Kentucky delivered one of the most overwhelming performances of the Mark Stoops era, flattening Florida 38–7 and controlling the game so completely that backup quarterback Beau Allen took snaps with nine minutes still on the clock.
Florida, meanwhile, imploded under the weight of turnovers, miscues, and a wildly inefficient offense that managed just 143 passing yards, threw three interceptions, and averaged 3.3 yards per carry.
This was a beatdown, plain and simple. In fact, it was historic, Kentucky's 31 point win is the largest ever win over Florida for Kentucky. DJ Lagway was pulled at halftime, Beau Allen got in early, it was ugly for Florida.
A first quarter spark that turned into an avalanche
Florida actually struck first, capitalizing on a short field to score early and grab a 7–3 lead. But that was the last time the Gators would feel any momentum.
Kentucky responded with a sharp field-goal drive and then began stacking stops. The Wildcats’ defense grabbed its first interception late in the quarter and never looked back.
Second quarter: The game breaks open
The second quarter was the turning point — and the turning point came fast. Kentucky forced three turnovers, including back-to-back interceptions that completely flipped the flow of the game.
The Wildcats punched in three second-quarter touchdowns, highlighted by:
- A 75-yard, nine-play march capped by Seth McGowan
- A 59-yard, 12-play scoring drive
- A 54-yard burst in just 1:12, punctuated by a 15-yard touchdown from Jason Patterson
Florida’s offense, rattled and mistake-prone, ended the half on a sack and negative play — a perfect snapshot of how overwhelmed the Gators were.
Kentucky led 24–7 at halftime and had every ounce of control.
Third quarter: Utter domination
Kentucky opened the second half with a 13-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that ate nearly half the quarter. Cutter Boley was efficient and poised, going 18/23 for 168 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception.
Florida responded with a 14-play drive… that resulted in a punt. The Gators simply could not move the ball with any urgency or explosiveness.
It was that kind of night.
Fourth quarter: Running clock, running Wildcats
With the game essentially over, Kentucky still marched 89 yards in six plays for another touchdown. Florida turned the ball over on downs twice more. The Wildcats were still tackling with urgency. The Gators were still stuck in the mud.
The stat sheet told the full story:
Kentucky offense
- 233 rushing yards on 5.3 yards per carry
- Dante Dowdell: 7 carries, 104 yards, 1 TD
- Seth McGowan: 22 carries, 92 yards, 2 TDs
- Kendrick Law: 6 catches, 44 yards
- J.J. Hester: 1 catch, 29-yard touchdown
Kentucky defense
- 3 interceptions (Quay'sheed Scott, Ty Bryant, Daveren Rayner)
- 7 tackles for loss
- 58 total tackles
- Constant pressure and a secondary that read Florida like a book
The Gators averaged 3.9 yards per pass attempt, a number that usually signals either a dominant defense or a completely overmatched offense. Saturday, it was both. Kentucky was just miles better.
A statement win, and a Kentucky season reborn
When Beau Allen checked into the game with nine minutes left, the message was clear: Kentucky had buried Florida so thoroughly that the final minutes were nothing more than a running clock.
For a program trying to salvage its season, and for a fan base hungry for hope, this was the cleanest, most convincing performance of the year.
Everything worked. Everything clicked. And after a week of skepticism following the Auburn win, Kentucky responded with authority.
The Wildcats didn’t just beat Florida.
They humiliated the Gators.
And suddenly, the bowl path looks wide open, and the possibility of Mark Stoops keeping his job keeps rising.
Drew Holbrook is an avid Kentucky fan who has been covering the Cats for over 10 years. In his free time he enjoys downtime with his family and Premier League soccer. You can find him on X here. Micah 7:7. #UptheAlbion