KSR Staff Predictions: Kentucky vs. Florida

by: KSR11 hours ago

cats-cheer — Oct 25, 2025; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats cheerleaders perform during the fourth quarter against the Tennessee Volunteers at Kroger Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Kentucky has lost 10 straight SEC home games. This is their final opportunity to end the ugly losing streak. They have a chance to do it against the last SEC team they beat at Kroger Field, the Florida Gators.

Ray Davis is not walking through that door, but neither is Billy Napier. Florida fired its coach in October. This is their second game with interim Billy Gonzales. DJ Lagway and co. stayed in the fight before falling to Georgia. Can they get off the mat in the program’s first November road trip to Lexington since 1990? The KSR crew shares its predictions…

Drew Franklin

It’s time. It’s past time, actually. On Saturday, Kentucky finally breaks through at home. The Wildcats knocked on the door against Texas, and they’ll finish the job against Florida on Saturday night at Kroger Field. Cutter Boley will deliver a steady, turnover-free game, letting Kentucky’s defense and special teams set the tone.

MVP Jacob Kauwe connects on all three of his field goals, including one late to extend the lead, while the defense holds Lagway, Baugh, and the Gators in check with timely stops and physical play up front. It won’t be pretty, but it’ll be enough to put the home losing streak behind us and win a third in a row against Florida in Lexington.

Prediction: Kentucky 23, Florida 17

Adam Luckett

Kentucky’s win last week on the Plains presented a November opportunity for this football team. Now comes the best chance of the season to end this long SEC losing streak at Kroger Field. It is yet another good matchup for the Cats.

Florida’s passing game has been bad all season, and they will be playing short-handed at wideout on Saturday night. Meanwhile, Florida’s run game should have a tough time with this Kentucky defensive front. On offense, UK should be able to get the run game going and the Cats are facing yet another passing defense with some real holes.

In recent seasons, UK has fumbled a winning opportunity after a big victory. They flip the script in 2025. The defense has another strong performance and the offense creates a handful of scoring opportunities.

For the third consecutive week, a concerning trend for the program ends. The Cats get a big victory to set up a fascinating final three weeks of the season.

Score: Kentucky 23, Florida 10

Nick Roush

Kentucky should win this football game, which is why they won’t. My head is well aware of the matchup advantages, but my heart is ready to get broken again.

Florida has very little left in the tank. The Gators gave it their all vs. Georgia. Now their roster is depleted by injuries and coached by an interim. It’s hard to stay in the fight under those circumstances, while you’re on the road, at night, with a brisk chill in the air.

This game sets up exactly like last week’s game on The Plains. The difference? It’s at home, a House of Horrors for Kentucky over the last two years. To make matters worse, it feels like every time we watch this team play well, they lay an egg the following week. Whether it’s from Texas to Tennessee this year, or Ole Miss to Vandy the year prior, Mark Stoops’ program refuses to capitalize on momentum.

The game will be there for the taking, but it’s Florida who will win the turnover margin and win on the final scoreboard, sealing Mark Stoops’ fate with a last-minute field goal.

Score: Florida 16, Kentucky 13

Tyler Thompson

I picked Kentucky to beat Florida in my preseason predictions. The circumstances feel totally different now for a variety of reasons. First, the Gators have a new coach. Billy Napier was fired, leaving Billy Gonzales in charge as interim head coach. Florida gave No. 5 Georgia a scare last week, but they’ll be down a few weapons at wide receiver. Remember Jaden Baugh, the running back who scored five touchdowns vs. Kentucky last year in the Swamp? He’s still there. Hopefully, Kentucky’s rushing defense can do a better job containing him this year in Lexington.

Kentucky has momentum after the win at Auburn. Florida is beatable, especially on what is hopefully a cold night at Kroger Field. I’m more interested in the scenarios a win presents. Kentucky’s victory over Auburn creates a path for Mark Stoops to keep his job. If the Cats can win two in a row, it becomes even more viable. That leaves this fanbase between a rock and a hard place with three games left, but every win over Florida should be celebrated, especially the one that snaps Kentucky’s 10-game SEC home losing streak.

I’m very torn on what happens in this game. At this point, it feels like Kentucky is due for a win over an SEC team at home, even if it further complicates matters.

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Score: Kentucky 23, Florida 20

Jacob Polacheck

It’s no surprise that I’m picking against Kentucky. I’ve picked them to lose every SEC game this season, and even after the Auburn win, I’m still lacking in confidence for UK.

Interim coaches scare me. Florida doesn’t look like a great team this season, but they had a competitive showing against Georgia. Injuries will make this difficult for UF, but I’m expecting them to come with something to prove.

Maybe I’m the group’s Debbie Downer, but Kentucky comes back to earth this week. Mark Stoops has something to prove, but I don’t see the offense doing enough on Saturday.

Score: Florida 17, Kentucky 7

Zack Geoghegan

You could give me a dozen completely different scenarios of how this game plays out, and I would believe every single one. Both teams are banged up at this point in the season. Florida didn’t get the interim coach bump last week against Georgia, but the Gators had a chance to win that game down the stretch. Kentucky is coming off a poor offensive showing last week against Auburn, but the defense held the Tigers to just three points. Will the first team to score two touchdowns win this game? It feels like it right now.

Winning an SEC game at home has proven to be incredibly difficult for Mark Stoops’ program as of late. This Florida team serves as the perfect opportunity to end it. The only thing that could make this season more interesting (or whatever word you want to insert there) is Kentucky winning this one and going into the final three games of the regular season with a real shot to reach a bowl game. In a season filled with storylines, we’ll have another one to talk about on Sunday morning after a close ‘Cats win.

Score: Kentucky 20, Florida 17

Jack Pilgrim

Mark Stoops has you all right where he wants you, on the cusp of believing in this current product of Kentucky football. It’s all there for the taking, a chance to beat a broken Florida program to potentially win three straight and get to five simply by taking care of business against Tennessee Tech. You get to end the home SEC losing streak dating back to 2023, then get two chances to win one at Vanderbilt and Louisville, back to bowl eligibility. It’s so close you can taste it like a sweet sip of RD1 bourbon.

Like Charlie Brown kicking that damned football, though, the rug will be pulled out from under Big Blue Nation once again, fans leaving yet another night game at Kroger Field trying to decide whether they’re sad or angry. It’s a tale as old as time, song as old as rhyme. As good as the Auburn win felt on the Plains, the reality is Kentucky still scored just 10 points and did its best to let that victory slip away, the Tigers putting forth a fireable performance that saw their head coach get canned literally hours later.

I’m just not buying the turnaround. A win over the Gators may get one foot back on the train for me, but until then, I’m ready to watch it roll right on past. The falls don’t hurt as badly that way.

Score: Florida 27, Kentucky 14