Brock Bowers can leap into Heisman race with big game vs Kentucky

Brock Bowers is already considered by many to be the best tight end in the country, but it’s time he got the recognition he deserves on a larger scale.

If you’re a Georgia football fan, the name Brock Bowers means one simple thing. Domination.

Bowers is a generational player with size, strength, speed, uncanny football smarts, and versatility. He’s become a fixture in the Georgia offense and is a player who can change a game at a moment’s notice (just ask Auburn).

However, one thing remains unconscionable to Georgia fans, and that’s the fact that Brock Bowers name is barely mentioned when it comes to the Heisman Trophy race this season.

While the intelligent football fan probably realizes that Bowers should already be in that discussion, Bowers can make his stamp on the media, Heisman voters, and the Las Vegas oddsmakers with a big game against Kentucky this week.

Brock Bowers can pad his already impressive stat line against the Wildcats defense

Currently, Brock Bowers ranks 38th in the nation in total receiving yards (413) for all receivers and is No. 2 in tight ends behind Colorado State’s Dallin Holker. His 30 total catches rank 26th among all receivers nationally, and no tight end has more grabs than Bowers.

So what can Bowers do against a stout Kentucky Wildcats defense to pad those impressive stats?

While the Wildcats do have a solid defensive line, they are susceptible to the pass, and that’s where Georgia quarterback Carson Beck and Brock Bowers can hurt Kentucky with the connection they’ve been building over the last five weeks.

Kentucky ranks 61st nationally in pass defense, giving up 221.4 yards per game in the air. They’ve allowed 41 pass plays of over 10 yards, 16 for 20 or more yards, and six for over 30 yards. That’s a pass defense that is wide open to explosive plays.

Here’s the tell-tale stat and where Brock Bowers can really make a mark this week. There are few players in the country who get as many yards after contact as Brock Bowers. Case in point, his game-winning touchdown run against Auburn in Week 5.

Bowers ranks third nationally among tight ends who have more than 20 catches with 9.6 yards after contact per reception.

If you watched Kentucky in their wins versus both Vanderbilt and Florida, you’ll see that when quarterbacks were able to get the ball to receivers against the Wildcats pass defense there were players getting loose after contact from a would-be tackler.

On the season, of 1,104 total receiving yards given up by the Wildcats, 537 are YAC.

Predicting the Brock Bowers stat line against Kentucky in Week 6

This may be a yard game to cherry-pick any stat predictions because Kentucky is going to want to run the ball a lot and keep the ball out of Georgia’s hands as much as possible. With that, Georgia offensive coordinator Mike Bobo will probably want to take a similar approach to keeping Kentucky’s offense on the sideline.

Right now FanDuel Sportsbook has the over/under on receiving yards for Bowers against Kentucky at 76.5 yards and 6.5 receptions. They have him listed at +330 odds to score two or more touchdowns and +1400 to score three or more.

It’s going to take that kind of effort for Bowers to start to gain any momentum in the Heisman Trophy discussion after Week 6, but it seems completely within reason.

Prediction: Bowers will haul in seven catches for 120 yards and two touchdowns against a Kentucky defense that is ripe to be exposed in prime time. 

A game like that should move Bowers into at least the top ten if not higher. Let the #BowersForHeisman campaign really take flight after this week.