Five things you need to know from Kentucky football’s ugly 48-20 loss to Florida

Five things you need to know from Kentucky’s 48-20 loss at Florida:

1. Kentucky defense’s uncharacteristic struggles. The UK defense entered play Saturday ranked third in the FBS in total defense (251.5 yards a game allowed), ninth in scoring defense (14.5 points a game allowed), 10th in rushing defense (89.3 yards a game allowed) and 13th in pass defense (162.2 yards a game allowed).

Against a Florida offense playing without its starting quarterback and No. 1 running back due to injuries, UK gave up 313 total yards, 161 rushing yards, 152 passing yards and 27 points in the first half.

In what was easily the worst defensive half turned in by Kentucky this season, the Wildcats were controlled at the line of scrimmage by Florida, missed multiple tackles and got beaten over the top in the secondary in giving up completions of 50 and 63 yards by Gators true freshman quarterback DJ Lagway.

Things weren’t much better in half two for the UK defense.

A lavishly hyped freshman, Lagway made his first career start in an SEC game vs. Kentucky. In spot duty behind the now-injured Graham Mertz, Lagway had been so-so against FBS foes, completing 29 of 47 passes for 309 yards with two TDs and four interceptions.

Against UK, Lagway was Mr. Big Play.

Lagway completed only seven throws — but they went for 259 yards.

Florida freshman running back Jadan Baugh scored five touchdowns and finished with 106 yards rushing on 22 carries.

Florida had 476 total yards, throwing for 279 yards and running for 197.

The UK offense has been so limited in 2024, the burden on the Wildcats defense has been enormous. On Saturday night, it appeared the Wildcats “D” buckled under the weight it has been carrying.

2. A tale of two goal-line officiating rulings. Kentucky was on the short end of a pair of officials’ decisions that seemed, at best, questionable.

With Kentucky trailing 13-6 in the second quarter, a Kristian Story interception and 63-yard return gave the Wildcats the ball at the Florida 11-yard line.

On fourth-and-1 from the Gators’ 2, Demie Sumo-Karngbaye plunged into the middle. While Sumo-Karngbaye appeared to be still moving, the officials ruled him down and gave Florida the ball at the 2-yard line without measuring.

After Kentucky had scored to pull within 27-20 in the third quarter, Florida immediately drove the ball deep into Wildcats territory.

On third-and-goal from the 1, Jadan Baugh ran off the left side. He appeared to be hit at the 2, and Baugh himself appeared to be stopped far short of the goal.

However, an official on the field signaled “touchdown.”

The problem with replay review on runs at the goal, is there is almost never indisputable proof of anything.

So the call stood.

Those officiating rulings not withstanding, the team that clearly played better won the game.

Still, those were two tough decisions for Kentucky.

3. Kentucky bowl streak very much in peril. With Kentucky now sitting at 3-4, the Wildcats’ eight-year bowl streak is very much in jeopardy.

The Wildcats need three more victories to be bowl eligible.

Remaining on the UK schedule are home games with Auburn (2-5), Murray State (1-6) and Louisville (4-3) and road contests at No. 11 Tennessee (6-1) and No. 1 Texas (6-0).

Given the strength of the remaining road opponents, Kentucky’s postseason aspirations would seem to rely on winning out at home.

That is not impossible but, given the way UK is playing, it is hard to see it as likely.

4. “The Streak” is dead. After Florida had beaten Kentucky in 31 straight games from 1987 through 2017, UK traveled to Gainesville this year having beaten the Gators three straight and four out of six.

Alas, the Wildcats’ mini-streak in the series is over.

Kentucky failed in its bid to beat Florida in four consecutive contests for the first time since Bear Bryant’s Wildcats did the trick from 1948 through 1951.

5. Barion Brown sets an SEC record. After Jadan Baugh scored on a 1-yard run to put Florida up 27-6 with 1:44 left in the first half, Barion Brown returned the ensuing Florida kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown.

In doing so, Brown set a Southeastern Conference record for kickoff return touchdowns with five.

Interestingly, the return at the end of the second quarter was the first of Brown’s collegiate kickoff return TDs not to happen in the third quarter.

Brown’s kickoff return TDs:

▪ 2022: One hundred yards vs. Miami (Ohio).

▪ 2023: Ninety-nine yards vs. Ball State.

▪ 2023: One hundred yards vs. Louisville.

▪ 2023: One hundred yards vs. Clemson.

▪ 2024: Ninety-nine yards vs. Florida.

Fashion police

For its second road game of 2024, Kentucky wore white helmets, white jerseys with blue letters and numbers and white pants.

Since the start of the 2020 season, UK is now 4-4 in all-white uniforms.

This story was originally published October 19, 2024 at 11:29 PM.

Mark Story

Lexington Herald-Leader

859-444-4731

Mark Story has worked in the Lexington Herald-Leader sports department since Aug. 27, 1990, and has been a Herald-Leader sports columnist since 2001. I have covered every Kentucky-Louisville football game since 1994, every UK-U of L basketball game but three since 1996-97 and every Kentucky Derby since 1994. Support my work with a digital subscription