Five takeaways following Florida’s humbling loss to Kentucky
It became clear early that Florida was outmatched against Kentucky on the road. The Wildcats took the Week 5 matchup in convincing fashion, dominating all three phases of the game en route to a 33-14 final.
Florida’s dynamic duo in the backfield — Trevor Etienne and Montrell Johnson Jr. — had terrible days, combining for just 71 yards on 21 carries. Graham Mertz did what he could through the air, but Florida’s offense isn’t built to win without a healthy amount of yardage from the running backs.
To make matters worse, Eugene “Tre” Wilson III wasn’t available despite being listed as a starter on the depth chart. Ricky Pearsall and Caleb Douglas both made nice catches for big gains, but the latter exited the game after going down hard.
Kentucky put on an offensive clinic behind transfer running back Ray Davis, who gashed the Florida defense for 289 total yards and four combined touchdowns.
It was an ugly day all around for the Florida Gators. Here’s what we’re taking away from the loss.
Everything went wrong in the first half ...
Boy, was the first half of the game ugly for Florida. Kentucky put up 100 more total yards (259 to 154), and the Gators were nearly shut out. Fortunately, Caleb Douglas made a “SportsCenter” Top 10-worthy catch to set up a short touchdown pass to tight end Hayden Hansen, but the half still ended 23-7 in favor of Kentucky.
The Wildcats outrushed the Gators 223 yards to 46, and Florida didn’t help itself out with five penalties in the half for 51 yards. Three of those penalties came on third or fourth down, undoing much of the good that the defense was capable of.
This was the most deflating half of the season so far. Florida looked outclassed and considerably worse than when it played Tennessee. Maybe it was the noon kickoff or being on the road, but this team continually looks unprepared to start the games.
You can’t play catch-up in the SEC and expect to win.
But the defense improved in the second half
Florida’s defense was a whole lot better in the second half, keeping the door open for a comeback into the fourth quarter when it became apparent the offense wasn’t going to be able to score enough against Kentucky’s defense.
Kentucky finished the second half with 139 total yards, but the Wildcats still scored 10 points more than the Gators’ seven on 159 yards. Florida continued committing penalties, adding another five to the total for a loss of 34 yards.
Neither of Florida’s running backs could get much going in the half, and Graham Mertz couldn’t find the end zone again after hitting Ricky Pearsall for a 33-yard touchdown on the first drive of the third quarter.
At least the defense finally forced punts on back-to-back drives, including a three-and-out.
Ray Davis dominated Florida's front seven
For the first time this season, Florida’s front seven looked like it could use some help containing the run. Maybe that’s an understatement. Kentucky running back Ray Davis nearly broke the program record for rushing yards in a single game on Saturday, and he made Florida’s typically stout defense look weak and frail all day long.
Davis finished the day with 280 yards and three touchdowns on the ground, averaging 10.8 yards a carry. He added a fourth score on the ground, making him responsible for all four touchdowns scored by Kentucky.
Plenty of credit goes to Kentucky’s offensive line, but Florida’s poor tackling also extended plenty of Davis’ rushes. There’s no official number on how many of Davis’ yards came after contact, but “a lot” sounds like a good place to start.
Florida’s defense was finally playing up to an acceptable level, but that’s the unit that will be on the hot seat after this kind of breakdown.
Graham Mertz didn't let the interception faze him
Mertz threw an early interception, but he was never truly flustered in the loss. He completed 83% of his passes (25 of 30) for 244 yards and two touchdowns, but Kentucky’s defense kept him moving in and out of the pocket all afternoon.
He took off a few times when he probably shouldn’t have, but the offensive line was struggling. Austin Barber and Kingsley Eguakun both needed to be looked at by trainers at different spots in the game, but there’s no way the unit was at 100% against a better defensive line.
Florida’s season doesn’t have to be over with this loss, and Mertz seems like the guy with the most fight in him. If the Gators are going to beat LSU, Florida State or even Georgia, he’ll need to take one more step forward. This was a big test, but he got a B when he needed an A.
Those game changers sure are changing the game...
Florida’s special teams unit has been under fire all season long for its poor coaching and performance. The Gators continually send out too many or too few players on kick coverages, and a crucial penalty after a big stop turned a punt into first down in this game.
Trey Smack hit all five field goals last week, but he never got a chance to test his leg this week. He hit both point-after attempts, but also sent a kickoff out of bounds, so a bit of a mixed bag there.
Billy Napier will not fire his special teams coordinator at this point in the season, but I’m not sure what can be done to prevent that meeting from taking place once the year concludes.
Read more
Pat Dooley’s Six Pack: Instant reactions to Florida’s bludgeoning at Kentucky
PHOTOS: Highlights from Florida football’s loss at Kentucky
Social media reactions ahead of Florida-Kentucky Week 5 matchup
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