ATLANTA - It was Sept. 8. The Gators had just fallen to Kentucky 27-16 - ending a winning streak that stretched three decades.

It was a season defining moment for Florida. However, it was not the moment the season spiraled under control.

"That was one I think we could've won, we should've won," quarterback Feleipe Franks told reporters on Thursday.

"Everybody thought we were going to go downhill from there, but we held tight," nickelback Chauncey Gardner-Johnson said. "We’re here. A lot of people didn’t think we’d be here. Even our own people didn’t think we’d be here."

Many quickly discounted the Gators after the Wildcats were able to dominate the line of scrimmage easily against Florida. However, UF was able to turn the season around, winning nine games, and earning the right to play in a New Year's Six bowl.

"That was an extreme eye opener," defensive end CeCe Jefferson said about the loss to Kentucky. "Everybody kind of had to look at the mirror and check themselves to see if they really wanted this. They had to realize that you had to put the egos aside because no one can win it individually. We had to come together as a team to win it."

"I think losing that game made us ultimately a better team," said Franks. "After the very first game (against Charleston Southern)... after that game and your confidence being through the roof, you've still got to realize each week, week in and week out, you've got to go to practice and making practicing harder than the game. I think that's something that woke our eyes up. We can't go out here and we can't take plays."

The Gators not only managed to secure wins, they managed to secure impressive wins on the road at both Tennessee and Mississippi State and followed those two wins by beating a top-ten LSU side at home.

According to Gardner-Johnson, the staff did not alter their approach after the loss to Kentucky, the players did.

"You can tell us what to do until you’re blue in the face but if the players don’t execute nothing is going to change," said Gardner-Johnson. "So I think it was on us to do a reality check and look at each other in mirror. We ain’t going out 4-8 again, that ain’t happening.

“We pushed our own buttons. We wanted that game, but we weren’t ready," added the Florida junior. "A coach can’t play, players play the game. Coaches tell you what to do. We just got to go out and execute it. Every game we just looked at ourselves, man either we’re going to come out and lay down or we’re going to come out here and do what we do. That week in practice he keeps the same intensity up, but ain’t nothing changed it’s just on us how we approach practices, games, meetings - it’s all on the players.”

In short the Gators had an epiphany.

They needed to strain at practice. They could not take a practice off; they could not take a play off; and they definitely could not take any game lightly.

Every moment and play mattered.

"That play could be the difference; you don't know what play in the course of a game is going to be the difference in the game, so you have to treat each play independently and go hard on each play," Franks said. "And I think that's something that just opened our eyes, just the main thing. Just go out there and attacking practice and that just helped us over the course of the season."