Dan Mullen questions mental toughness of Florida after loss to Kentucky

Florida entered Week 5 just inside the top ten, but they are likely to fall after Saturday’s loss to Kentucky. Kentucky came away with the 20-13 victory, sending the Gators to 3-2 on the season and 1-2 in SEC play. The Wildcats, meanwhile, sit at a perfect 5-0 and 3-0 in SEC play. Florida head coach Dan Mullen had a lot to say about his team following the loss.

The Gators were unable to get going offensively in the game. Quarterback Emory Jones threw for 203 yards, one touchdown, and one interception and led the team with 63 rushing yards. As a team, though, Florida had 171 yards rushing, well below its average on the season.

Kentucky’s crowd was loud and created issues for Florida on offense. The Gators had a number of false starts and unforced errors. That is something that frustrated Mullen in Florida’s loss.

“We have to get better,” Mullen said to reporters after the game. “That’s something we are going to look back at. But give their crowd credit. They were loud and came with energy. Their guys played hard. But you can’t do that, it’s just a lack of mental toughness.

“We had an interception. We got a ball in the red zone and started right and tight to get a quarterback lead and then we got a penalty. Then we get a first down and get another penalty. You guys were there. We let their guys run clean up the middle up the field. Pretty easy. I mean you guys saw.”

Mullen: You can’t make the mistakes Florida did in the SEC

For Mullen, the story of the night is the mistakes that Florida made. Florida was in the game all night, and even had a first and goal opportunity from Kentucky’s four-yard line with less than a minute remaining. Kentucky held strong, though, keeping Florida out of the end zone to secure the win.

If Florida truly wants to contend in the SEC, Mullen said after the game that the team can’t keep making the mistakes that they have been making.

“In the SEC, you can’t make the mistakes that we made tonight and win a game,” Mullen said. “It’s a good football team, top-25 team, playing a top-25 team on the road in the SEC. Great crowd. Mark Stoops has built up the program. They are a top-25 team here, year in and year out. You have to give them credit you know, they have great energy, their guys played hard, made plays. They aren’t going to make all the mistakes we made when you’re playing an SEC team.”

Florida has a much easier matchup in Week 6 at home against Vanderbilt.