Post-Game Analysis: Florida Gators (4-3, 1-2) v. Kentucky Wildcats (3-4, 1-4)

Florida creates havoc on both sides of the ball to dominate Kentucky.

Florida receiver Elijah Badger (Chris Spears photo)

By Loren Meadows, GatorBaitMedia.com, Football Analyst

After a heart-breaking road loss to Tennessee a week ago, the Gators had a choice to make. Continue to block out the noise and get better despite the absence of two offensive mainstays, or begin to pack up the tent and allow Kentucky to come in and bully themfor a fourth straight year. They chose the former, building on a somewhat impressive performance last week to manhandle Kentucky en route to a resounding 28-point win, complete with a real life exclamation point!

Florida showed that the roster is full of playmakers that have yet to decide the fate of the 2024 Florida football team, and while things have not gone their way they still show up and make an effort to take down the best the SEC has to offer. 

What We Thought: This would possibly be the toughest test for Billy Napier and his coaching staff this season. Not because of the opponent but because the Gators would be without its main signal caller Graham Mertz for the remainder of the season and freshman DJ Lagway would be thrust into the starting role against one of the nation’s top defenses this season. The possible absence of Montrell Johnson Jr. would also leave Lagway without one of the nation’s most reliable backs leaving him vulnerable to linebackers JJ Weaver, and Jamon Dumas-Johnson. The Gators would need to rely on the feet of Lagway to keep the Kentucky defense off balance to extend drives.

Defensively an improving Florida defense would be tasked with stifling a Kentucky run game looking to find its footing. The Gators were holding their last two opponents to less than 150 yards rushing and suddenly found the ability to harass the quarterback and play in the opponents backfield. Lagway would get a signature win in his first SEC start and the defense would force Kentucky’s Brock Vandagriff into errant throws that would lead to at least two interceptions for the defense. 

What We Got: There is something special about homecoming. A return to the place where some of your fondest memories took place and old friends reunite to talk about the best of times. On Saturday night the Gators gave those who came home something to be proud of. The Gators took the fight to Kentucky from the opening bell and kept the pressure on for all four quarters. DJ Lagway was not perfect, but he was aggressive with downfield throws including three to Elijah Badger for 148 yards. “We felt going into the game that maybe there was a lack of respect for the deep part of the field”, Napier stated. Those downfield throws were key in allowing the Gator run game to flourish with Lagway and Johnson’s replacement, freshman Jaden Baugh. Baugh tied a Florida single-game rushing TD record held by Tim Tebow and Trey Burton with five touchdowns last night. Baugh looked like a seasoned vet tagging the nation’s tenth best rushing defense for 106 yards on 22 carries. All total the Gators would rush for 197 yards as a team more than doubling the yards per game given up by Kentucky (89.6) this season. 

Defensively the Gators continue to transform themselves into a unit that may be ready to play big boy football. The Gators forced the Kentucky quarterbacks into three key interceptions. Two by Vandagriff and one by backup Cutter Boley that went to the house courtesy of sophomore corner Cormani McClain. The three interceptions by the Gators last night tied their total for the entire 2023 season and gives the defense six for the season with five games to go. The Gators were staunch against the run giving up 146 yards total to hold Kentucky below their season average of 153. The Florida secondary was also able to manage the threat from Kentucky receivers Barrion Brown and Dane Key. While Brown did have a kick return for a touchdown the receiver duo thought to be one of the SEC’s best was held to a combined five catches for 105 and a touchdown on a flea-flicker. Straight up the Gator secondary handled the perimeter threats extremely well against two of the best they may see all year.

Coach Billy Napier (Chris Spears photo)

The Skinny: At the University of Florida there are certain teams you have to beat in football. For most of my lifetime that has been Kentucky. For 31 years the Gators dominated this series and while Kentucky would show up from time to time, a Gator victory was usually a foregone conclusion. Lately however it seemed that the last two Florida coaches had lost sight of that fact and failed to prepare their football teams accordingly. Last night may have been the start of another period of dominance as the Gator's superior roster lived up to its billing and dominated Kentucky. For the first time since possibly Napier’s first game in The Swamp the Gators looked like a team physically and mentally ready to get into a street fight. The defense had bounce, the offense was physical and precise, and the staff looked in tune to what they wanted to accomplish albeit with a true freshman running the show. The University of Florida should always have two to three players that can fill in for another should they not be available. To that fact Lagway, Baugh, McClain and others filled in well. McClain who had been an enigma for the Gators had been inserted into the lineup early in the fourth for two series prior to his emphatic pick-six and played so well many failed to notice he was in the game. While some may point to the kick-off return by Kentucky late in the half as a blemish on last night, my answer would be simply, Kentucky practices too.

On this day what was most impressive is that after that return the Gators outscored Kentucky 21 to 7, which is a break from the norm for a team that has traditionally taken a lead and simply held on to the handlebars to finish the race. This was a solid conference win against a foe whose formula had been tough to crack recently. No one has ever believed that the roster was not capable of knocking off the best the conference has to offer. It just needed to show up on Saturday’s. Tip your hat to Napier and his organization. A win and a well needed off week are well deserved. 

Final Score: Florida 48 Kentucky 20 (Prediction Florida 24-Kentucky 17)