We're one day away from one of the biggest Kentucky football games in quite some time, with No. 10 Florida ready to take on the No. 23 Wildcats under the lights in Lexington, Ky.
Cats Illustrated's Jeff Drummond and Justin Rowland offer their takes on the game.
What are you most interested in seeing in Saturday night's game?
Jeff Drummond: I'm most interested to see who can be the biggest bully in a game that, on paper, looks like strength against strength. The oddsmakers think Florida's strength is better, but UK has talked all week about refusing to lose the physical battle. This is probably the best the Gators have been in the trenches in recent years, so the Cats have their hands full. The O-Line and D-Line will need their best efforts of the season.
Justin Rowland: This has the feel of a very different kind of game than we've seen in this series lately. Dan Mullen has a team that's more like some of his Mississippi State squads than some of his other Florida teams, like last year's, and we don't know as much about how Kentucky will match up with that.
I am less confident than in most past years that Kentucky has an advantage in the trenches. Then again, Kentucky has a QB and skill guys who seem better prepared to take advantage of some deficiencies in the Gators' coverage.
Can Kentucky force turnovers and avoid them? To upset a top-10 team they can't have another -2 or worse. How clean can this team play on offense?
Finally, can Kentucky slow down Florida's run game enough to have a shot? The numbers on the ground even against Alabama are pretty impressive. If they can't slow them down, it's going to be hard.
Who will be Kentucky's MVP?
Drummond: Will Levis -- If the Cats have any shot to pull the upset, Levis has to hit some big throws down the field against a Florida secondary that has given up some big plays this season. The Gators will have to honor the UK ground game, so the opportunties will be there for Levis to strike off play-action.
Rowland: Josh Ali. The Gators are going to devote a lot of attention to slowing down Wan'Dale Robinson and with Ali coughing it up a couple of times last week he may be less of a focus. There are going to be opportunities against UF's pass defense especially on play action and Ali can take advantage of that. I think he'll have some redemption for the fumbling last week.
What's your prediction for the game's outcome?
Drummond: Florida 29, Kentucky 23 -- The QB run game for the Gators is preventing me from picking a UK upset. I think the Cats will hang in this one deep into the second half, but Florida spoils the fun for a raucous Kroger Field crowd with yet another close win over Stoops & Co.
Rowland: Kentucky 31, Florida 28. I've gone back and forth on this many times. There are plenty of reasons to pick the Gators. It's hard to have faith that Kentucky has a positive turnover margin in it right now and the margin for error against the Gators is much smaller than it has been against any other opponent this season. It will take Kentucky's best effort of the season, but I think the wild home crowd, the team having this game circled, and Florida's tendency to give up some big plays and the way Grantham coaches leads me to think UK finally gets over the hump in one of these big home games with a lot of anticipation.
