Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Carson Beck said the Bulldogs knew they were in for a tough fight in Kentucky.

Georgia (3-0, 1-0 SEC) won 13-12, but before that the Wildcats (1-2, 0-2 SEC) had given the No. 1-ranked team in Lexington a scare.

Beck, who completed 15 of 24 passes for 160 yards, said Kentucky’s pressure made things so difficult that he was even a little sore after the game.

“I’m fine – thank God we have a week off,” Beck said, noting that UGA does not play next Saturday before traveling to Tuscaloosa to play Alabama on Sept. 28.

“Kentucky is a physical team and we knew they would be physical. We have the utmost respect for them,” Beck said. “The first away game is always a tough test.”

Georgia struggled at times and was unable to find an offensive rhythm in the first half. The teams only managed 55 yards in the first half and trailed 3-6 at halftime.

“The theme of the work was one thing after another: How do you keep the engine running?” Beck said. “How do you manage to keep going throughout the game and then just cut down the tree?”

Kirby Smart had something to do with it, bringing his intensity to the sidelines during the coaching changes.

Beck was instrumental in a decisive 10-play, 68-yard touchdown drive – capped by Branson Robinson’s 3-yard run with 12:20 left – that gave UGA its first lead of the game, 13-9.

But Beck, who has never lost the ball this season, gave credit to the Bulldogs’ defense, which has not allowed a touchdown this season.

“I’m really proud of our guys. I’m really proud of our defense for keeping them out of the end zone and missing field goals,” Beck said. “And then we were able to score that one touchdown to take the lead first and then try to run the clock down at the end of the game.”

In fact, Kentucky had only 10 seconds left and no timeouts when it got the ball back for one final possession.

With three seconds left, former UGA quarterback Brock Vandagriff completed a 12-yard pass to the Wildcats’ 32-yard line, but Kentucky was unable to complete its final attempt as it failed a hook-and-ladder.