1980 Game 7: Georgia 27 Kentucky 0       
 


We hit Lexington that week undefeated and up one spot to #5. Kentucky was coming off a 17-10 home loss to LSU. They hit the field 2-4, and on their way to a 3-8 season. Fran Curci was in his next to last season. I remember the scouting report presentation being all about taking their best shot on the road. And how they played physical football. That was the challenge laid out.

After 6 weeks at home, it was nice to take our act on the road. This one was under the lights at Commonwealth Stadium on a chilly, windy night (43* and 20 mph gusts). I noticed on the Kentucky sidelines, they had a couple of fires going. We did without. Over 57,000 showed up for the 7:30 kickoff.


Our starting center Hugh Nall was on crutches with an injured knee and sophomore Wayne Radloff stepped in and got his first start. Nall was one of our captains at midfield for the coin toss and he looked kind of funny wearing his red sweat pants, letter jacket and a stocking cap. He was fired up too. Kentucky won the toss and kicked off to us.

Herschel was coming off that record-breaking performance against Vanderbilt the previous week and we fed him on the opening series. He got it the first 4 plays and 6 of the first 8. On 3rd and 12, I hit Lindsay Scott working the middle of the field, off play-action and that was good for a 1st down. But the drive stalled, when I got sacked on a 3rd and 3, knocking us out of field goal range. Mark Malkiewicz took over the punting duties from Jim Broadway that week, and he dropped one dead at the ‘Cats 8.

Kentucky’s offense was a very conservative, run-oriented attack. They did mix in a lot of different formations. They generally went 2 TE, 2 RB and 1 WR. And also showed a 3 RB set, with 2 WR or 2 TE. Erk’s defense was ready to knock heads though.

The Wildcats opened the game with a 12-play drive that ended with a Scott Woerner interception. Pat McShea tipped it for an assist. It was 3rd and 4, from our 44, and they had a twins set to the wide side, with the TE in the slot. The QB (Jenkins) took a 5-step drop and threw to the TE running an option route. Against zone, he turned out, but McShea got underneath the route and tipped it up. Woerner caught it and ran down to the Kentucky 31, to set us up on a short field.

After a couple of running plays, I hit Amp Arnold for a first down on a 3rd and 8. It was a roll right, to the wide side, Amp ran a 12 yard out from the slot. We gave it to Herschel 5 straight times after that, and he scored on a 2 yard run to make it 7-0. That’s all we would need.

We won the 2nd quarter 6-0. Rex Robinson hit a 50 yard FG that would have been good from 60. And he added a 47 yard FG that made it 13-0 at the half. Herschel’s halftime numbers were 21 carries for 91 yards. Coach Haffner mixed in the pass nicely in this one. I was 6-14 and it felt good to throw it around some. We started using the “delay route” off play-action, where the FB would show a blocking move, and then drift out late. That was effective.

In the 3rd quarter, the ‘Cats fumbled a Malkiewicz punt, which gave us another short field. We cashed in. Herschel pounded them with 4 downhill runs, which set up a 3rd and 3, at the Kentucky 3 yard line. Coach Haffner called a sprint pass left, to the wide side. Lindsay ran his CB deep into the end zone. Ronnie Stewart got the big block on the edge, as he sprinted to take out the OLB from his FB spot. Herschel drove the SS back into the end zone and I followed that block just inside the pylon for the touchdown. That made it 20-0.

Late in the quarter, Mike Fisher---who played tough with 10 tackles---intercepted one, but Rex Robinson’s FG was blocked. We went to the 4th quarter up 20-0.

And the 4th quarter started with a bang.

The Wildcats downed a punt inside our ten yard line. And on 3rd down and 8, Coach Haffner called a beauty. We went 2 TEs, I-formation, with 1 WR. Amp Arnold was split wide right. The play was a roll out pass, with Amp running a double-move, out and up. The Kentucky CB bit on the out move, as I pumped it towards Amp. The wind was gusting at our backs, so I was concerned about over-throwing it. And just as I released it, I got hit from behind. As I looked up from the ground, I could see Amp catch it at our 35 yard line. Amp Arnold took off like one of those thoroughbred horses running at Keeneland. He took it to the house, outrunning 3 Wildcat DBs. Two dove at his heels, but that didn’t slow Amp down. The play went for a Commonwealth Stadium record 91 yards.

The final score: Georgia 27 Kentucky 0. Erk Russell’s Defense got its second consecutive shutout. They also forced 4 turnovers that night. All 4 were interceptions. Woerner had two, Hipp got one, and Mike Fisher picked one off. Jimmy Payne had 6 tackles and a sack. Weaver had 8 tackles. Nate Taylor had 9.

Offensively, we ran 76 plays. Herschel Walker had 31 carries for 131 yards. I was 10-20 for 228 yards, with a TE rushing and passing. Amp caught 4 balls for 127 yards. We actually had more yards passing than rushing that night.

It sure felt good winning on the road. The win got us to 7-0. We had some laughs on the trip home , but the arrival in Athens was around 2 a.m. Couldn’t believe we actually had some Bulldog fans welcome us back to town, when we got off the bus at McWhorter Hall. This was getting interesting.


 
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