Gators Set to Face Stiff Challenge at Kentucky
Saturday, September 19, 2015 | Football, Scott Carter
LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Whether it's the bevy of analysts on the SEC Network, or your local newspaper columnist, or perhaps the countless bloggers on websites devoted to college football in the South, you probably have noticed a common theme develop this week.
A lot of people predict this is the year Kentucky beats Florida, gulp, in football.
In case you haven't paid close attention of late -- you know, since Reagan was in the White House and the Rolling Stones were about to enter middle age -- Florida has owned the Wildcats.
The Gators' 28-game winning streak over the Wildcats is the longest active streak in the country in an uninterrupted series.
None of the players who will be on the field at newly renovated Commonwealth Stadium on Saturday night were born on the gray, chilly afternoon in 1986 when Kentucky beat Florida 10-3.
And then 1987 happened, and '88, '89, '90, '91, '92 ... you know where this is headed.
The Gators have won every game since in the series, running their streak to 28 in a row last season with a 36-30, triple-overtime victory at The Swamp that had everyone in orange and blue sweating.
"It was very disappointing,'' Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said. "I really felt like we had too many opportunities to win the game."
Gators head coach Jim McElwain has watched film of last year's game and took a long look this week at Kentucky's 26-22 win at South Carolina a week ago, snapping the Wildcats' 22-game road losing streak.
He has seen enough to be concerned in his first Florida-Kentucky game.
"They understand what it takes,'' McElwain said. "I look at this as one heck of a challenge for the Gators."
While Stoops built his reputation as a longtime defensive coordinator prior to taking over the Wildcats in 2013, Kentucky's offense is what gets most of the attention.
Junior quarterback Patrick Towles threw for 369 yards against the Gators a season ago and running back Boom Williams has three consecutive 100-yard games, the first time a Kentucky back has done that in five years.
The Wildcats can improve to 2-0 in the conference for the first time since 1977 with a victory Saturday.
Still, whenever these schools meet, the streak dominates much of the pregame chatter in the media and among fans.
Stoops used it has motivation this week.
"We brought it up,'' he said. "We're not gonna hide from those things. These kids know. They hear. I said that early in the week last week, that I was tired of us not being able to go on the road and win, and the only way you do that is by preparation.
"You cannot talk yourself into these victories. Just because Florida beat us 28 straight times, you know, I could talk about 'till I'm blue in the face — it's not gonna make a difference. The better team will win."
As Florida prepared for Saturday's game, it focused more on getting rid of costly penalties and some of the undisciplined play that surfaced in last week's 31-24 home win over East Carolina.
McElwain delivered a strong message to his team after the game and was pleased with the way they responded in practice.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Will Grier is making his first career road start and only the second of his career. Grier finished 10 of 17 for 151 yards, two touchdowns and an interception in his first career start against East Carolina.
The Florida secondary, which has not been at full strength yet, will have safety Keanu Neal available after he missed two games due to a leg injury. Junior All-American cornerback Vernon Hargreaves, who missed last week's game with a leg injury, is listed as probable.
The streak has others talking, but offensive lineman Trip Thurman had his mind on helping the Gators improve to 3-0 in McElwain's first season.
"Obviously, no one wants to end that streak, but I think we're just focusing on the game,'' Thurman said. "I could care less if we have a 28-game win streak. We lost to Vanderbilt at homecoming two years ago.
"It's one of those games that you just don't roll your hat out there and expect to win. It's about us. It's about what we need to do."
The Gators have not lost their SEC opener since 2004, another streak they want to keep intact -- a much more important streak in the eyes of linebacker Jarrad Davis.
"The stakes get higher. This is definitely going to be a challenge, especially going into their place,'' Davis said. "We can't really mess around this week. Every one of these games is going to count to get us to where we want to be. We want to be in Atlanta. We want to be in the playoffs at the end of the season."
