Kentucky travels to Florida for a big conference game against the Gators.
With the Wildcats 1-3 in the SEC and 3-3 overall, ensuring bowl eligibility is the No. 1 goal.
Here are staff takes and predictions on the matchup.
What are the main reasons for UK fans to feel optimistic about the game tomorrow?
Jeff Drummond: Kentucky matches up favorably with Florida again this season. The Gators are ranked 97th nationally against the run, allowing almost 170 yards per game. That's where the Cats' bread is buttered offensively this season, and they should be able to move it on the ground in this one. You also have the tasty matchup of Kentucky's No. 3 national defense going up against a Florida offense that ranks No. 59 in total offense and No. 71 in scoring defense, not to mention the Gators lost starting quarterback Graham Mertz to a season-ending injury last week. If one needed any more reason to feel good about UK, this is the scenario in which Mark Stoops' teams typically play really well, bouncing back from disappointment in the previous game.
Travis Graf: Kentucky has Florida’s number in the recent series and the Cats have played much better on the road over the past couple of years than at home. Couple that with Florida having a new starting quarterback and their run defense being very suspect, this lines up with the classic Mark Stoops gameplan style of game where you just run the ball and control the clock, and count on the young quarterback to make mistakes.
Justin Rowland: We've seen Kentucky nearly beat Georgia and they won at Ole Miss. Viewed in that light, going on the road to Florida, a place where they have played very well lately, doesn't seem like the most concerning matchup. On top of that, Florida doesn't appear to be one of the better teams in the SEC. Sure, they're playing better, but they haven't looked like a top-25 team. This is a game that Kentucky typically circles and plays very well in. There's no reason to believe they won't play well in the Swamp again based on recent history.
What are the main reasons for concern?
Drummond: Florida is still Florida when it comes to athletes. On paper, the Gators have continued to recruit at a higher level than the Cats, and the Swamp has always been a tough place to play. Billy Napier's squad will be hungry to end its slide against UK. They're in desperation mode, backs to the wall. That makes for a dangerous team.
Graf: Lagway is more of an RPO quarterback than Mertz was, and while he might not be as dynamic as Diego Pavia, he can still do some of the same things that Kentucky struggled with a week ago. The Cats will have to score multiple touchdowns in this game to win, and that’s been a tall task for the struggling offense this season.
Rowland: Kentucky's offense just leaves them little to no margin for error. If it's one of those games where they are turning it over or shooting themselves in the foot with penalties, they don't have a great chance even if the defense is playing very well. Florida's defense has been playing better and the Gators almost won at Tennessee right after beating UCF at home.
What's your prediction for the game and who is an important player for the Cats?
Drummond: Kentucky 23, Florida 16 -- This should be a low-scoring affair and one in which the UK ground game and defense can set the tone. Give me JJ Weaver as my pick to click in leading the Cats' defensive front with a couple of big plays behind the line of scrimmage.
Graf: Kentucky 20, Florida 13. This game plays into Stoops’ wheelhouse as a defensive battle and Kentucky scores a couple of touchdowns to gain some momentum. Kentucky’s defense locks in after last week and makes a statement on the road.
Rowland: Kentucky 17, Florida 16. I can't imagine there's going to be too much offense in this one, because the defenses are clearly the better units in the game to this point in the season. With Graham Mertz out I'd expect the Gators to try to make it easy for a young quarterback while trying to set him up to succeed. Brad White's defense wins the day and D'Eryk Jackson continues playing at a high level.
