functioning offensively,” UT coach Josh Heupel said. “Decision -making has been really solid, and he controls so much of what we do. I’ve been really excited about his command of what we’re doing offensively versus the different structures that we inevitably see on game days.”

Georgia plays host to Tennessee on Nov. 16 in what’s emerging as the most intriguing home game for the Bulldogs.

The last time the Vols played at Georgia, in 2022, the Bulldogs won a classic 27-13 showdown in a No. 1 vs. No. 1 matchup — the Big Orange was ranked No. 1 by the CFP, UGA held the top spot in both major polls.

Texas twister

The Longhorns dominated defending national champ Michigan in Ann Arbor, 31-12, to the extent they were able to steal first-place votes from Georgia in securing the No. 2 spot in the polls.

“We are capable of anything,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said. “We’re got a really good team, (but) we are entitled to nothing.”

The Longhorns play a UT-San Antonio team that’s coming off a 49-10 loss to Texas State in a 7 p.m. start (TV: ESPN) in Austin.