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Pat Dooley, co-host of The Tailgate on WRUF, grades the Gators after Florida handled Kentucky 48-20 Saturday to snap a three-game losing streak to the Wildcats.
OFFENSE: A
First half: Against the fourth-ranked defense in the country, Florida (4-3, 2-2 SEC) threw a true freshman out there and saw the Gators score 27 points and gain 313 yards. DJ Lagway only completed four passes, but they went for 152 yards.
Second half: More of the same, which is incredibly impressive against a defense that held Georgia to 13 points earlier this year. Florida answered every Kentucky (3-4, 1-4) score with big play after big play.
For the game: The Gators almost doubled the average yardage Kentucky allowed in its first six games. I don’t think anyone saw this coming, especially seeing true freshman running back Jadan Baugh score five touchdowns. And he’s the third-team running back normally.
Jadan Baugh ties the UF record for most rushing TD in a single game!! @1vibesjay
SEC Network pic.twitter.com/ifTlzrERaH
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) October 20, 2024
DEFENSE: B
First half: The defense looked like the defense that played in the first half at Tennessee. Brock Vandagriff only threw for 59 yards and one of them went for 45 yards on the flea-flicker. The Gators had two interceptions in the half.
Second half: The first drive for the Wildcats made us all wonder if the Gators were reverting to form, but Florida came up with major stops and got a pick-six from cornerback Cormani McClain.
For the game: The Gators were flying around and played as if they were the ones who were highly-ranked on defense. They made things difficult for the Kentucky quarterbacks and stopped the Wildcats on four-of-five fourth-down attempts.
NAIL IN THE COFFIN @CormaniMcclain1
SEC Network pic.twitter.com/6tf0uNcgnu
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) October 20, 2024
SPECIAL TEAMS: C
First half: It was such a feel-good first half with the Gators up 27-13, but Barion Brown’s 99-yard kickoff return was a black mark for the special teams. Bad angles, bad tackling, bad idea to kick it to him.
Second half: The special teams were not much of a factor, but it was solid in the second half.
For the game: Jeremy Crawshaw continued to do well with a 50.8-yard punt average and Trey Smack made both of his field goal tries. The specials teams get a passing grade, but that kick return could have changed the game in the wrong direction.
OVERALL: B+
Florida had lost three in a row to the team they once beat 31 straight times. That’s why this was a huge game for coach Billy Napier. The Gators started the second half of the season with a bang instead of a thud and that’s a good sign. The defense has only allowed 43 points in the last three games and the offense looked surprisingly efficient.
WRUF.com sports columnist Pat Dooley can be heard on “The Tailgate” along with Jeff Cardozo from 4-6 p.m. Monday-Friday on 98.1-FM/AM-850 WRUF.
