RECAP: Cats bully Gators, banish streak

it's over.

A losing streak that had spanned 4 a long time eventually got here to an end Saturday night in Gainesville as Kentucky went into one in every of faculty football's most challenging venues and delivered a physical beating of No. 25 Florida in a 27-16 victory.

The Wildcats dominated the road of scrimmage, rushing for 303 yards on the evening. Junior working back Benny Snell Jr. led the manner with 175 yards on 27 consists of, and sophomore quarterback Terry Wilson delivered one zero five of his personal to help UK snap its 31-online game skid to the Gators.

Kentucky (2-0) had not overwhelmed Florida since November of 1986 and had not left Ben Hill Griffin Stadium -- aka "The Swamp" -- positive on the grounds that 1979. It marked the nation's longest active streak in an uninterrupted sequence and the fourth longest in NCAA historical past.

The Cats had come near burying the streak last season, however Florida rallied from two rankings down within the remaining quarter to escape Lexington with a 28-27 win. That loss -- and the lingering doubt within the media -- fueled UK's performance on Saturday.

"It potential the area to me," Snell stated. "it be in fact a very long time coming, and the entire doubt, the television guys doubting us... lots of people failed to accept as true with in us, however this is what I expected."

"each person who walked accessible these days believed that we have been going to win that video game. every single man," mentioned Mark Stoops, who had seen 5 diverse head coaches earlier than him fail to record a single win over the Gators.

"It simply feels good to be able to conclusion this for our fanatics."

Kentucky trailed 10-7 at the half but felt love it had manage of the game with a 224-156 potential in complete yardage. Two costly turnovers in Florida territory compelled the Cats to play from at the back of.

UK took the lead for respectable on a 24-yard landing run by using Wilson with 9:forty nine left within the third quarter. It capped a ten-play power which saw the Cats run the ball on the remaining eight snaps, 4 of them for nine yards or greater.

The Cats prolonged the result in 21-10 with 4:eleven left within the third quarter when Wilson found sophomore broad receiver Lynn Bowden on a 54-yard touchdown flow, a perfectly positioned deep ball for the Ohio native's first career rating.

Wilson, the junior school switch who gained the beginning job popping out of camp, completed 11 of sixteen passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns to go together with his a hundred and five dashing and one ranking.

Florida pulled inside 21-sixteen with three:43 remaining, executing a ninety nine-yard force that became capped by means of a 4-yard touchdown move from Feleipe Franks to Freddie Swain. but the Gators crucial a two-aspect conversion to slim the margin to a field intention, and UK linebacker Josh Allen broke up a flow in the again of the end zone to make sure Florida would want a touchdown to beat the Cats.

The Gators took possession of the ball one remaining time, on their personal 5 yard line with 29 seconds to play, however their hopes have been dashed when Allen sacked Franks and forced a fumble as time expired. UK's Davonte Robinson scooped up the unfastened ball and lower back it for a touchdown to seal the memorable victory.

*****

in this Cats Illustrated "speedy Recap" characteristic, we touch on some quick-hitters from the uk victory...

THE first rate:

Kentucky's toughness, both intellectual and physical. The Cats were far from perfect on the night, but that they had an answer for the Gators each time anything unhealthy came about. it is likely the only-biggest trade within the application below Stoops. physically, they imposed their will on the opponent like few other SEC teams no longer named Alabama are able to doing.

THE bad:

Wilson coughed the ball up two greater times, bringing his season complete to 5 turnovers. He did some terrific issues in this video game to beat the miscues, however you could wager that Eddie Gran might be preaching ball protection once again subsequent week. If the Cats' new signal caller gets that factor of his online game stabilized, the competencies is enormous. UK additionally had 12 penalties for 114 yards, which is continually too many to win a hard-fought league online game.

THE gruesome:

For the 2nd time in as many video games this season, an opponent mocked UK's Snell and puzzled his potential, simplest to be served a huge assisting of humble pie. He now has 300 yards and is averaging 6.four yards per elevate in his pursuit of the all-time UK rushing list. probably defenders have eventually discovered a tough lesson.

video game BALL:

Offensive Line, Kentucky -- The Cats' veteran O-Line paved the way to a massive night for Snell, Wilson & Co. Drake Jackson, Logan Stenberg, Bunchy Stallings, George Asafo-Adjei, E.J. price, Naasir Watkins and Mason Wolfe -- and we are going to throw tight ends C.J. Conrad and Justin Rigg into the mix as well -- became in one of the most physical performances we've viewed with the aid of UK in fresh reminiscence. besides the big dashing total, they allowed no sacks and no quarterback hurries. The play that might also have most appropriate embodied the online game as an entire came with 2:forty seven closing as Stallings pulled from his right preserve position and pancaked the Gators' Brad Stewart to spring Snell on a 20-yard run down the left sideline to help kill the clock and seal the win.

with the aid of THE NUMBERS:

1st - UK quarterback, Terry Wilson, to rush for more than a hundred yards when you consider that Jalen Whitlow towards Alabama State in 2013.

2nd - profession interception for senior safety Darius West, both coming against Florida within the remaining two matchups.

7.5 - Yards per lift via the Cats.

eleven - Tackles for UK junior linebacker Kash Daniel, a crew high.

14 - One-hundred yard video games for Benny Snell, moving past Rafael Little and Moe Williams for 2nd place in school heritage.

1976 - UK's last win over a ranked Florida squad. The Gators were ranked No. 5 that season when the Cats won 28-9.

2,724 - career rushing yards for Benny Snell, relocating previous Derrick Locke (2,618) and George Adams (2,648) for fifth area on the united kingdom profession record.

QUOTABLE:

"My O-Line and tight ends... the best within the nation." -- UK working back Benny Snell

UP next:

Kentucky returns to action subsequent week at domestic towards Murray State. The Racers (0-2) lost 26-13 on Saturday to principal Arkansas.