Florida football finds themselves at a pivotal point in their season, coming off a tough loss to the Tennessee Volunteers that stung but also showcased signs of growth.
The Gators now prepare to host the Kentucky Wildcats in the Swamp. The Wildcats rank third in all of college football in total defense, but their offense doesn’t quite make up for it. While Kentucky’s ball-control approach worked in a win at Ole Miss a few weeks ago, their offense has struggled to score.
CBS Sports writer Brandon Marcello analyzed the SEC’s Week 8 matchups and predicted a Florida victory over Kentucky in their Saturday night game. He also leaned towards the Gators spread at minus-2.5 points.
Here is everything Marcello wrote about Florida’s matchup with Kentucky on Saturday.
CBS Sports leans Gators over Wildcats
“Florida is coming off a disappointing loss at Tennessee, but the Gators seem to be playing with more confidence and, more importantly, discipline as coach Billy Napier continues to cook on the hot seat,” Marcello wrote.
“DJ Lagway took over full-time as quarterback after Graham Mertz was lost for the season against the Vols. Lagway performed well in his absence, throwing a beautiful touchdown pass in the final 30 seconds to force overtime. Kentucky will do everything it can with its top-15 defense to confuse and frustrate Lagway, who is still raw and prone to mistakes.”
Marcello continued, “Kentucky can certainly play ball control but it can’t score (114th nationally), so how does that work out on the road? It worked to perfection earlier this season at Ole Miss. The big difference here is The Swamp, which will swallow the Cats. Pick: Florida -2.5″
Coming up for the Gators
The Gators host the Kentucky Wildcats inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 19. Kickoff is set for 7:45 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on the SEC Network.
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