RECAP: Cats bully Gators, banish streak

it's over.

A losing streak that had spanned 4 decades eventually got here to an end Saturday evening in Gainesville as Kentucky went into one among college soccer's most challenging venues and delivered a actual beating of No. 25 Florida in a 27-16 victory.

The Wildcats dominated the line of scrimmage, speeding for 303 yards on the nighttime. Junior working returned Benny Snell Jr. led the style with one hundred seventy five yards on 27 includes, and sophomore quarterback Terry Wilson brought a hundred and five of his own to assist UK snap its 31-online game skid to the Gators.

Kentucky (2-0) had no longer beaten Florida due to the fact November of 1986 and had now not left Ben Hill Griffin Stadium -- aka "The Swamp" -- effective on account that 1979. It marked the nation's longest lively streak in an uninterrupted sequence and the fourth longest in NCAA heritage.

The Cats had come close to burying the streak final season, however Florida rallied from two ratings down within the ultimate quarter to break out Lexington with a 28-27 win. That loss -- and the lingering doubt within the media -- fueled UK's performance on Saturday.

"It capability the realm to me," Snell said. "or not it's in reality a long time coming, and all of the doubt, the tv guys doubting us... a lot of people failed to accept as true with in us, however this is what I anticipated."

"each person who walked accessible nowadays believed that we have been going to win that video game. every single man," talked about Mark Stoops, who had considered five distinctive head coaches before him fail to list a single win over the Gators.

"It simply feels respectable to be able to end this for our lovers."

Kentucky trailed 10-7 on the half but felt like it had manage of the online game with a 224-156 knowledge in complete yardage. Two expensive turnovers in Florida territory compelled the Cats to play from behind.

UK took the lead for respectable on a 24-yard landing run by means of Wilson with 9:forty nine left in the third quarter. It capped a 10-play force which noticed the Cats run the ball on the ultimate eight snaps, four of them for 9 yards or greater.

The Cats prolonged the lead to 21-10 with four:11 left in the third quarter when Wilson discovered sophomore broad receiver Lynn Bowden on a fifty four-yard landing circulate, a perfectly positioned deep ball for the Ohio native's first profession ranking.

Wilson, the junior school switch who won the beginning job popping out of camp, accomplished 11 of 16 passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns to head along with his one hundred and five rushing and one ranking.

Florida pulled inside 21-sixteen with three:forty three ultimate, executing a ninety nine-yard force that turned into capped by means of a four-yard landing move from Feleipe Franks to Freddie Swain. however the Gators obligatory a two-point conversion to narrow the margin to a box purpose, and UK linebacker Josh Allen broke up a pass in the returned of the end zone to make sure Florida would need a touchdown to beat the Cats.

The Gators took possession of the ball one ultimate time, on their own 5 yard line with 29 seconds to play, but their hopes had been dashed when Allen sacked Franks and forced a fumble as time expired. UK's Davonte Robinson scooped up the unfastened ball and again it for a landing to seal the memorable victory.

*****

in this Cats Illustrated "rapid Recap" characteristic, we contact on some brief-hitters from the united kingdom victory...

THE decent:

Kentucky's sturdiness, each intellectual and actual. The Cats have been far from excellent on the night, but they had a solution for the Gators anytime anything dangerous took place. this is probably the only-greatest alternate within the software beneath Stoops. bodily, they imposed their will on the opponent like few other SEC teams now not named Alabama are able to doing.

THE dangerous:

Wilson coughed the ball up two extra instances, bringing his season total to 5 turnovers. He did some wonderful issues in this video game to beat the miscues, however which you can guess that Eddie Gran might be preaching ball security again subsequent week. If the Cats' new signal caller gets that element of his online game stabilized, the abilities is huge. UK additionally had 12 penalties for 114 yards, which is usually too many to win a hard-fought league game.

THE grotesque:

For the second time in as many games this season, an opponent mocked UK's Snell and questioned his ability, handiest to be served a huge helping of humble pie. He now has 300 yards and is averaging 6.four yards per elevate in his pursuit of the all-time UK speeding listing. probably defenders have at last realized a hard lesson.

game BALL:

Offensive Line, Kentucky -- The Cats' veteran O-Line paved the way to a huge nighttime for Snell, Wilson & Co. Drake Jackson, Logan Stenberg, Bunchy Stallings, George Asafo-Adjei, E.J. cost, Naasir Watkins and Mason Wolfe -- and we will throw tight ends C.J. Conrad and Justin Rigg into the combine as smartly -- became in a single of probably the most actual performances we've viewed by way of UK in recent reminiscence. apart from the massive rushing total, they allowed no sacks and no quarterback hurries. The play that can also have top of the line embodied the game as a whole got here with 2:47 ultimate as Stallings pulled from his right shelter place and pancaked the Gators' Brad Stewart to spring Snell on a 20-yard run down the left sideline to support kill the clock and seal the win.

by means of THE NUMBERS:

1st - UK quarterback, Terry Wilson, to rush for more than 100 yards given that Jalen Whitlow in opposition t Alabama State in 2013.

2nd - career interception for senior protection Darius West, both coming in opposition t Florida in the remaining two matchups.

7.5 - Yards per raise by using the Cats.

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

14 - One-hundred yard games for Benny Snell, moving past Rafael Little and Moe Williams for 2d location 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 location on the united kingdom career listing.

QUOTABLE:

"My O-Line and tight ends... the most appropriate in the nation." -- UK operating returned Benny Snell

UP subsequent:

Kentucky returns to motion subsequent week at home towards Murray State. The Racers (0-2) misplaced 26-13 on Saturday to crucial Arkansas.