Gators quarterback Feleipe Franks on the run at Kroger Field. (Photo: Tim Casey/UAA Communications)
Gators Scoreboard (Final): Florida 29, Kentucky 21 (In-game updates, notes, highlights)
Saturday, September 14, 2019 | Football, Scott Carter
LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Two weeks into the regular season, Georgia, Florida and Kentucky are the only teams in the SEC East without a loss.
That will change Saturday night when No. 9 Florida (2-0) visits Kentucky (2-0) in the conference opener for both schools.
Check out FloridaGators.com throughout the game for regular updates:
1ST QUARTER
Florida 7, Kentucky 0 (6:27) -- The Gators grabbed the early lead when quarterback Feleipe Franks connected with a wide-open Freddie Swain (remind anyone of 2017 win here?) for a 15-yard touchdown. The scoring pass capped an eight-play, 31-yard drive in 5 minutes, 3 seconds.
NOTES: Florida's scoring drive started when S Brad Stewart, making his season debut, recovered a fumble at the Wildcats' 31. Stewart was suspended for Florida's first two games against Miami and UT Martin ... Kentucky DB Yusuf Corker was ejected for targeting following a hit on UF receiver Trevon Grimes in the end zone ... Franks tossed an interception on UF's opening drive when Tyrell Ajian made an interception on a deep pass by Franks toward the end zone ... S Jeawon Taylor, who missed last week's game against UT Martin due to injury, is playing. DB/LB Amari Burney remains sidelined due to an injury ... Gators DE Jabari Zuniga left game with an injury in the first quarter and did not return in the first half.
2ND QUARTER
Florida 7, Kentucky 7 (14:16) -- The Wildcats converted four times on third down -- including a third-and-21 -- to keep its 12-play, 79-yard scoring drive alive to tie the game on a 26-yard scoring pass from Sawyer Smith to Ahmad Wagner.
Kentucky 14, Florida 7 (7:46) -- The Wildcats drive 54 yards on 11 plays after recovering a fumble by Franks to take the lead on Smith's 1-yard QB sneak. Kordell Looney sacked Franks, causing him to fumble, and Taj Dodson recovered for the Wildcats.
NOTES: The Gators finished with 173 yards in the first half but only 20 rushing on 14 attempts ... Franks hit 10 of 12 passes for 153 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT in the first half ... Kentucky converted on 5 of 7 attempts on third down in the first half ... Smith started 8-for-8 for 107 yards and a touchdown ... The Gators were called for too many men on the field when DL Luke Ancrum was slow to exit the field during a substitution, drawing the ire of UF head coach Dan Mullen ... Franks' rushing touchdown that would have tied the game 14-all was negated by a holding penalty on Jean Delance. Franks scrambled on the play and eventually found an opening ... Evan McPherson missed a 27-yard field goal late in the first half, only his third miss in 22 career attempts.
3RD QUARTER
Kentucky 14, Florida 10 (7:50) -- The Gators got a big break when Smith threw an interception deep in UF territory when it appeared the Wildcats might go up by two touchdowns. Instead, Shawn Davis' 72-yard interception return led to a 32-yard field goal by McPherson that trimmed the Gators' deficit to four midway in the third quarter.
Kentucky 21, Florida 10 (5:39) -- The Wildcats opened their biggest lead on Smith's 13-yard scoring pass to Keaton Upshaw, capping a 6-play, 75-yard drive in 2:11.
NOTES: Franks left the game with a serious injury late in the quarter and had to be carted off. He pumped his right fist toward the visiting sideline a couple of times as exited ... Zuniga returned to the field on Florida's first defensive series after halftime ... Davis' interception return was longest of his career ... Gators S Donovan Stiner was called for targeting with 6:04 left in the third quarter and ejected ... Florida moved starting left tackle Stone Forsythe to right tackle in place of Delance and Richard Gouraige was inserted into the lineup at left tackle.
