Instant Analysis: Florida holds on for 31st straight over Kentucky
Make it 31 in a row.
Florida and Kentucky were tied at the half 14-14, but the No. 20 Gators (2-1, 2-0 SEC) rallied from down 27-14 in the fourth quarter to come away with a 28-27 win. A switch from redshirt freshman quarterback Feleipe Franks to redshirt junior Luke Del Rio helped spark the offense.
Instant Analysis now examines the Gators' come-from-behind win over the Wildcats.
IT WAS OVER WHEN: Just like last week, it wasn’t over until the very end. It all came down to a 57-yard field goal attempt and Kentucky kicker Austin MacGinnis was short. Florida took a late lead on Del Rio’s touchdown pass to sophomore wide receiver Freddie Swain.
THEY STOLE THE SHOW: Florida found its running back in junior Malik Davis. In the fourth quarter, the coaches leaned heavily on Davis as ran through Kentucky’s SEC-leading rush defense. Davis finished with 21 carries for 93 yards, with 13 of those carries
THE STATS DON'T LIE: In the second half, Kentucky was 0-of-5 on third down while Florida went 5-of-10. The Gators outgained the Wildcats 209 to 156 in the final two quarters. UF ran 63 total plays, with 24 coming in the fourth quarter alone.
WHAT A PLAY: Freshman athlete Kadarius Toney mostly plays wide receiver, but it was his first-half snap at quarterback that provided one of the game’s biggest highlights. On a simple quarterback keeper, Toney took off for a 36-yard touchdown run. He later had the longest pass of the game, finding sophomore wide receiver Tyrie Cleveland for 50 yards.
THESE MATCH-UPS PROVED KEY: Entering the game, Kentucky’s rush defense was hyped coming into the game. The Wildcats led the SEC in stopping the run, allowing only 57 rushing yards per game. It did not stop Florida from leaning on the run, rushing for 186 yards.
UP NEXT: Florida returns home to take on Vanderbilt, looking to move to 3-0 in SEC play.
Stay tuned with ITG, as we provide more post-game coverage tonight of Florida's win over UK.
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