Florida vs. Kentucky: Live Updates

The Florida Gators (3-3, 1-2 SEC) welcome the Kentucky Wildcats (3-3, 1-3 SEC) to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium for a matchup under the lights. UF freshman quarterback DJ Lagway will make his first start against an SEC opponent. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:55 p.m. Follow along below for updates throughout the action.

INJURY UPDATE: Florida sophomore safety Bryce Thornton was removed from UF's final injury report before the matchup against Kentucky, but was not dressed out in pregame. Thornton will be out against the Wildcats.

GAME NOTE: The Gators are on a three-game losing streak against the Wildcats. The last time Florida lost four straight games to UK was from 1948-51. Florida holds a home record of 29-6 against Kentucky.

GAME NOTE: UF will take the field without its starting quarterback and running back for the first time this season. It's a huge moment for Lagway and Florida's supporting cast in the backfield including redshirt junior Ja'Kobi Jackson, sophomore Treyaun Webb and freshman Jadan Baugh.

NOTE: Kentucky won the opening coin toss and selected to defer the second half. Florida will open the game on offense.

Q1: 15:00 - Elijhah Badger returned the opening kick for a gain of 22 yards to UF's 27-yard line.

Q1: 13:35 - On 3rd-and-5, Lagway unloaded a 40-yard deep pass to sophomore wideout Eugene Wilson III. 1st-and-10 for the Gators at UK's 15-yard line.

Q1: 12:18 - Baugh with a solid carry up the middle for a gain of eight yards sets up 1st-and-goal for Florida deep in Kentucky territory.

Q1: 11:14 - Lagway scrambled to his right on 3rd-and-goal but was unable to find anyone open and seemingly ran into his own offensive lineman on the play for a loss of six yards.

Q1: 10:27 - SCORE: The Florida Gators have now scored in 455 straight games after junior kicker Trey Smack's kick was good to cap off a 10-play 63-yard drive. A huge stop for Kentucky's defense to hold UF to three points inside its 10-yard line.

GAME NOTE: Tonight marks the first time in Florida football history that a true freshman has started at both quarterback and running back. Lagway got the start as signal caller, and Baugh got the nod for the starting running back role.

Q1: 10:27- Smack's kickoff goes through the end zone. Kentucky's offense will take the field for the first time at its own 25-yard line.

Q1: 9:51 - Kentucky moved the ball to midfield following a 15-yard rush up the middle by UK senior running back Demie Sumo-Karngbaye through the heart of Florida's defense.

Q1: 8:41 - A timely stop for Florida as Kentucky quarterback Brock Vandagriff attempted to complete a pass over the middle but it was incomplete intended for Jordan Dingle on 3rd-and-8.

Q1: 8:35 - UK's punt was fair caught by Florida senior wideout Chimere Dike at UF's nine-yard line.

Q1: 7:56 - Redshirt junior running back Ja'Kobi Jackson is getting involved early for Florida's offense. He picked up a gain of 11 yards on 2nd-and-5 for a first down to UF's 25-yard line.

Q1: 6:03 - Not much going for Florida offensively on its last drive. The Gators picked up just one first down before senior punter Jeremy Crawshaw sent a 42-yard punt to Kentucky's 25-yard line. It's 1st-and-10 for the Wildcats.

Q1: 3:34 - A false start backed the Wildcats up five yards on third down setting up 3rd-and-6. Kentucky appeared to be lined up to run the ball on 3rd-and-short, but the penalty forced them into a pass play that was broken up by Florida edge rusher George Gumbs Jr.

Q1: 3:25 - Dike called a fair catch on Kentucky's punt and the ball bounced out of bounds at UF's 20-yard line.

Q1: 3:12 - Baugh with some hard running to the right side for a gain of eight yards to UF's 29-yard line and the Gators were awarded an extra 15 yards on the play following an illegal hands to the face penalty called on Kentucky.

Q1: 00:30 - Lagway shows off his mobility on back-to-back plays for gains of eight yards and 31 yards on the ground.

END OF Q1: Florida 3, Kentucky 0. It will be 3rd-and-2 for the Gators at Kentucky's 14-yard line to begin the second quarter. An impressive defensive performance for Florida who has really come around on the defensive side of the ball over the last three weeks.

Q2: 15:00 - The Gators were stuffed on a rush attempt by Baugh on 3rd-and-short and will now have to settle for their second field goal attempt deep inside UK territory.

Q2: 14:13 - SCORE: Trey Smack is now 2-for-2 on field goal attempts as his 39-yard field goal attempt went straight through the uprights. Florida 6, Kentucky 0.

