Game Notes: Kentucky 26, Florida 16

After an up-and-down affair, the No. 20 Kentucky Wildcats vanquished the No. 12 Florida Gators 26-16 to move to 2-0 on the young season.

Here are some important game notes from the Wildcats' win:

With the victory tonight, UK has defeated Florida in consecutive seasons for the first time in 45 years, since 1976-77.
Kentucky has won two of the last three meetings in Gainesville (2018, 2022).
Kentucky has won three of the past five meetings overall.
The game-winning score for Kentucky each of the past two seasons came on a non-offensive score (blocked field goal in 2021, interception in 2022).

Kentucky has won two in a row and four of its last five games vs. ranked opponents.
The last time Kentucky won four of five vs. ranked opponents was during the 1976 and ‘77 seasons when the Wildcats won five straight against ranked foes.
Kentucky also defeated a No. 10-ranked Florida team last season. The last time UK defeated the same ranked opponent in consecutive seasons was 45 years ago, 1976 and ‘77, when the Wildcats defeated ranked LSU and ranked Penn State in both campaigns.
Kentucky’s last win over a top-20 team in the opponent’s home stadium was the victory at Tennessee in 2020. It is the second year in a row that UK has won its SEC opener, the first time that has happened since 2017-18.

It is win No. 61 for head coach Mark Stoops, breaking the Kentucky record of 60 victories set by Paul “Bear” Bryant, who led the Wildcats from 1946-53.
After beginning 12-26 at UK, Stoops has now gone 49-27 (.644).

Kentucky held Florida to 16 points. UK has limited its last six opponents to 21 or fewer, longest since an eight-game streak of 21 or less to open the 2018 season.
UK has allowed 30 or fewer points in 48 of the last 54 games.
The Kentucky defense intercepted two passes, returned one for a score and held Florida to 4-of-16 on third down.
It is the first time the Kentucky defense has shut out an opponent in the second half since at Tennessee on Oct. 17, 2020.
It is the first time Florida has been held scoreless in the second half since 2017.

Kavosiey Smoke rushed 14 times for 80 yards. He moves up two spots to 26th on UK’s career rushing chart with 1,418 yards.
Dane Key hauled in 3 passes for 83 yards and a touchdown. He has caught a touchdown pass in each of his first two collegiate games. The last time a Wildcat caught two touchdown passes in his first two games was Derek Abney, when he did so in 2000.
Carrington Valentine had five tackles and a career-high three pass breakups.