Kentucky’s defense didn’t travel to Florida, where Jadan Baugh looked familiar

There was a lot to be disappointed by in Kentucky‘s 28-point loss to Florida in the Swamp. The list of complaints can be long when you allow 48 points in a need-to-win game.

Some frustrations were repeats from a week ago, like not scoring at the goal line. Kentucky wasted Kristian Story‘s 63-yard interception return by failing to punch it into the end zone from the two-yard line. Points off turnovers win games. Florida had 14 of them. Kentucky, none.

The Wildcats’ special teams woes also returned with another missed PAT following the offense’s first touchdown drive, one of only two offensive touchdowns in the game. Taunting the crowd with a Gator chomp while down 14 after Barion Brown‘s kick return was a bad look, too.

Still, of all of Kentucky’s many miscues and mistakes, its defense was the most shocking. The Wildcats entered the game ranked in the top 20 nationally in first-down defense (4th), total defense (4th), scoring defense (9th), rushing defense (10th), and red zone defense (18th), only to allow five touchdowns and nearly 500 yards of offense to the Gators, led by a freshman quarterback and running back.

DJ Lagway carved up Kentucky’s secondary in his first career SEC start. His passing numbers are hard to believe: seven completions for 259 yards, an average of 18.5 per completion. Lagway also used his legs, rushing for 46 yards on the ground in addition to those cannon throws over the top.

The other freshman thrown into a starting role, Jadan Baugh, also rushed all over Kentucky. Baugh tallied 106 yards against a Kentucky defense that held its first six opponents to 89.3 rushing yards per game.

Before Florida, Kentucky gave No. 1 Georgia its worst day of total offense (262 yards) since 2019. Ole Miss, one of the best offenses in the country, couldn’t break 100 rushing yards against the Wildcats in Oxford three weeks ago. The Rebels averaged 55 points per game and scored 17 in a loss to UK, rushing for only 92 yards when it averaged 248. Yet, Florida combined for nearly 200 on the ground and 476 yards in total.

What happened to the defense that had Carson Beck seeing ghosts? Did Kentucky leave college football’s fourth-best scoring defense back in Lexington? Expectations around Kentucky’s offense are low, but the defense was expected in Gainesville and no-showed.

Jadan Baugh was Trey Burton all over again

The name Trey Burton channels memories of an ugly day about fourteen years ago. In 2010, Burton, a freshman tight end for Florida, ran for five touchdowns in Lexington to tie Tim Tebow‘s record for rushing touchdowns in a single game. Florida scored 48 points on Kentucky that day.

Jadan Baugh joined Burton and Tebow in the record books against Kentucky in 2024, with five rushing touchdowns in Florida’s 48-20 win over Kentucky. A big letdown game by Kentucky’s defense.