Todd Grantham: 'We've just got to play better'

Georgia Bulldogs defensive coordinator Todd Grantham didn't have his star linebacker Saturday, but the coordinator didn't see that as an excuse for his defense's poor play in a 29-24 win over the Kentucky Wildcats on Sautrday.

The Wildcats rushed for a season-high 206 yards Saturday. Junior reserve Jonathan George rushed for a career-high 87 yards, including four rushes of at least 10 yards.

Seth Emerson of the Macon Telegraph if Georgia's issues stopping the run were attributable to the absence of All-American linebacker Jarvis Jones, who did not play with a sprained ankle. Grantham, to Emerson:

"No, we've just gotta play better. I mean anybody that's out there we expect them to play well. I thought the guys that played, they did some good things."

Kentucky's offense has been limited in recent weeks—starting quarterback Maxwell Smith is out indefinitely with a torn ankle ligament—and reliant upon a rotation of true freshman quarterback Jalen Whitlow and displaced senior quarterback Morgan Newton.

Still, the Wildcats were able to move the ball Saturday with a plan that relied heavily on their running game. Kentucky's quarterbacks combined to go 11 for 20 with 123 yards and a touchdown.