Three Kentucky players to watch against the Gators
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No. 6 Florida will look to keep it rolling Saturday against a Kentucky squad that suffered a 60-point loss last weekend at Alabama.
That dropped UK to 3-5 on the season, while the Gators (6-1) are riding a four-game winning streak into this matchup. GatorsTerritory looks at three players to watch for the Wildcats as they try to pull off their second straight upset in Gainesville.
RB Chris Rodriguez Jr.
The Wildcats will attack Florida's defense with a heavy dose of their ground game, led by sophomore running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. He ranks first in the SEC in yards per carry (6.39) and has 562 yards and six touchdowns. Rodriguez missed the matchup against No. 1 Alabama last Saturday, but had rushed more than 100 yards in the previous two games: a season-high 149 yards vs. Vanderbilt and 108 yards on the SEC's top-ranked rush defense in Georgia. He also eclipsed the 100-yard mark against Ole Miss.
LB Jamin Davis
Like Rodriguez, linebacker Jamin Davis was also out against the Crimson Tide and the Kentucky defense definitely could've used him. He ranks fifth in the SEC in total tackles (73) despite not playing last Saturday. Davis has recorded double-digit tackles in his last five games, including a career-high 15 tackles against Vanderbilt that earned him SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors. That topped his mark from the previous week (13 tackles vs. UGA). Davis has also made two interceptions this year, including an 85-yard pick-six at Tennessee.
DB Kelvin Joseph
Joseph also took it to the house against the Vols, with the 41-yard pick-six being one of his four interceptions this season. That ranks first in the SEC and ties him for the third-most nationally. Joseph's most recent turnover came last Saturday in Tuscaloosa. He made picked off Alabama quarterback Mac Jones and had a 21-yard return on the play. It was only the third pick of the year for Jones. Joseph suggested that he'll lock down Florida's receivers Wednesday with a tweet about the group's production at Vandy. "It's a bold strategy Cotton. Let's see if it pays off for him."
