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Kentucky Wildcats at Florida Gators: Live Game Thread

Kentucky faces Florida tonight, hoping to end the long losing streak and shock the SEC.

By Glenn Logan
Andy Lyons

Welcome to the A Sea of Blue Live Game Thread for the Kentucky Wildcats at Florida Gators. Kentucky comes into this game having lost the last 27 contests with the Gators, a streak that deserves to end tonight. If it does, it will require an extraordinary effort by Kentucky

When and where

When: Sat., Sept. 13 - 7:00 p.m. ET

Where: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville, Fla.

TV: SEC Network

Radio: UK Sports Network

More: UKAthletics.com Alligator Army

Essentials for victory

  • The offensive line for Kentucky must block very well, better than they have all season;

  • Kentucky must move the ball in a balanced way. If they are either too pass or too run-heavy, Florida will find a way to stop them;

  • Kentucky must find a way to win the turnover battle if they are to win this game. They cannot turn the ball over to the Gators and win.

  • Special teams must make an impact on the game for Kentucky, and prevent Florida’s speedy return men from breaking long plays.

  • The defense has to stay sound, essentially a bend-but-don’t-break theory of defense, and hope to surrender field goals instead of touchdowns.

  • Kentucky must score a lot, I think at least 30 points if they are to win.

This is the game that has given all of us in the Big Blue Nation fits for so many years, it’s hard to feel too optimistic even though Kentucky has looked much improved in the first two contests. For me, this is a game where a "moral" victory is possible just by beating the spread, because beating Florida seems unlikely to me. Pessimism is not normally a place from which I approach games, but this one is one of the few.

Having said that, long streaks are meant to be ended, and unlike last season, Kentucky is a football team with some players and some skill. They just don’t have as many of either as Florida does at this moment, but Kentucky is closer than they have been, talent wise, to Florida in this decade. That may not be saying much, but it’s something.

Go, ‘Cats!

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