Kentucky vs. Florida: Preview, Injury Report, Point Spread, How To Watch, and More

Kentucky (3-3, 1-3) is away from Kroger Field this weekend, which may be a good thing. The Wildcats are at Florida (3-3, 1-2), seeking a second straight win on the road in 2024 and a second straight win in the Swamp. Kentucky needs a bounce-back performance after a shocking letdown against Vanderbilt on homecoming weekend.

Florida found some life recently after a 1-2 start to the season. The Gators beat Mississippi State and UCF by double digits, then played eighth-ranked Tennessee to overtime in Knoxville last weekend. Both sides of the Kentucky-Florida series need a critical win when they collide on Saturday night. Here’s what to know about the game before kickoff.

How To Watch/Listen

• Kickoff: 7:45 p.m. ET
• TV: SEC Network (Dave Neal, Aaron Murray, Marilyn Payne)
• Watch college football games live – try Fubo for free! Click HERE NOW.
• Local Radio: UK Sports Network (Tom Leach, Jeff Piecoro, Dick Gabriel)
• AM: 840 WHAS, 630 WLAP
• FM: 98.1 WBUL
• Online: iHeart Radio
• Sirius XM: 374 (UK); 106 or 190 (Florida)
• Live Stats: StatBroadcast

Join The Discussion over at KSBoard

Consider joining the conversation on KSBoard if you want to interact with the KSR crew during the game. A live discussion can be found in the game thread, plus several other topics and conversations about the Wildcats and more.

Team Records/Results

Kentucky (3-3, 1-3)

• vs Southern Miss – W (31-0)
• vs South Carolina – L (31-6)
• vs #1 Georgia – L (13-12)
• vs Ohio – W (41-6)
• @ Ole Miss – W (20-17)
• vs Vanderbilt – L (20-13)
• @ Florida

Florida (3-3, 1-2)

• vs 19 Miami – L (41-17)
• vs Samford – W (45-7)
• vs Texas A&M – L (33-20)
• @ Mississippi State – W (45-28)
• vs UCF – W (24-13)
• @ 8 Tennessee – L (23-17)
• vs Kentucky

Official Injury/Availability Reports

KENTUCKY

• Jayvant Brown | LB | Out
• Maxwell Hairston | DB | Out
• Darrion Henry-Young | DL | Out
• Josaih Hayes | DL | Out
• Tavion Gadson | DL | Out
• Chip Trayanum | RB | Probable
• Terhyon Nichols | DB | Probable
• Jacob Kauwe | K | Probable
• Keeshawn Silver | DL | Probable
• Gerald Mincey | OL | Probable

FLORIDA

• Jamari Lyons | DL | Out
• Graham Mertz | QB | Out
• R.J. Moten | LB | Out
• Marcus Burke | WR | Out
• Tony Livingston | TE | Out
• Devon Manuel | OL | Out
• Kahleil Jackson | WR | Out
• TJ Abrams | WR | Out
• Ja’Keem Jackson | DB | Out
• KD Daniels | RB | Out
• Montrell Johnson Jr. | RB | Questionable
• Treyaun Webb | RB | Questionable
• Asa Turner | DB | Questionable
• Bryce Thornton | DB | Questionable
• Rocco Underwood | LS | Questionable
• Austin Barber | OL | Questionable

Week 8 Depth Charts

KENTUCKY

Five Pregame Storylines

1. Florida’s DJ Lagway era begins: Five-star freshman DJ Lagway will make his first SEC start after Graham Mertz’s season-ending injury. Lagway has already thrown for 765 yards, five touchdowns, and four interceptions, backing up Mertz. (More)
2. Kentucky flipped the series: There was a time in the not-so-distant past when Kentucky was incapable of beating Florida. Times changed under Mark Stoops. The Wildcats have won four of six since snapping a 31-game losing streak in 2018.
3. Billy Napier is coaching for his job: He is already on the hot seat; Napier doesn’t want to fall to 0-3 against Kentucky in his career before Florida plays Georgia, Texas, LSU, Ole Miss, and Florida State to finish the year. (More)
4. Clean it up, Cats: Discipline was the biggest issue for Kentucky against Vanderbilt. The Wildcats could’ve won if not for several self-inflicted wounds, including 12 penalties and one player not tying his shoes. Stoops’ team meeting earlier in the week was not for the faint of heart.
5. Florida starts fast: Florida struck first in each of its last three games, a 2-1 stretch that saw the Gators nearly knock off Tennessee in Knoxville. Kentucky isn’t built to eat a first punch, as we saw just last week, so the Wildcats need to keep Florida off the board early.

Uniform Combination

Kentucky will wear its icy whites at Florida, the same uniform combination it won in the win in the Swamp in 2022 and at Ole Miss earlier this season.

Gamble

Point Spread: Kentucky -1.5
Over/Under: 42
Moneyline: -120/+100

Final Coaches Comments of the Week

Mark Stoops on Thursday

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Pregame Link Dump

• Bio Blast: Florida Gators
• The First SEC Start For DJ Lagway Won’t Be His First SEC Test
• Jamarion Wilcox Isn’t Doing the Little Things Right, Not Even Tying His Shoes
• It doesn’t sound like Barion Brown will be Kentucky’s full-time punt returner
• Kentucky Offense Searching for More Explosive Plays
• Is Billy Napier Coaching for his Job?
• A Theory on Why Kentucky Football is Better on the Road than at Home
• The First SEC Start For DJ Lagway Won’t Be His First SEC Test
• KSR Football Podcast: Vanderbilt frustrations and previewing the trip to Florida
• 11 Personnel E278: Road Warriors in The Swamp
• Scouting Report: Florida Gators (KSR+)

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KSR’s Staff Predictions

Read the explanations behind the predictions.

Go Cats.

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