Florida Upset by Kentucky

Do we want to talk about it? From a statistical perspective, it appears that Florida outplayed the Wildcats right? Gators had 217 receiving yards and 171 yards, compared to Kentucky with 87 receiving yards and 137 rushing yards. What happened? Here is the good, the bad and the ugly.

There were bright spots, but the issue came down two things–a field goal and a false start…or eight false starts.

The Good

Well, the good goes back to those stats. There were great offensive moments as well as spectacles on the defense. Florida held the Wildcats when they needed to. However, Kentucky took the lead on what would be deemed a “non-routine” play.

https://twitter.com/GatorsFB/status/1444428240370679810

Ja’Quavion Fraziers get his first career touchdown.

Big INT for @tjohnson__22 🐊 pic.twitter.com/xiQJho9QEf

— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) October 3, 2021

Tre’Vez Johnson flashed with an interception in the second half. However, after than interception, there was a sea of penalties not to mention a block field goal turned touchdown.

The Bad

A blocked field goal turns into a touchdown. That is where momentum shifted. Jace Christmann glides in to kick–for what should have been routine–Joshua Pascal soars above the line shielding the ball from the yellow gates. Trevin Wallace recovers the ball sprinting past the special team, scoring for the blue and white.

That just happened. 👋 @JPaschalx | TD return @WallaceTrevin

📺 – @ESPN – https://t.co/071KUqeHQH | #ForTheTeam 😼🏈 pic.twitter.com/WhfQSBn4RF

— Kentucky Football (@UKFootball) October 3, 2021

Florida’s defense didn’t perform to the level they did at home facing No. 1 Alabama.

The Ugly

False starts plagued the Gators in Lexington. Florida had 15 penalties from start to finish. Eighth–yes eight–of those were false starts. Whether the packed crowd at Kroger Field rattled the offense or a lack of preparation aided to the false starts, the penalties really made the difference.

Even in the end, the Gators got close to tying the game up. Four minutes and thirty six seconds left in the game, Florida has the ball. Florida gets four first downs nearly consecutively to shuffle down the grass. So, the Gators get to third and five on the Kentucky five. False start. Gators back to the ten. Penalties then go in favor of the orange and blue as the Wildcats get called on a personal foul, Florida back on the five.

No harm no foul right?

Wrong. After a pass from Jones to Copeland for a loss of four, an eight false start was committed, sentencing the Gators to an inevitable loss.

Mullen on false starts "We gotta get with John Hevesy and we gotta get better."

— Nick de la Torre (@delatorre) October 3, 2021

To add insult to injury, it was also the first time since 1986 that Kentucky took down the Gators at home.

Florida at home next weekend

Florida will host another SEC team next weekend in Vanderbilt. A noon game and a homecoming celebration may make up for the shock of this weekend.