Gators host UK in top-20 matchup featuring Levis, Richardson duel

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — After losing last year at Kentucky for the first time since 1986, the Gators have a chance to do something Saturday that’s only happened once in program history — 40 years ago.

The only season Florida has beaten ranked opponents in the first two games was 1982, when UF defeated No. 15 Miami, 17-14, before taking down No. 10 USC, 17-9, in Week 2. Both wins also came at home.

Following a 29-26 upset last Saturday over then-ranked No. 7 Utah in front of 90,799, another sold-out crowd will be in The Swamp tonight at 7 for No. 12 Florida against No. 20 Kentucky.

The Wildcats are coming off their second 10-win season in four years under coach Mark Stoops, and both of those campaigns included victories over UF in 2018 and 2021.

“I’ve got a lot of respect for Coach Stoops and what he’s been able to do there. Just the consistency, their improvement as a program,” Florida coach Billy Napier said this week.

“They have some good players that maybe weren’t highly regarded, but they’re just as good as anybody in the country. … So, you’ve got to beat Kentucky. They’re going to make you beat them.”

The Gators also beat themselves against UK last season. They were flagged 15 times for 115 yards, the most penalties on UF since 2017 against Georgia. More than half of those flags were false starts, including three fourth-quarter calls in the red zone.

Florida had six false-start penalties on third or fourth down and eight total. It was the first SEC road start for center Kingsley Eguakun, who said Florida’s offensive line doesn’t dwell on that performance.

“It’s not like something we’re scared to talk about,” Eguakun said. “We talk about it sometimes, but we know what we’ve got to do this week. There’s a lot on the line and we want to handle business.

“I think Kentucky, they’re going to come to play. They’re not going to just fold over and lay down. If we do what we’re supposed to do, handle business how we’re supposed to do it, I think everything will be fine.”

Stoops, Weaver on defending Richardson

For Eguakun and his position group, that starts with protecting Richardson against Kentucky’s defense, which made three sacks on Miami (Ohio). Bringing down Richardson, however, is a different animal.

“Anthony Richardson is one heck of a football player, very good player. I think that’s pretty obvious,” Stoops said. “Just very talented, you could see much more comfortable in this offense with Coach Napier and what they’re doing. He has a very talented arm and could make all the throws and, obviously, hurt you with his feet.

“I think you saw last week, whether it was straight coverage, he pulled it down and just ran it in for a touchdown that looked effortless, what, 40-something yards? Other times where they (Utah) had great pressure on him, and players all over him, and he still managed to escape. That tells you how strong he is and how good a feel he has for it.”

Kentucky’s defense features a pair of preseason All-SEC selections in linebackers Jacquez Jones and DeAndre Square. Super senior outside linebacker Jordan Wright is also back with the team after serving a suspension for the season opener.

With Wright returning, the Wildcats will be able to play more of their base 3-4 defense with outside linebackers Wright and JJ Weaver on the field at the same time. Weaver, who said in 2020 he would lock down Kyle Pitts before UK gave up 99 receiving yards and three touchdowns, is once again confident about defending Florida’s best offensive player.

“We got one of the best running backs in the nation — Chris [Rodriguez]. I tackle Chris every day in practice … it shouldn’t be that big of a deal,” Weaver said of Richardson. “He’s a great quarterback, you know. We just need to contain. He’s going to run and do things with his feet. But we just gotta contain him and have a quarterback spy, and he’s not going to be able to do none of that against us.”

Gators looking for picks, sacks on Levis

This matchup is must-see TV for NFL teams in need of a quarterback. Florida and Kentucky each boast a projected first-round pick at quarterback in Will Levis and Richardson.

Levis, a Penn State transfer, had 303 passing yards and three touchdowns against Miami (Ohio). He finished fourth in the SEC last season with 2,826 passing yards, 24 scores and 13 interceptions.

“There’s no secret here that Kentucky’s got one of the best quarterbacks in the entire nation,” Napeir said of Levis. “The guy’s got a first-round grade. He’s a phenomenal passer, not only arm talent but accurate. He’s a really good athlete and he has stature. He can be an effective runner as well. He’s tough to get on the ground.

“Plays in a really good system that highlights his strengths. I think they do a good job of using the guy. This guy, there’s a lot of hype around him, and for good reason. He’s worked hard to improve. You see the development.”

Tayvion Robinson led the Wildcats in receiving last week with six receptions for 136 yards, including a long of 45. They also have a talented true freshman wideout in Barion Brown, a top-100 recruit in the 2022 class.

“They’re pretty good guys. They got speed. They can catch,” Florida cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. said of Robinson and Brown. “The DBs just gotta be on their game and hold them to low numbers.”

Levis was intercepted once in the opener and Marshall has his sights set on picking him off again Saturday. With Levis being a top draft prospect, Marshall admits he’s motivated as a cornerback heading into this game.

“I do pay attention to that,” he said. “I feel like that does give me, you know, motivation. He is a top draft guy. That means his balls are accurate, so I’ll have to have my keys right, eyes right and everything like that.”

In addition to his turnover, Levis was also sacked four times by Miami (Ohio), which is tied for the most allowed in the SEC through Week 1. That’s music to the ears of the Gators, who didn’t have any sacks against Utah and will be coming after Levis.

“It bothered us a lot,” defensive end Tyreak Sapp said. “We’re gonna see what they’re doing, we’re going to try to exploit everything and going to make the most of every opportunity to get to rush the passer.”