Kentucky Wildcats Football: Kentucky Wildcats vs. #20 Florida Gators Game Day Links

Aug 31, 2013; Nashville, TN, USA; Western Kentucky Hilltoppers running back Keshawn Simpson (34) rushes past Kentucky Wildcats linebacker Avery Williamson (40) for the touchdown during the first half at LP Field. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports

The losing streak the Kentucky Wildcats is on right now is spectacular.  Spectacularly long and bad.  And that fact is not lost on current players.

"LEXINGTON, Ky. — Bud Dupree shook his head. He knew it had been awhile since the University of Kentucky’s football team beat Florida’s. He wasn’t aware it had been 26 years, 10 months and two weeks – or 9,814 days – between victories. “That’s a long time for somebody to lose,” said Dupree, a Wildcats defensive end who hopes to help prevent the 20th-ranked Gators (2-1) from extending their streak to 27 games tonight. “I really don’t know how people could lose that many times to a team.” “It would be something great to be a part of,” senior running back Raymond Sanders said, “to say that I ended three streaks that were going on here. To be a part of those teams is something special. I don’t want to get too much into it. It’s something you can’t really worry about now. But it would be special.” “You know what? This is a statement game,” left guard Zach West said. “This is a statement game from our whole team to the whole country, really. Last game, we thought we did OK, but we could’ve done a lot better. This game, we need to bring it all together and just show everybody what we are and just show that we can compete in the SEC.” There’s another streak: Kentucky hasn’t won its Southeastern Conference opener, which tonight’s game is, since 2007. But it’s the one against Florida that’s on the players’ mind this week. Slay that one and the others will fall with it. “Just end it,” is all that’s on cornerback Cody Quinn’s mind. “Just go out there and end it, give it everything you’ve got for all four quarters and make something happen that hasn’t been done in 26 years. It just gives us more motivation, knowing that we haven’t beaten a team in this long.” “I take it personal,” said senior defensive tackle Donte Rumph, who wants part of his legacy here to be “setting a milestone for the future.”"

Former head coach Joker Phillips recruited many of the players currently on Mark Stoops roster and with him now being the WR coach at Florida, it should be interesting to see how his WR fare against his former DB’s.

"As head coach of the Wildcats, Phillips was on the receiving end of three Gator beatdowns. And no, that’s not an understatement. Kentucky was outscored by 110 points in those three losses. Based on those numbers, you would expect another easy game for the Florida offense. If Phillips has his way, that will certainly be the case. And unlike during the previous three years, Phillips is now in control of a wide receiver unit that should give the opposing secondary plenty of problems in this matchup. The main reason is Kentucky’s lack of depth at cornerback. Only three scholarship players returned from last season’s two-win team, not to mention that promising sophomore J.D. Harmon was suspended before the season. Junior college transfer Nate Willis was immediately thrust into a starting role this season. He has played relatively well, but he has never faced a team with the speed and talent of Florida. On the bright side, Cody Quinn returned to limited action against Louisville and should be back in the lineup against Florida. He was the team’s best coverage corner in 2012, leading the Wildcats with five pass breakups. However, the rustiness from missing two games is sure to factor into his overall effectiveness. Quinn’s return should also knock Fred Tiller out of a starting spot. In summary, the corners are inexperienced and under-matched. Meanwhile, the safety position has size and slightly more experience. Ashely Lowery, who survived a scary car accident in the offseason, is the best defender in the Wildcat secondary. At 6’1″, he is a strong player who can outmuscle wide receivers for position. As much criticism as Florida gets for lacking talent on the outside, its playmakers simply have more explosiveness than the Kentucky secondary. Quinton Dunbar hasn’t exactly had the breakout season that many expected, but he is still an athletic player with good size and speed in the open field. Solomon Patton scored the game-changing touchdown last week against Tennessee, and his role should only expand with Tyler Murphy at quarterback. And then there’s Trey Burton, whom Kentucky fans have dreaded since a six-touchdown explosion in 2010. He has the size and, lately, the catching ability to create some easy throws for Tyler Murphy. But perhaps more than anything, Phillips will give Florida the biggest advantage because of his knowledge of the Kentucky roster. Phillips knows which defenders the Gators can exploit."

For a quick preview of today’s game, CBSSports.com always has succinct pregame analysis.

"(AP) – Florida never really recruited Tyler Murphy. The junior quarterback from Wethersfield, Conn., had scholarship offers from Connecticut, Syracuse and Temple in 2009 when he decided to send his high school highlights about 1,000 miles south to Gainesville. It turned out to be a good move – although it took four years, Jacoby Brissett’s transfer and Jeff Driskel’s season-ending leg injury for Murphy to land the starting quarterback job. Murphy will make his first career start Saturday night on the road against Kentucky, which has dropped 26 straight to the Gators. Driskel broke a bone in his lower right leg in last week’s 31-17 win over Tennessee. He was scheduled to have surgery Wednesday to insert a plate in his fibula and will be out 4-6 months, according to coach Will Muschamp. Murphy took over and performed better than anyone could have predicted. Sure, there were a few hiccups. But Murphy gave the 20th-ranked Gators (2-1, 1-0 SEC) hope that their goals are still within reach. He completed 8 of 14 passes for 134 yards and a touchdown and also ran for 84 yards and a score. It was a solid debut for a career backup who had thrown just one pass in four years – and it didn’t even count in the stats because it came on a 2-point conversion. “It was always in the back of my mind I might never play, but I just kept working hard and just kept fighting, kept faith in myself and kept praying for an opportunity,” Murphy said. “Luckily, I was able to get it. It wasn’t the way I wanted it, you know, but an opportunity is an opportunity. You’ve got to make the best of it.” First-year coach Mark Stoops is hoping to get Kentucky (1-2, 0-0) on track as his team begins a stretch of playing three ranked opponents to begin the SEC schedule, with No. 12 South Carolina looming next week and a meeting with top-ranked Alabama set for Oct. 12. The Wildcats committed three turnovers last week and now will face a Florida defense that had six takeaways against Tennessee and is allowing just 212.3 yards per game, the second-best average in the nation. The Gators, though, will be without defensive tackle Dominique Easley – one of the team’s best players – for the remainder of the season after he tore the anterior cruciate ligament and medial meniscus in his right knee during a non-contact drill in practice Tuesday. “They’re very good defensively; as good as maybe anybody will play this year,” Stoops said. “The last time we stepped on the field, we got better in certain areas. Let’s hope we get better in all areas with this next game.” Smith underwent rehabilitation over the weekend and has been back at practice this week. “Hopefully, he’ll be on point,” Stoops said. “We’ll keep an eye on how many throws he’s making, just to let him ease back into it.” Kentucky hasn’t beaten Florida since winning 10-3 on Nov. 15, 1986. The Gators have won the last five meetings by an average of 40.4 points, including a 38-0 victory Sept. 22, 2012."