Unable To Keep The Streak Going
On Saturday night under the lights in Gainesville Kentucky was looking to do something they hadn’t done in over 70 years. It had been since 1948-51 since the Cats defeated the Gators four straight times. Unfortunately for the Big Blue Nation, it wasn’t to be as another puzzling performance did the Cats in. Let’s break it down as Kentucky Flounders In The Swamp 48-20.
All About The Big Plays
If you read our game preview we talked a great deal about how Kentucky struggled all year with explosive plays. In addition, the Gators have had issues as well. Two field goals by Trey Smack gave Florida a 6-0 lead. Both times UF got deep into Kentucky territory but held them to three each time.
From there Kentucky broke a couple of long plays. The first came on a 25-yard run by Jamarion Wilcox. As Mark Stoops pointed out last week, he didn’t tie his shoes. They came off and he had to come out. You can’t make this stuff up folks.
Two plays later offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan pulled out the old flea flicker. The result was a 45-yard touchdown from Brock Vandagriff to Barion Brown. Unfortunately, the special teams’ woes continued as usually automatic Alex Raynor missed and we were tied.
A 50-yard pass from freshman quarterback DJ Lagway to Elijhah Badger set up a 10-yard scoring run by Jaden Baugh. Kentucky got another big play when Kristian Story took it all the way to the Florida 11. However, the Florida defensive line stuffed the Cats on fourth and 1 and took over on downs. Lagway led the Gators 98 yards in only four plays with Baugh taking it the last ten and suddenly it was 20-6.
From Bad To Worse To Ok?
On the Cats’ next series, Vandagriff was picked off again as Brown pretty much whiffed on a deep ball. Devin Moore took it to the Kentucky one. Baugh scored again and things were getting ugly at 27-6. However Brown redeemed himself for the interception as he took the kick going 99 yards to the house to cut it to 14 at the half. In the process, he put himself in the history books.
.@BarionBrown has set the SEC record for most career kickoff return touchdowns (5)
— Corey Price (@coreyp08) October 20, 2024
Short Lived Momentum
Kentucky started the second half with one of their best drives of the year. Taking up nearly half of the third period and going 75 yards. Gavin Wimsatt took it in from a yard out and the Cats were only down by seven. They would get no closer.
Florida came right back scoring on a one-yard run by Baugh. However there was just one problem, it looked like he never reached the goal line. But replay officials didn’t have enough to overturn and once again it was a 14-point lead. For the BBN it hearkened back to a decade ago when a missed call cost the Cats.
— Drew Franklin (@DrewFranklinKSR) October 20, 2024
Kentucky turned the ball over on downs on consecutive series. The first Anthony Brown-Stephens caught a pass five yards behind the line of scrimmage and shockingly didn’t get a first down. Next time around both Brown and Dane Key were off the field on a fourth and 11. Vandagriff couldn’t hit an open Brown-Stephens and that ended any chance the Cats had.
Baugh’s fifth TD of the night gave Florida a 21-point lead. Stoops put in freshman quarterback Cutter Boley and his first pass couldn’t have gone worse. Cormani McClain took it 29 yards to the house and that was it as Kentucky flounders in the swamp 48-20.
Looking Ahead
Kentucky drops to 3-4 overall and 1-4 in the SEC. They return home next week in the hope of breaking a six-game SEC losing streak at Kroger Field when they host Auburn. In the process, they’re looking for the first home victory against the Tigers since 1966. As for the Gators, they improve to 4-3 and have an off week before their annual game against Georgia in Jacksonville.
Final Thoughts
Florida started a true freshman at quarterback and running back for the first time in school history. Lagway threw for 259 yards on only seven completions. If you are scoring at home, or if you are by yourself, that’s 37 yards a pop. Baugh ran for 108 yards and five touchdowns, tying a school record for a game.
Kentucky was beaten in all facets of the game by a team whose coach is seemingly on the verge of being fired. A defense who came into Saturday third in the nation allowing 253 yards a game gave up 476 to a freshman signal caller.
A season that started with high hopes has fizzled out. That includes making a ninth straight bowl game unless Stoops and this team pull off a miracle. Throw in the fact UK is now 5-9 overall and 2-8 in the league since the now infamous “pony up” comment regarding NIL after the Georgia loss last year. The perception of the fan base changed after that and it’s hard seeing it come back.
Again Kentucky flounders in the swamp 48-20 done in by poor play, questionable play calling, and clock management. Thanks for checking out our recap here at Last Word On College Football.
