Florida hit the road with as road favorites but an unfavorable performance put the season on the brink.
The Gators, now 3-6 overall and 2-4 in the SEC, must win out the rest of the season to qualify for a bowl after suffering.a 38-7 rout against Kentucky, with another road test ahead against Ole Miss and Tennessee and Florida State at home to finish the regular season.
The Gators took their fourth conference loss of the season to Kentucky, previously a program in a similar situation before improving to 4-5 overall and 2-5 in conference play with its fifth win in the past eight matchups against Florida, which held a 31-year winning streak until 2018.
The 31-point loss for Florida is the first 30-plus point deficit to an unranked opponent since 1970.
Loading ...In this year’s edition, Lexington played host and acted as Turnover City. Each team recorded four turnovers, including a combined four in the last seven plays of the first half. Florida long snapper Rocco Underwood secured the turnover that led to his team’s one score, a muffed punt on a fair catch.
Quarterback DJ Lagway was benched after throwing three interceptions in the first half. True freshman quarterback Tramell Jones Jr. entered the game for the second time this season for his first SEC appearance. After not giving up a single interception against Georgia, Lagway threw No. 10 of the season on the opening drive of the game, struggling with timing after setting his feet. Kentucky defensive back Ty Bryant recorded his third interception on the play. Lagway’s 11th and 12th came in the back-and-forth chaos just before the half.
Gators interim coach Billy Gonzales, who is still looking for his first win at the helm, said last week that it is important that Lagway is a “willing” runner. He ran a season-high 27 yards on five carries. In the pass game, in addition to those interceptions, he completed 58% of passes and threw 83 yards and one touchdown to running back Jadan Baugh, his first receiving touchdown this season.
Jones struggled as well in his conference debut, completing 9 of 17 passes for 60 yards.
Baugh led the Gators in both rushing and receiving, tallying 64 and 27, respectively. Wide receivers Aidan Mizell and Vernell Brown III were available after not playing in the 24-20 loss to Georgia last week. However, they did not see much action. Mizell made two catches for 10 yards, while Brown had just one for 22 despite eight targets.
Receivers J. Michael Sturdivant and TJ Abrams stepped up to fill the slots left behind by numerous injured Gators. The two recorded 29 and 28 receiving yards, respectively.
As the Kentucky defense swallowed the rush early, Gonzales acknowledged the run game was struggling at the start of the second quarter in a sideline interview. His squad tallied just 104 rush yards. The Gators had only 247 total yards of offense, compared to Kentucky’s 401.
Wildcats quarterback Cutter Boley completed 78% of his passes for 168 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.
Kentucky recorded 233 rushing yards behind Dante Dowdell (104 yards) and Seth McGowan (92 yards). The duo also put up three of the five team touchdowns.
On defense, the Gators barely put up a fight despite inside linebacker Aaron Chiles and edge George Gumbs Jr. securing turnovers on fumble recoveries, while defensive back Bryce Thornton was responsible for Boley’s interception.
Florida hits the road to face Ole Miss next Saturday, where it will face a potential hire in Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin.