Q2: 14:13 - Smack's kick was brought out of the end zone by Kentucky junior wideout Barion Brown for a 16-yard return but he took a huge hit from UF wideout Ja'Quavion Fraziars at UK's 16-yard line.

Q2: 12:05 - SCORE: Vandagriff completed a 45-yard deep ball to Barion Brown in stride to cap off a four-play 84-yard scoring drive for the Wildcats. The extra-point attempt by UK kicker Alex Raynor was no good as the game remains tied. Florida 6, Kentucky 6.

Q2: 11:59 - Baugh returned Kentucky's kickoff to UF's 19-yard line. Lagway and company are set to take back over.

Q2: 11:41 - Florida's offense goes three-and-out. Lagway attempted to scramble to his right and threw a pass intended for Wilson III on the left sideline but it fell incomplete. Crawshaw delivered a 54-yard punt and Kentucky was called for holding. It's 1st-and-10 for the Wildcats at their own 16-yard line.

Q2: 9:31 - Kentucky attempted a quarterback sneak on 3rd-and-1 but was stopped short of the line to gain. The Wildcats will punt it away from deep inside their territory.

Q2 9:25 - Dike called a fair catch on a 40-yard punt by UK punter Aidan Laros. Florida will begin its drive at its 35-yard line.

NOTE: It's been far from perfect for Lagway against Kentucky. The true freshman signal caller is just 2-for-8 passing for 44 yards.

Q2: 8:36 - Right on cue, Lagway delivers a 50-yard dart up the middle to Elijhah Badger who caught the pass at Kentucky's 20-yard line and was brought down at the seven-yard line. 

Q2: 8:15 - SCORE: Just one play after Lagway's deep pass to Badger, Jadan Baugh ran the ball up the middle for a seven-yard touchdown rush marking his first touchdown as a Florida Gator. Florida 13, Kentucky 6.

Q2: 6:32 - On 3rd-and-5, Ben Hill Griffin got just about as loud as it has gotten all season and later erupted after an interception by UF defensive back Trikweze Bridges on a tipped pass at UF's 46-yard line. Florida takes back possession at midfield.

NOTE: Bridges' interception marks Florida's fourth of 2024, surpassing the team's 2023 total of three interceptions.

Q2: 6:10 - Just as Florida was seemingly building momentum, Lagway turned it right back over to the Wildcats on a pass attempt on 2nd-and-3 at midfield by UK defensive back Kristian Story who took the return all the way back to UF's 11-yard line.

Q2: 4:24 - Kentucky drove the ball down to Florida's two-yard line but was stuffed attempting to run the ball in on 4th-and-1, turning the ball right back over to the Gators as the first half is winding down.

Q2: 3:00 - Back-to-back big gainers for the Gators moved UF to UK's 13-yard line. Baugh provided a solid burst to the left side for a gain of 27 yards on the ground and Lagway unloaded another deep ball to Badger. This time for a gain of 50 yards. 1st-and-10 for the Gators inside Kentucky's red zone.

Q2: 2:10 - SCORE: On 2nd-and-7 at UK's 10-yard line, Lagway handed it off to Baugh he bounced outside to the left and easily trotted into the end zone for his second touchdown of the game. Smack's extra point was good. Florida's 98-yard scoring drive took just 2:14. Florida 20, Kentucky 6.

Q2: 2:10 - Smack's kick off goes through Kentucky's end zone. The Wildcats will start their rive at their own 25-yard line.

NOTE: Kentucky entered tonight's game allowing just 89.33 rushing yards per game. The Gators have 155 yards on the ground and it isn't even halftime. UF is averaging 6.7 yards per play on the ground.

Q2: 1:46 - Vandagriff's pass intended to Barion Brown was intercepted by junior defensive back Devin Moore at UF's 47-yard line and was returned for a gain of 52 yards down to UK's one-yard line.

Q2: 1:44 - SCORE: Just one play after Moore's interception, the Gators wasted no time messing around. Lagway handed the ball off to Baugh who took it straight up the middle for a 1-yard score. Baugh is now up to three touchdowns in the game. Florida 27, Kentucky 6.

Q2: 1:30 SCORE: It went from a low-scoring affair to a shoot-out at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Trey Smack's ensuing kickoff after Baugh's third touchdown was taken back 99 yards by Barion Brown who made several Gators special teamers miss on tackles down the right sideline. Brown remains the active NCAA leader for kickoff return touchdowns with five. Florida 27, Kentucky 13.

Q2: 00:19 - Kentucky calls its second timeout of the half as the Gators have possession at their own 31-yard line on 3rd-and-4.

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