The Gators travel on the road to take on the undefeated Kentucky Wildcats. Follow along below for live updates of the game.
FINAL SCORE: The Kentucky Wildcats take down the No. 22 Florida Gators 33-14. The Wildcats have now won three straight games against the Gators for the first time since 1951. Kentucky running back Ray Davis finished the game with 26 carries for 280 yards and four total touchdowns.
4Q | 4:03 - The Gators come up short on fourth down again after Etienne is stuffed for a loss of two yards. The Wildcats take over at the Kentucky 44-yard line.
4Q | 4:11 - Florida is faced with a 3rd and 11 after a false start. Center Kingsley Eguakun is down on the field and getting tended to by the medical staff.
4Q | 6:30 - The Gators pick up another first down after Mertz completion to Kahleil Jackson to get to midfield.
SCORING PLAY: 4Q | 7:44 - Alex Raynor drills a 50-yard field goal down the middle to extend Kentucky's lead to 33-14.
4Q | 8:20 - The Gators defense holds strong and tackles the Wildcats receiver in the backfield on a screen pass to make it 4th and 10 to force a Wildcats field goal attempt.
4Q | 11:24 - Mertz finds Arlis Boardingham on a drag route, but he's tackled short of the sticks, and UF turns the ball over on downs.
4Q | 11:50 - Etienne barrels up the middle to make it 4th and 4. Gators are going for it.
4Q | 13:50 - Etienne breaks a couple of tackles and gets around the edge to pick up a first down on 2nd and 4.
END OF THIRD QUARTER, Kentucky Wildcats: 30, Florida Gators: 14
The Gators will have the ball at their own 22-yard line after Mertz found Andy Jean for 10 yards to make it 3rd and 1 to end the third quarter.
3Q | 1:12 - Leary misses a receiver, and Kentucky goes three-and-out and punts it away.
3Q | 3:23 - UF is faced with a 4th and 1 after Johnson is stuffed short. The Gators have the ball at their own 29 yard-line. The Gators lined up in the wildcat formation and were called for a false start penalty. It appeared that the Wildcats defense jumped first, but the Gators got flagged and will now punt it away.
3Q | 5:00 - Jalen Kimber forces a pass breakup to force a Wildcats fourth down. Kentucky punts it on a 4th and 9.
SCORING PLAY: 3Q | 7:17 - Mertz steps up in the pocket and finds a wide-open Ricky Pearsall along the left sideline for a 33-yard touchdown pass. Pearsall jumps over an incoming defender and flies into the end zone. The play was under review but the touchdown stands. The Gators trail the Wildcats 30-14. The Gators scored on a seven-play, 75-yard drive drive.
3Q | 7:59 - One of the more absurd plays you'll see just occurred. Mertz was being taken down on a sack but at the last second pitched it to Etienne, who took off from the backfield and worked his way to the left sideline for 10 yards and a first down. The play went under review but it's ruled a complete pass.
3Q | 10:11 - Montrell Johnson picks up a first down as the Gators do their best to stay in the game. Mertz scrambles and slides for a six-yard gain on the next play. Florida is faced with a third down after Johnson is stuffed.
SCORING PLAY: 3Q | 10:54 - Davis powers it in for his third rushing touchdown of the game. The Wildcats score on a seven-play, 68-yard drive to open the second half. Kentucky leads the Gators 30-7.
3Q | 10:55 - Leary overthrows a Kentucky wide receiver, but Jason Marshall holds the receiver and is called for pass interference to give Kentucky a 1st and Goal at the two-yard line.
3Q | 11:30 - Kentucky is faced with a 3rd and 3 after Florida kept Davis to two short runs.
3Q | 13:31 - Ray Davis picks up right where he left off with a 31-yard run to get to UF's 23-yard line.
The second half is now underway.
HALFTIME: Kentucky Wildcats: 23, Florida Gators: 7
Ray Davis torched the Gators' defense with 206 rushing yards on 12 carries in the first half. Florida was just 3-9 on third down conversions in the first half. Graham Mertz is 10-for-15 with 108 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
SCORING PLAY: 2Q | 0:36 - Mertz rolls out and finds tight end Hayden Hansen on a four-yard touchdown pass. The Gators trail 23-7 late in the first half.
2Q | 1:18 - Mertz airs it out and drops a dime to Caleb Douglas. Douglas rose up and caught it over a Kentucky defensive back to make it first and goal at the one-yard line.
2Q | 2:00 - Florida picks up two straight first downs. Mertz finds Pearsall across the field, and then Etienne runs it up the middle to get onto the Wildcats side of the field.
