Shortly after Georgia’s 24-13 game win over the Kentucky Wildcats, it looked like the Bulldogs may become outright SEC East Champions as Vanderbilt was close to defeating Tennessee, but a late field goal gave the Volunteers the lead and eventual win.

Therefore, the Bulldogs need the same Wildcats they defeated on Saturday to win next week against Tennessee for Georgia to make it to Atlanta for the SEC Championship game. If Tennessee defeats Kentucky, then the Vols will win the SEC East by virtue of a tie-breaker and play LSU for the championship.

In the last game in Sanford Stadium for Georgia’s seniors, the Bulldogs (9-2, 6-2 SEC) overcame four turnovers to defeat Kentucky (7-4, 3-4). Before the game, the 23 seniors were introduced individually before the sold-out Sanford Stadium crowd.

“Building up to this game, we all knew it was going to be Senior Day, but it doesn’t hit you until you walk out there for the last time. They hand you the ball and you kind of think back to being a freshman when you’re standing in line congratulating the seniors coming out. It was very emotional. I was kind of fighting back tears a little bit, reminiscing of my old times,” said senior tailback Thomas Brown.

The emotion of the pre-game ceremony may have carried over, as the Bulldogs struggled to find a rhythm to start the game.

Trailing the entire first half, the Bulldogs did not take the lead until Kelin Johnson blocked Kentucky’s first punt of the third quarter to set up a Knowshon Moreno touchdown and Georgia’s first lead of the game. The blocked punt was Georgia’s first since Prince Miller blocked one against UAB early last season.

“The blocked punt was big. To get a really great stop to start the second half, block the kick, get the score and take the lead. To get the momentum was big,” said head coach Mark Richt.

Moreno led the team with 124 yards to be the first Bulldog since Herschel Walker to rush for 100 yards in five straight games. Brown added 73 yards on a day when quarterback Matthew Stafford completed just 12 passes for 99 yards.

However, the defense allowed Georgia to stay in the game and eventually win. Kentucky was able to score only three points after getting four turnovers. Freshman linebacker Rennie Curran lead the team with 13 tackles. For the fourth time this year, the defense held the opposing team without a touchdown in the second half. The defense as a whole was able to keep pressure on Kentucky quarterback Andre’ Woodson all day and get five sacks, including one on a fourth down late in the game to seal the victory.

The win gives head coach Mark Richt his 70th win in seven seasons since becoming head coach of the Bulldogs, making him the eighth coach in Division I-A history to accomplish the feat.

Senior receiver Mikey Henderson will remember Saturday’s game for quite some time. In addition to his last game in Sanford stadium, Henderson proposed to his girlfriend of 18 months, Christina Daskalakis, during the pre-game senior day honors. She said “yes.”

“It was already going to be a day that I was going to remember with senior day and the last home game, so I decided to make it a little more special for everyone in my family that was here and for her,” he said.

Henderson, who had been planning the proposal for two months, said he kept the ring in his hand warmer before getting down on one knee to propose.

Richt also announced after the game that junior offensive lineman Scott Haverkamp will be leaving the team. Haverkamp, who transferred to Georgia last January from a junior college in Kansas, has dealt with injuries much of the season.

“Scott has decided that he doesn’t want to play football anymore. I believe his plans are to transfer to Kansas State to finish his degree. He just kind of lost his desire to play ball,” said Richt.

The Bulldogs will finish their regular season this Saturday against Georgia Tech. The game will be played in Georgia Tech’s Bobby Dodd Stadium at 3:30 p.m.