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An electrifying first week of college football is behind us, which means Week 2 is now here. The schedule is a little lighter this week, but there are still some outstanding games this college football Saturday. Arguably the most intriguing matchup is one of the first SEC games of the season between Kentucky football and Florida football. The No. 20 Wildcats will face the No. 12 Gators in The Swamp.
The Gators pulled off the biggest upset of opening weekend, defeating then-No. 7 Utah 29-26 at home. By comparison, the Wildcats had a more mild win, defeating Miami (Ohio) 37-13 in Lexington. Florida may be riding high following a big win, but Kentucky will be a formidable test in its own right.
The Gators have historically dominated this series, winning every year from 1987 to 2017. However, the tides have begun to turn as the teams have split the last four meetings. This game marks just the fourth meeting where both teams are in the top 25, and the Wildcats are eager to make a statement.
Two of the SEC's best quarterbacks, Will Levis and Anthony Richardson, will be front and center tonight in Gainesville. College football fans won't want to miss this game, which could be the best of the day. With all that said, here are a few bold predictions for Kentucky football in Saturday's game against Florida football.
Kentucky Football Bold Predictions For Week 2 Vs. Florida Football
3. Kentucky sacks Anthony Richardson three times
Kentucky dominated Miami in the season opener, and the Wildcats' pass rush played a big part in that. Mark Stoops' team sacked Redhawks quarterback Brett Gabbert three times and held him to just 166 passing yards. Alex Afari Jr., J.J. Weaver and Jacquez Jones each had a sack to lead Kentucky to victory.
However, that pass rush will face a much bigger test in this game. Florida held Utah, who led the Pac-12 with 41 sacks last season, without a single sack in the game. The Utes forced five quarterback hurries, but the Gators kept Richardson's jersey mostly clean.
The matchup between Florida's offensive line and Kentucky's pass rush will be a battle of strengths. While the Gators' pass protection is strong, they can't hold the pass rush forever. Once the Wildcats break through once, the floodgates will open and they will earn at least three sacks in the game.
2. Will Levis throws for over 300 yards and three touchdowns
Coming into the season, Levis was already one of the best quarterbacks in college football. After transferring from Penn State, Levis shined in his first season with Kentucky football. He completed 66 percent of his passes for 2,826 yards and 24 touchdowns in his junior season.
Even before the season, Levis is receiving hype as a future first-round pick. Many 2023 mock drafts have him going in the top 10, and another strong season will only raise his stock.
Levis picked up right where he left off in the season opener against the Redhawks. The now-senior torched the Redhawks' defense for 303 yards and three touchdowns through the air. He also threw an interception, but the good far outweighed the bad in his performance.
Levis will face a much tougher test against Florida, but he has the talent to handle it. Utah's Cameron Rising threw for 216 yards and a touchdown against the Gators, and Levis is the much more talented passer. If things go according to plan, he could even surpass his stat line against Miami (Ohio) last week.
1. Kentucky upsets Florida and takes the win
Following their win over the Utes, the Gators skyrocketed up the polls. Florida went from being unranked in the preseason to No. 12 following week one. That jump is the biggest for an unranked team in six years.
The win over a top-10 team is very impressive, but this Florida hype feels a little premature. Remember that the Gators are coming off a 6-7 season where they fired Dan Mullen before the season ended. New head coach Billy Napier looks to have this team trending upward, but maybe pump the breaks just a little.
That hype has extended to this game, as Florida enters as a six-point favorite over Kentucky. ESPN's FPI is also siding with the Gators, giving them a 54.8% chance of winning. Frankly, these odds feel disrespectful to the Wildcats.
Kentucky is coming off one of its best seasons in recent memory, finishing with a 10-3 record and a Citrus Bowl victory. The Wildcats took a big step forward last season, and look poised to keep that momentum going.
Everything points to this being a massive trap game for Florida. It's a rivalry game, the Gators are riding high after an upset win and they shot up the rankings the previous week. The Kentucky squad is eager to spoil the party, and the Wildcats will earn a big upset on Saturday night.