2Q | 2:56 - Jason Marshall Jr. drops a would-be interception but the pass breakup forces a fourth down at the Kentucky 35-yard line.
2Q | 5:02 - Pearsall catches a pass at the line of scrimmage and fails to pick up a first down. The Gators punt it after a 4th and 7.
2Q | 7:05 - Mertz converts a 3rd and 12 finding Jackson on a pass between triple coverage. Mertz airs it out on the next play, but Pearsall drops the pass. A penalty is called on Kingsley Eguakun so it is now 2nd and 25.
NOTE: Ray Davis is now just the eighth player to run for 200 yards against UF in Florida program history, according to Edgar Thompson of the Orlando Sentinel.
SCORING PLAY: 2Q | 8:54 - Ray Davis powers it in for his second rushing touchdown and his third total touchdown of the game. The Wildcats lead 23-0 as the Gators continue to dig themselves into a deeper hole.
2Q | 9:20 - Ray Davis picks up another first down as he bowls through the Gators for a 13-yard gain. Davis has 203 rushing yards on 10 carries with nine minutes left in the first half. He's averaging 20.3 yards per carry.
2Q | 10:30 - Gators defense gives up another first down. Barion Brown picks up a first on an end-around run. Gators finally get to the Wildcats in the backfield to force a 2nd and 13 in the red zone.
2Q | 12:00 - Ray Davis gets back-to-back massive runs for two straight first downs. The Wildcats are in UF territory as Florida fails to tackle Davis.
2Q | 13:30 - Trevor Etienne is stuffed up the middle to force a UF fourth down. The Gators will punt it away again.
2Q | 14:30 - Gators pick up a first down after a defensive holding penalty.
END OF FIRST QUARTER: Kentucky: 16, Florida: 0
NOTE: Ray Davis is carving up the Gators' defense he has 141 rushing yards on just seven carries and two total touchdowns after just one-quarter of play.
SCORING PLAY: 1Q | 0:23 - Ray Davis makes Florida pay for the special teams penalty. He immediately explodes through an open hole in the defense for a 75-yard rushing touchdown. The extra point is blocked, but Florida failed to return it for two points. Kentucky leads 16-0.
1Q | 0:44 - The Gators' defense holds strong and forced three and out. Florida commits a penalty on the punt so its a first down for Kentucky.
1Q | 1:15 - Florida is forced to punt it on 4th and 14 after a sack, and then Mertz scramble only goes for four yards.
1Q | 3:00 - The Gators pick up another first down after a solid run from Montrell Johnson Jr. UF is in Kentucky territory for the first time in the game.
1Q | 4:30 - Mertz rolls out and finds Kahleil Jackson in some space for a first down close to midfield.
1Q | 5:20 - Gators face another third down with 3rd and 6.
SCORING PLAY: 1Q | 5:37 - Ray Davis catches a check-down pass and powers his way through several Florida defenders who tried to bring him down. Davis refused to be brought down and scored the nine-yard touchdown. The extra point is good, and Kentucky leads 10-0.
1Q | 6:17 - Graham Mertz throws an interception after his pass to Boardingham is bobbled and falls into the hands of a Wildcat. The Wildcats take over at the Florida 15-yard line.
1Q | 7:13 - The Gators get the ball on the 25-yard line after a touchback on the kickoff.
SCORING PLAY: 1Q | 7:13 - Wildcats settle for a 24-yard field goal on their opening drive of the game. Kentucky leads 3-0 early in the game. Alex Raynor hit the field goal from the left-hash mark.
1Q | 7:16 - Leary finds a wide open receiver in the end zone on third and goal, but Barion Brown drops the pass.
1Q | 8:30 - Leary finds a wide-open Wildcats receiver to convert a third down. Ray Davis breaks off a big run on the next play, but there is a flag on the play. A horse collar tackle is called on safety Miguel Mitchell.
1Q | 10:00 - Kentucky picks up another first down after Devin Leary finds wide receiver Barion Brown on a bubble screen.
1Q | 11:30 - Ray Davis shows off his skills and powers through for a first down to the Kentucky 41-yard line.
1Q | 12:30 - The Gators go three-and-out to start the game. Montrell Johnson ran for a first down, but the play was called back after a holding penalty.
Kickoff: The Gators receive the opening kickoff
Jackson Reyes is a UF journalism senior and The Alligator's Fall 2023 Sports Editor. He previously served as Digital Managing Editor and was a reporter and assistant editor on the sports desk. In his free time, he enjoys collecting records, long walks on the beach and watching Bo Nix.
