Vicky Graff Photo
Kentucky is making it a habit of beating Florida at home.
The Wildcats (4-5, 2-5 Southeastern Conference) notched their third straight win and fifth of the Mark Stoops era over the struggling Gators at Kroger Field with a dominating 38-7 win on Saturday night. The easy win gave Kentucky a second consecutive conference victory after dropping the first five league games of the season and 10 combined league losses dating back to last season.
Kentucky, which lost 31 straight games to the Gators (3-6, 2-4) from 1987-2017, recorded its largest margin of victory over Florida since posting a 31-3 win in 1979. The Gators have lost two straight since Billy Napier was fired following a 3-4 start in his third season at the helm.
“It was a good victory and I’m super proud of our football team,” Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said. “On Monday, we talked about how the guys keep on working extremely hard. They care – they care about each other. I feel like we’re improving in certain areas, and it continues to show up … It starts with great effort, and wasn’t always pretty out there tonight, but the effort was – that’s where it starts with the effort, with the physicality and the toughness. I thought we played really good again in all three areas and great team victory.”
A week after Kentucky’s offense mustered just a touchdown and a field goal in a 10-3 triumph at Auburn, the Wildcats scored 24 points – a season high for one half – in the opening frame.
Kentucky had four turnovers, including a fumble on a punt that resulted in a touchdown for the guests, but overcame three fumbles and an interception with timely passes by quarterback Cutter Boley, complemented by the running game.
In his seventh start of the season, Boley threw for 168 yards and two touchdowns. It was the poise of Boley in the first two quarters that set the tone for the Wildcats. Boley threw for 150 yards and two touchdowns as the Wildcats erupted for 21 points in the second quarter.
Boley was relieved to get the win after the Wildcats lost their previous three conference games at home this season.
“This whole week, this whole day, we came with juice, everybody was excited, and everybody was ready to play,” he said. “… We were so confident and we had a heartbeat tonight, and it was just really good to see these guys play hard.”
Overall, the Wildcats amassed a season-high 401 yards of offense, including 233 rushing yards.
While Boley and the receivers provided big plays through the air, running backs Dante Dowdell and Seth McGowan were neutralizers on the ground for the Wildcats. Dowdell finished with 104 yards on seven carries and one touchdown. He put an exclamation point on the decisive win with a 65-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. McGowan collected 92 yards on 22 totes and two touchdowns.
Kentucky’s defense, which limited Auburn to a field goal last week, forced four turnovers, including four in the opening half. The Wildcats picked off three passes and forced a fumble that prevented the Gators’ offense from getting into a consistent rhythm in the first half. Kentucky added to the disruption with seven tackles for a loss of 21 yards and a sack.
Florida managed just 247 total yards, including 104 yards rushing.
The team’s turnaround has eased pressure off Stoops, under criticism after losing the first five conference games of the season.
“I understand,” Stoops said. “I’ve always acknowledged our responsibility to play well for them. And I promise you, we give a great effort, and you know, I like this team, and I think they do too, because they’re very tough and they care and they’re passionate for each other in the play well and it was nice to get some rewards, you know, we’re close a lot, but that doesn’t count. … I understand that …”
GAMETRACKER: Tennessee Tech at Kentucky, 1:30 p.m., Saturday. TV/Radio: SECN+, UK Radio Network.
19 Responses
They beat the crap outta the gators. Hats off to them that was impressive.
It was good to get a couple of wins, now let's see if it was due to better coaching or weaker competition. Tennessee Tech lost by 45 to Georgia, we should be favored at home. We will need to beat Vanderbilt or Louisville to get to 6 wins and be bowl eligible. Doing so will get Stoops off of the hot seat. Boley is improving with every game. He could be heading for a very impressive 2026 season.
Tennessee Tech did not lose by 45 to Georgia. They have not played Georgia. They are undefeated on the season, a perfect 10-0.
You are right. I was looking at last years stats.
