GAINESVILLE, FL (352today.com) – The Gators are on the road for their second away game of the season. It will be their first SEC matchup away from home and they’ll be facing the undefeated Kentucky Wildcats.
Florida’s win over Charlotte last Saturday allowed the Gators to continue their winning streak with their third victory in a row – something that hadn’t been done since 2020.
Can Florida’s momentum and consistency be enough to get them a win over the 4-0 Wildcats?
Head coach Billy Napier and his team know the task won’t be necessarily easy. He says his team must be intentional. Redshirt freshman Arlis Boardingham, a tight end for the Gators, adds that their mindset and energy will play a major role in the outcome.
“I feel like momentum is everything. We’re going into this game with the mindset that the season is on the line all the time; that every game that we play, the season is on the line,” said Boardingham. “We know that us coming out swinging is going to be a huge factor,” he added.
According to the Gators football program, the Cats have won three out of their last five matchups. However, Florida leads the all-time series 53-20.
Florida’s starting quarterback Graham Mertz averages 951 passing yards so far this season. According to the Gators, Mertz is leading the SEC in completion percentage. He’ll face Kentucky’s Devin Leary who averages 1,060 passing yards and nine touchdown passes this season. Both transfer quarterbacks visited Wildcat country within days apart last year when deciding where they’d end up next.
Florida is currently ranked 22, according to ESPN, and will be Kentucky’s first ranked opponent of the season.
You can watch the game on ESPN at 12 p.m. eastern time.