This last week presented many a challenge for running back Kenny McIntosh. The Mississippi State Bulldogs’ run defense kept him to only 3.2 yards per carry, a significant mark lower than his season average of 4.6. But moving the ball wasn’t nearly as difficult as staying warm.

Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville dropped to a chilling 30 degrees fahrenheit last Saturday. Such an environment was quite the scene for McIntosh who is originally from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. 

When asked what he learned from the cold in Starkville and how he plans on combating similar elements in the future, McIntosh had a simple but effective answer: stand in front of the heater.

The cold has been a question that has been thrown at the players all week. We’ve been curious as to how they’ve been dealing with it, but for the most part they’ve all responded pretty similarly. McIntosh said: “You know know matter where it’s at. No matter what circumstances you got to go there and do your thing.”

All jokes aside, Kentucky presents a formidable match up for McIntosh and the Georgia running game as a whole. They’re statistically one of the better defenses in the SEC. They’re a physical bunch, but it’s nothing the Dawgs haven’t seen before. In fact McIntosh told us yesterday that the Wildcats’ defense resembled Georgia’s in a couple ways:

“They’re really like ours, similar to our defense. It’s really a blessing to be able to go against that everyday, and you know, get the looks and stuff like that.”

Earlier in the week Coach Kirby Smart mentioned that some players were excited to prepare for Kentucky’s “NFL style offense.” Well now we’re hearing that the running backs are excited to be running against something they see in practice everyday.

Overall, this coming Saturday should wind up being a good day for Georgia, but don’t expect anything to come easy. This is still a road game in the SEC, a fact Coach Smart won’t be afraid to mention at any given point in time.