Tennessee tech is undefeated. They are better than Toledo. We should win by 2-3 TDs. Boley will be one of the best QBs in the SEC for the next couple of years. I won't be surprised if someone offers him 4-5 million to be there QB next year. Problem is he's a Kentucky kid and Kroger field was in his backyard growing up. He won't leave. He wants Kentucky to be successful and hes the reason for this late season surge. It shows promise for next year and 2027. We should be 2-3 wins better next year at least. Maybe preseason playoff hopes. Like I've been saying the 2024 class was the best class Stoops signed. If we can retain most of that class and most of the 2025 class we will be in great shape next year. Boley will have a year experience and I expect big things out of him. Also Rodriguez Gilmore Patterson Dowdell DJ and Cam Miller and Quisenberry will all be much better next year. Put them with Boley he will have everyones timing down to the T. He will be a top 3-4 QB in the SEC next year. We also have some young studs on the defensive side of the ball.
The players have overcome all the noise, the many poor coaching decisions (TRYING to recruit over Boley, not starting Boley EVERY game, play calling that any per-week league player could do better, the history of slow starts at kickoff & starting the 2nd H).
Credit the olayera for rallying behind Boyer, the 2 running backs & the DC with an impressive DL).
As I posted last week, UK was facing FL at the very best time – following a recent coaching change ANS a loss to UGA in a game FL let slip away. FL could not rebound from that double-whammy. UK players wisely got fired up and took full advantage of of a golden opportunity!
Congrate to the players!
They need to tune out the coach talk which has put them to sleep before games & at H time so they can pursue more wins. Boley needs to make calls in the huddle, with the RB’s, Law, Rodriguez, Kattus & other winners as to where the best approach is for the next play.
I suspect we hear no quotes from Spurrier toward UK this week!
The Cats have overcome all the whiners and rallied behind their coach. Boley made the comment that he and the players hated the fact Stoops had to listen to all the crybabies. He said he loved Stoops and the players were playing their hearts out for him. Hamden has changed the play book to fit Boleys strengths and it is showing. The Cats ran for 196 yds. right up the middle. The offensive line is playing better. The defense is on fire.. It seems that the Coach speak has not been the problem. It has been the whiney narcissists. It would be like telling your kids they will never amount to anything. They hear that and it hurts. Happy for the Team! Happy for Stoops and the Coaches! Happy for the True Blue Believers! Go Stoops Troops!
The good news is this might have been the most enjoyable UK total complimentary FB win since….I don't remember when. The bad news is that….it just might have saved Stoop's job. I still hope he has to "bowl qualify" to retain his regime.
You got that right Mike; the bad news is a bummer and limits the excitement of 1 or 2 wins.
Good news is MAYBE some school will want him now.
You have to be proud of the body of work this year. We have a freshman Qb in the SEC. Any team even Texas Georgia or anyone if they started a freshman they wouldn't expect much. Definitely not more than 6-7 wins. If we can get to a bowl game and get all these young players as many reps as possible next year is very promising. We will have one of the best QBs in the SEC. If they would have fired Stoops Boley will leave too and it would be a complete rebuild we will have 2 more years like last year. I want to win now. The road to that is Stoops and Boley and keeping as many players as possible and build next year off of this year. We still have a chance to have a fair season.
He's been wanting out for over a year now. That hasn't changed. Give Cutter Zack Calzada $ and a coach that he likes and he'll stay.
Cats are gonna win out and win the bowl game. Finish 8-5. Don't know if Stoops stays or not. He'll have options with that record. If he leaves a lot of guys go with him. That could include Boley.
We need to pack Kroger field for the Tennessee tech game and show this team some appreciation. Tennessee tech is no slouch. They will want to win this game more than any other in there careers. We need to pack the stadium and blow them out and prepare for a win in the last 2 games both being away.
2 weeks ago we had a 18%chance to make a bowl. After Auburn we had a 33% chance to make a bowl. Now we have a 49% chance to make a bowl. When we beat Tennessee tech we should have a 54% chance to make a bowl. We will make a bowl
Great game Cats.. Proud of ya.
Cutter won't be loyal to Stoops. Stoops has screwed him over. If Zack "get you some money" Calzada hadn't been such a miserable QB, Cutter still wouldn't be playing.
WildWest nailed it. Sad but true!!