UK Football Preview: Game 3 – Florida Gators
By Staff
COMMONWEALTH STADIUM – LEXINGTON
6:00 PM – ESPN2
#1 FLORIDA GATORS
3-0
SERIES HISTORY
FLORIDA LEADS 42-17
RECENT MEETINGS:
2008: UF 63 UK 5
2007: UF 45 UK 37
2006: UF 26 UK 7
2005: UF 49 UK 28
2004: UF 20 UK 3
What else can really been said about this series except it has become one of the biggest black eyes for UK athletics. As it has been well documented, Florida has won the last 22 games in this series to make a pretty competitive rivalry (when UK last won, Florida held a series lead of just 20-17) a laughingstock win for UF. UF has won the last 15 games by an average of 28.8 points but for their credit, UK has managed to make the Lexington contests pretty interesting and entertaining.
UF rolls into Lexington with the bling of a national title leading the path and a 13 game winning streak. They are 3-0 this season and just dispatched bitter rival Tennessee 23-13 last week. Kentucky has some big recruits coming in this weekend, and need to put up a good show. It goes without saying however, that the last time the #1 team rolled into Lexington, they left with a loss. Can lightning strike twice? Well, rain is in the forecast for the game, so let’s take a look at the Gators.
OFFENSE
Tim Tebow comes into Lexington with 540 yards passing and 5 TD’s and 1 INT in 3 games. While the numbers are not glitzy, Tebow sat early in the first two blowout wins and passsed for only 115 yards last week against Tennessee. When you mention Tebow, it is about more than passing however. Tebow has added 148 yards rushing to go with 3 TD’s on the ground. Tebow has had 37 carries the last two games, which is more carries than all but 3 other tailbacks in the SEC.
The Gators have a ferocious running attack with Chris Rainey (225 yards) and Jeffrey Demps (202 yards) both chewing up yardage at a better than 10.0 a carry average thus far. Rainey is averaging 10.2 yards and Demps 12.9. The third string running back Emmanuel Moody joins the 10.0 average club as well with 13 carries for 131 yards. It is essential that UK is able to shut the running game down. You may say that much of these gaudy stats were compiled against Charleston Southern and Troy but even against a very tough Tennessee defense, Rainey was able to go for 64 yards on 9 carries (7.1), and Demps was 4 carries for 31 yards (7.8). Dangerous kick returner Brandon James is a threat to score whenever he touches the ball and gets a few carries a game. UF brings the second best rushing attack at 289 yards a game into Lexington.
The Achilles heel of the Gator’s offense may be the WR corp. Gone to the NFL are Louis Murphy and Percy Harvin. Riley Cooper is a pretty solid starter with 13-212 -1 thus far and TE Aaron Hernandez is 12-144. Freshman Omarious Hines is the next biggest threat with 7 catches for 98 yards.
DEFENSE
UK’s offensive line has done a great job thus far, not allowing any sacks on the season, but they will be tested by UF’s defensive line. Jermaine Cunningham and Carlos Dunlap will be very good bets to break that streak and the battle of the lines will be an interesting battle to watch. Brandon Spikes is one of the best LB’s in the country and will anchor a solid LB corp and UF’s DB’s have a couple of NFL worthy backs in Joe Haden and Janoris Jenkins.
OUTLOOK
Definitely not a good outlook for Kentucky and it will take a near LSU type effort to beat the Gators. Thing is, this Gator squad is better than that 2007 LSU team. UK has to get pressure on Tebow and stop their vaunted running attack. Tennessee gave UF all they wanted last week and the UK offense is definitely better than UT’s so they can put some points put on the board. The key of this game is UK’s DL putting consistent pressure on the Tebow and wrapping up Florida’s backs on the first hit. If UK can put the game on Tebow’s passing, they can make it interesting. In the end though, UF;s running attack will wear down UK in the 3rd and 4th quarter and after a close first half, UF will pull away for a 34-17 win.
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