Kentucky is finally going to beat Florida this weekend
The last time Kentucky celebrated a win over Florida on the football field, Tim Tebow wasn't born, Amazon was simply known as a rainforest in South America, and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg was two years old.
The Wildcats haven't won a game against their SEC rivals since 1986, with the 30-game winning streak ranking as the longest active streak in the country.
Despite history clearly working against them, this year Kentucky boasts as tough a challenge as ever for the Gators. The Wildcats are off to a perfect 3-0 start while Florida got hammered in the opener by Michigan and barely snuck by Tennessee on a Hail Mary.
Related: Florida beats Tennessee on wild 63-yard Hail Mary
With the annual contest going Saturday night in Lexington, the home team has as good a chance as any to finally top the Gators and end the losing streak.
Here's why it's going to finally happen:
Kentucky's rush defense is nasty
(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)
Don't expect to run the ball with much success against Kentucky, as Mark Stoops has built the Wildcats defense into a formidable unit. That has been on full display in the first three games of the season, as Kentucky has held Southern Mississippi just 55 yards on the ground, Eastern Kentucky just 62 yards, and South Carolina a paltry 54 yards.
This is a very big deal because ...
Florida can't throw the ball
Stop me if you've heard this one before, but Florida's passing attack is absolutely dreadful. Don't let the fact that Feleipe Franks completed a 63-yard Hail Mary to beat Tennessee fool you into thinking this team can beat you through the air. It seems like it's been forever since the Gators posed a legitimate passing attack, and this year is no different. Malik Zaire and Franks combined for just 181 yards in the opener, and outside of the game-winner, the redshirt freshman threw for just 149 yards against Tennessee. With a strong run defense and no passing threat to worry about, Kentucky should have no problem shutting down the Gators' offense.
Kentucky's rushing attack causes problems
(Photo courtesy: Action Images)
Florida has dominated this matchup in recent years thanks to a defense that routinely ranks among the best in the country. While the Gators' unit this year is solid, it pales in comparison to years past and can be exposed by the Wildcats' solid rushing attack. The Gators were gashed by Volunteers star John Kelly for 141 yards on Saturday, and Michigan's Ty Isaac racked up 114 yards on a gaudy 10.4 per carry average in Week 1. This bodes well for Kentucky star Benny Snell Jr., as the standout sophomore has topped the 100-yard mark in each of the last two games. Add in the rushing threat of quarterback Stephen Johnson, and the Wildcats should have success moving the football.
This charade can't possibly continue, right?
It appears Florida will still be without nine suspended players, including stars Antonio Callaway and Jordan Scarlett, due to misuse of school funds. The incident happened before the Michigan game and has seen the players miss both contests to start the year. The offense has looked dreadful without both standouts, and a strong Wildcats defense should keep the rowdy crowd in Lexington fully engaged throughout the contest.
The saying goes that all good things must come to an end, and for Florida all signs point to that "good thing" being their reign over Kentucky this weekend.