Gators Suit Up for a Different Thanksgiving Game

Normally, the Gators would be preparing for Florida-Florida State. Normally, rivalry week creeps upon us, as week wonder where the whole season went.

None of that is true this year. Regular season games will bleed into December. Florida State prepares for Virginia instead. Florida, meanwhile, prepares for a different rivalry game against the Kentucky Wildcats.

Florida Head Coach said it certainly felt like it was not even Thanksgiving this year. To him, the vibe is completely different.

A Little Payback Brewing in the Swamp

It’s still odd to say. But it’s the truth. Florida is looking to get a winning streak going against Kentucky. They also look to avenge a loss from 2018. That’s the keyword: loss. Before Sept. 9, 2018, the Gators had walked away with more points on the scoreboard than Kentucky every year since 1986. That win was in Lexington.

If you want to find a Kentucky win at Florida Field before that night, you need to go back to 1979. That win ended two long droughts for the Wildcats. Florida already denied them their first winning streak since 1977 in last year’s comeback win. A victory here would get the status quo back in full swing.

The Rise of Trask and Kentucky

So, that comeback that was just mentioned. In case you forgot, that was where the rise of Kyle Trask began. Feleipe Franks went down with an injury, Trask led the comeback and the rest is history.

Trask said he looks back at this game as his first big chance.

Since then, Trask has built his case to win the Heisman in 2020. According to ESPN, he enters this weekend as the favorite to win it.

The Other Kyle is Back

The Kyle-to-Kyle is fully operational again against Kentucky. After missing two games due to injury, tight end Kyle Pitts is back to help move the ball downfield.

Before his injury in the Georgia game, Pitts led the team in receiving yards with 414. He still leads the receiving corps in touchdown receptions with eight despite the absence.

The Gators did not miss a beat with Pitts out, but having your best weapon back on the field is always welcomed.