Billy Gonzales looks for his first win as the Gators’ head coach (3-5, 2-3 SEC) Saturday in Kentucky.
After falling to Georgia on Nov. 1, Gonzales and Co. will square off against the Wildcats (3-5, 1-5 SEC) Saturday.
Kentucky won its first game in nearly two months last week against Auburn. The Wildcats haven’t won a home conference matchup since 2023, when they defeated the Gators.
“It's going to be a tough challenge, but we're excited to take the team up there and get ready to go play,” Gonzales said. “We're excited to get a chance to put the pads on and accept the challenge and give it everything we have.”
Here’s how Florida can post a much-needed victory with just four games remaining in the 2025 season.
Continue to get Jadan Baugh involved
Baugh, Florida’s sophomore running back, is all too familiar with Kentucky. In last year’s matchup in Gainesville, Baugh tallied five touchdowns on 22 carries for 106 yards, all season-highs for the then-freshman.
The ball carrier led Florida to a 48-20 victory and solidified himself as the Gators’ starting running back following the break-out performance.
Baugh has generated similar success in the run game this year and has already accumulated 683 rushing yards and five scores. He averaged 4.8 yards per carry against the Bulldogs.
Running mate and freshman KD Daniels said he has learned behind Baugh and watched as various skills of the sophomore’s game have evolved.
"I would say one thing from Jadan's game is his patience,” Daniels said. “He's light on his feet and his ability to make people miss in open space. I feel like that's a big part of Jadan's game."
Last season’s eye-opening statline against the Wildcats drew attention to Baugh’s name. Now, the running back plays a pivotal role in the Gators’ offense. Florida remains winless when Baugh fails to exceed 100 yards on the ground.
He ranks sixth among all SEC running backs in total yards, and continues to climb. He is just seven yards behind Tennessee’s DeShean Bishop.
If Baugh eclipses 1,000 rushing yards at the conclusion of the season, he would become the first Florida running back to do so since Kevin Taylor in 2015. Baugh would join an elite club as only eight former Gators currently hold the accolade.
"He's having a really good season right now,” Gonzales said. “He's a great football player, great athlete.”
Capitalize on Kentucky’s stagnant rushing attack
Despite defeating Auburn in its first SEC win, Kentucky generated its lowest rushing total since Oct. 4. The Wildcats totaled 79 yards on the ground, 53 coming from running back Seth McGowan.
McGowan, Kentucky’s leading rusher, has posted 529 rushing yards this season. The Wildcats average 3.81 yards per rush while the Gators average 4.02.
After sitting out against Tennessee on Oct. 25, the senior ball carrier led the Wildcats in rushes. He picked up season-high 21 attempts.
“They control the ball really, really well,” Gonzales said. “They're ranked 22nd in the nation in time of possession. They have an experienced group up front, four of the five starters are seniors.”
Kentucky quarterback Cutter Doley has had an inconsistent season. The redshirt freshman has been sacked 17 times, but has completed 65.8% of his passes. Although, the Wildcats’ offense ranks No. 14 in average pass yards per game in the conference.
“The one thing that he's done a good job is coming in and managing,” Gonzales said. “They take care of the ball, they've only had six interceptions all season.”
The Wildcats have exceeded 25 points just twice this season. Across eight games, they’re averaging 22.4 points per game, 4th lowest in the SEC.
Improve third-down efficiency
With Florida being down weapons against the Bulldogs like freshmen wide receivers Vernell Brown III and Dallas Wilson, who left the contest due to a foot injury, and redshirt sophomore wideout Aidan Mizell, Lagway had to rely on redshirt sophomore Eugene Wilson III.
Eugene came out of the loss with nine receptions for 121 yards and a touchdown, his first since Sept. 6. When his name was called, the route runner excelled. Although, he will be unavailable Saturday after being ruled out in the Gators’ initial availability report. Brown and Mizell are both set to play after being listed as questionable earlier in the week.
The Gators continued to struggle on third down in last week’s loss. Heading into the Florida-Georgia game, UF converted on just 32% of its third downs. The rate is 128th among all FBS programs.
Both Florida and Kentucky are ranked amid the bottom of the pack in terms of total first downs. The Gators, averaging 19.38 per game, must focus on not falling behind in the chains. In its five losses, Florida carries a third down conversion rate of 20.6%
Florida converted two of its 11 third downs against the Bulldogs and failed to convert both of its fourth down attempts. It was evident that Callaway and O’Hara attempted to incorporate a mix of play designs on third, but the Gators could not extend their drives.
Look for Florida to attack Kentucky’s secondary on third down as the Wildcats have allowed its opponents to collect 75 first downs through the air.
“I’d love to try to get the ball in our playmakers hands down field where they can make the play,” Gonzales said. “Just try to get the playmakers the ball in space and let them be successful.”
Contact Riley Orovitz at rorovitz@alligator.org. Follow her on X @rileyorovitz.
Riley is a sophomore sports journalism student and is the swim & dive beat reporter for Fall 2025 in her first semester with The Alligator. In her free time, she may be watching past Miami Dolphins or Florida Panthers highlights or hanging out with her friends.
