Game Prediction: No. 20 Kentucky Wildcats vs. No. 12 Florida Gators

Here's what we think about this huge, early season SEC matchup.

Author:
Brendan Gulick
Sep 9, 2022 5:01 AM EDT

Almost every win in the SEC is hard to come by - and these two programs sure understand that. Both the Wildcats and Gators are trending in the right direction and this should be a great game.

Billy Napier's first year in the swamp will come with plenty of scrutiny, but after beating Utah last week, it's so far so good for the Gators. Meanwhile, Coach Stoops' team isn't at full strength, but his QB Will Levis may have enough in the tank to make up for that.

Here's what the BuckeyesNow staff expects in Saturday night's affair in Gainesville.

What's the betting line for Kentucky vs. Florida?

KENTUCKY at FLORIDA – Saturday, 7:00 p.m.
Spread: Florida (-6) on SI Sportsbook
O/U Total: 51.5

Kentucky vs. Florida Predictions

Brendan Gulick: Florida 27, Kentucky 24

Anthony Richardson burst on the scene last week with a huge performance for the Gators. Now that he's healthy, he's got a chance to be a dark horse Heisman candidate in my opinion. I really like what I'm hearing out of Gainesville since Napier took over and I think the Gators aren't far away from being the real deal again.

Kentucky is very talented and this should be a tight game down the stretch. I think Florida wins, but I don't think they'll cover the spread.

Andrew Lind: Kentucky 28, Florida 24

Honestly, Florida surprised me with its top-10 win over Utah, which I pegged as a playoff contender. I was particularly impressed with quarterback Anthony Richardson's dual-threat abilities, as he threw for 168 yards and rushed for 106 yards and three scores against the Utes.

Kentucky presents a different challenge than Utah, as quarterback Will Levis will test the Gators' secondary through the air. Can Florida come up with another late stop and pull another upset at home? I think Levis will make a better decision than Utah's Cameron Rising when the time comes.

Caleb Spinner: Florida 32, Kentucky 24

The biggest difference between these two teams is the momentum with which they enter this game, Kentucky earning a 24-point win against the MAC’s Miami Redhawks and Florida having beaten the No. 7 Utah Utes.

The Gators have the energy coming in, that’s for sure, but someone else has to step up either in replacement or alongside of quarterback Anthony Richardson. Richardson not only led his team in passing yards with 168 (which is expected being the quarterback), but also had his team’s most rushing yards with 106, beating out all of Florida’s three running backs.

Kentucky knows to watch out for Richardson and all he can do, so Florida will need another star to emerge and take some pressure off if they are to win. I believe they accomplish this mission, earning a 32-24 win in the process.

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