4TH QUARTER
Kentucky 21, Florida 16 (12:41) -- Fourth-year junior Kyle Trask replaced Franks and led the Gators on a 6-play, 62-yard drive in 2:15 to cut the lead to five. Trask went 4-for-5 for 54 yards on the drive and pitched to Lamical Perine for an 8-yard touchdown run to finish the march off. On the scoring play, Trask adjusted on the fly as he was being tackled and shoveled the ball to Perine.
Florida 22, Kentucky 21 (4:11) -- On his second drive leading Florida's offense, Trask scores on a 4-yard run to cap a four-play, 66-yard drive that at just 1:54 off the clock. The Gators took possession on Davis' second interception of the game. Davis picked off an ill-advised throw by Smith on second-and-10 from UK's 18.
Florida 29, Kentucky 21 (0:33) -- The Gators appear to have iced a stirring comeback win on a 76-yard jet sweet touchdown by receiver Josh Hammond. Following a missed field goal by Chance Poore that would have put the Wildcats in front, three plays later Hammond took a handoff from Trask and burst into the open field down in front of the Gators' sideline to send the Kroger Field crowd heading for the exits.
"What a stunning comeback here by Florida tonight." -- ESPN play-by-play man Steve Levy ...
NOTES: Trask finished 9 of 13 for 126 yards in relief of Franks ... Franks made the return trip home with the Gators while on crutches and led the team's postgame break in the locker room. Mullen said after the game Franks is expected to be out for the season with an ankle injury based on initial reports from the medical staff.
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That will change Saturday night when No. 9 Florida (2-0) visits Kentucky (2-0) in the conference opener for both schools.
Check out FloridaGators.com throughout the game for regular updates:
1ST QUARTER
Florida 7, Kentucky 0 (6:27) -- The Gators grabbed the early lead when quarterback Feleipe Franks connected with a wide-open Freddie Swain (remind anyone of 2017 win here?) for a 15-yard touchdown. The scoring pass capped an eight-play, 31-yard drive in 5 minutes, 3 seconds.
UK deathly afraid of covering Freddie Swain, apparently - TD Gators pic.twitter.com/xQpGHl5Eml
— libgator (@lib_gator) September 14, 2019
NOTES: Florida's scoring drive started when S Brad Stewart, making his season debut, recovered a fumble at the Wildcats' 31. Stewart was suspended for Florida's first two games against Miami and UT Martin ... Kentucky DB Yusuf Corker was ejected for targeting following a hit on UF receiver Trevon Grimes in the end zone ... Franks tossed an interception on UF's opening drive when Tyrell Ajian made an interception on a deep pass by Franks toward the end zone ... S Jeawon Taylor, who missed last week's game against UT Martin due to injury, is playing. DB/LB Amari Burney remains sidelined due to an injury ... Gators DE Jabari Zuniga left game with an injury in the first quarter and did not return in the first half.
2ND QUARTER
Florida 7, Kentucky 7 (14:16) -- The Wildcats converted four times on third down -- including a third-and-21 -- to keep its 12-play, 79-yard scoring drive alive to tie the game on a 26-yard scoring pass from Sawyer Smith to Ahmad Wagner.
Ahmad Wagner makes this crazy catch to help tie the game for Kentucky! #BBN #BringIt pic.twitter.com/5cAREPNbiF
— The Game Haus Sports (@TGHSports) September 14, 2019
Kentucky 14, Florida 7 (7:46) -- The Wildcats drive 54 yards on 11 plays after recovering a fumble by Franks to take the lead on Smith's 1-yard QB sneak. Kordell Looney sacked Franks, causing him to fumble, and Taj Dodson recovered for the Wildcats.
NOTES: The Gators finished with 173 yards in the first half but only 20 rushing on 14 attempts ... Franks hit 10 of 12 passes for 153 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT in the first half ... Kentucky converted on 5 of 7 attempts on third down in the first half ... Smith started 8-for-8 for 107 yards and a touchdown ... The Gators were called for too many men on the field when DL Luke Ancrum was slow to exit the field during a substitution, drawing the ire of UF head coach Dan Mullen ... Franks' rushing touchdown that would have tied the game 14-all was negated by a holding penalty on Jean Delance. Franks scrambled on the play and eventually found an opening ... Evan McPherson missed a 27-yard field goal late in the first half, only his third miss in 22 career attempts.
