It has finally happened! Kentucky finally took down Florida in Lexington since 1986 and the Big Blue Nation could not be any more hype. Kentucky moved to 5-0 after the win and the AP poll had to finally let them into the Top 25 rankings, putting them at 16 going into week 6 of the season. The Cats topped the Gators 20-13 after a defensive battle between the two squads. The Gators were ranked number 10 in the nation, giving the Cats a strong win for this season.
The star of the game has to go to the defense as a whole for Kentucky. Their defense was immaculate the whole game. Florida put up a total of 382 yards of offense (211 passing and 171 rushing) over Kentucky’s 224 total yards (87 passing and 137 rushing) but that did not matter because the defense held their own each time in counted. Josh Paschal has the game of his life to lead the charge. Paschal had 7 total tackles, 2.5 tackles for losses, and blocked the field goal that led to a Trevin Wallace touchdown return. He was a man on a mission, as well as Deandre Square who led the squad with 13 total tackles. Everyone did their part and to help solidify things in the end, the Louisville boy J.J. Weaver came up with an impressive interception while running with a Florida receiver at 6’5 241 pounds. We must not forget the last play of the game where Jacquez Jones tipped Emory Jones’s pass on 4th and goal to give the Cats the ball back. So many positives in this game from the defense, as they showed why they were ranked in the top 10 in the nation.
Our passing attack was weak once again as Will Levis continues to struggle with his passing game, but his decisions to run throughout the game were huge for the team. Levis has one big pass that was all due to Wan’Dale Robinsons playmaking ability as he took it to the house on a 41-yard wild play. Nothing else stood out in our passing attack, but our running game continues to carry out offense. Chris Rodriguez Jr. added another 99 yards to his rushing total on the year with the lone offensive touchdown on the night. The Big Blue Wall was great with protecting Levis and opening holes for Rodriguez Jr., but the Gators defense was no slouch through the game.
Two things other than the play of the team comes to mind for this game. First, the crowd at Kroger Field was ELECTRIC and the loudest that I could remember for quite some time. Florida had 15 total penalties and I believe around eight false starts due to the loud crowd throughout the night. This needs to be a staple for this talented team the rest of the year. Also, Dan Mullen disregarded Wan’Dale Robinson before the game when asked about how to prepare for his game. I think Mullen will remember him and the rest of this squad for a while since he’s the lone Florida coach to lose to us twice for a while now.
Coach Stoops has this team playing their hearts out and has Kentucky, along with Georgia and Alabama, as the only undefeated teams in SEC. Who would have thought? Kentucky stays in Lexington next week as the LSU Tigers comes to town. The last two meetings have been rough for the Cats, but the now ranked Cats should be favored in this game. A huge game for the team to stay undefeated before a massive matchup with #2 Georgia in 2 weeks. Kentucky football has the world on notice, so it’s best to let everyone know, GO CATS!!!!
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Devin Hall is a columnist for MESPORTS digital. A University Louisville graduate who loves good music, good games and good times. He can be reached at DHall@maineventsports101.com. Follow him on Twitter @Mista_Hall25