3RD QUARTER
Kentucky 14, Florida 10 (7:50) -- The Gators got a big break when Smith threw an interception deep in UF territory when it appeared the Wildcats might go up by two touchdowns. Instead, Shawn Davis' 72-yard interception return led to a 32-yard field goal by McPherson that trimmed the Gators' deficit to four midway in the third quarter.
Kentucky 21, Florida 10 (5:39) -- The Wildcats opened their biggest lead on Smith's 13-yard scoring pass to Keaton Upshaw, capping a 6-play, 75-yard drive in 2:11.
Kentucky stops Florida on 4th down and Feleipe Franks is seriously injured. pic.twitter.com/OebPMUMQTA
— Scott Charlton (@Scott_Charlton) September 15, 2019
NOTES: Franks left the game with a serious injury late in the quarter and had to be carted off. He pumped his right fist toward the visiting sideline a couple of times as exited ... Zuniga returned to the field on Florida's first defensive series after halftime ... Davis' interception return was longest of his career ... Gators S Donovan Stiner was called for targeting with 6:04 left in the third quarter and ejected ... Florida moved starting left tackle Stone Forsythe to right tackle in place of Delance and Richard Gouraige was inserted into the lineup at left tackle.
4TH QUARTER
Kentucky 21, Florida 16 (12:41) -- Fourth-year junior Kyle Trask replaced Franks and led the Gators on a 6-play, 62-yard drive in 2:15 to cut the lead to five. Trask went 4-for-5 for 54 yards on the drive and pitched to Lamical Perine for an 8-yard touchdown run to finish the march off. On the scoring play, Trask adjusted on the fly as he was being tackled and shoveled the ball to Perine.
Kyle Trask's first drive coming in for Franks, and he leads the Gators down the field for a TD, capped off by this 8 yard TD run from Lamical Perine! pic.twitter.com/8yoUTzOE81
— #BOOMIN (@ftbeard_17) September 15, 2019
Florida 22, Kentucky 21 (4:11) -- On his second drive leading Florida's offense, Trask scores on a 4-yard run to cap a four-play, 66-yard drive that at just 1:54 off the clock. The Gators took possession on Davis' second interception of the game. Davis picked off an ill-advised throw by Smith on second-and-10 from UK's 18.
.@__Laylow31's career INTs before tonight: 0
— Gators Football (@GatorsFB) September 15, 2019
Shawn Davis' INTs tonight: 2⃣#GoGators 🐊 #RelentlessEffort pic.twitter.com/YHZGqNeYNA
Florida 29, Kentucky 21 (0:33) -- The Gators appear to have iced a stirring comeback win on a 76-yard jet sweet touchdown by receiver Josh Hammond. Following a missed field goal by Chance Poore that would have put the Wildcats in front, three plays later Hammond took a handoff from Trask and burst into the open field down in front of the Gators' sideline to send the Kroger Field crowd heading for the exits.
"What a stunning comeback here by Florida tonight." -- ESPN play-by-play man Steve Levy ...
Josh Hammond with the exclamation point❗️ pic.twitter.com/g48JyNSjuj
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) September 15, 2019
NOTES: Trask finished 9 of 13 for 126 yards in relief of Franks ... Franks made the return trip home with the Gators while on crutches and led the team's postgame break in the locker room. Mullen said after the game Franks is expected to be out for the season with an ankle injury based on initial reports from the medical staff.
"On to the goal we'll fight our way for Florida".
— Jeff Cardozo (@JeffCardozoUF) September 15, 2019
This team really cares about each other and @FloridaGators Nation should be proud this morning! pic.twitter.com/YaEBzJ6EGC
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