"If you're 4-0 man, you're 4-0." SEC Nation crew shows Kentucky love ahead of Florida matchup

The SEC Nation crew isn’t ignoring Kentucky’s hot early-season start, even if the schedule has been one of the easiest in the country through four games. An undefeated team a third of the way into the season is still undefeated. Only 27 programs in the nation have yet to lose a game — that’s no small feat regardless of the competition.

“I put a lot of stock into 4-0,” Marty Smith, who is hosting SEC Nation on Saturday, told reporters on Friday. “It’s easy to say ‘Oh they ain’t played nobody Paul (Finebaum)’, but to me, I think when you do what you’re supposed to do, against the opponents you’re supposed to do it — they’re really blessed though honestly because they’ve had time to sort of work through some of that stuff offensively. They turn the ball over a little more than I’m sure they’d like to, and this is a tough test. Florida is really good. But if you’re 4-0 man, you’re 4-0.

“I think right now what we’re looking at on Saturday is we’re gonna find out quick who the second-best team in the (SEC) East is. I still believe in Georgia being the best team in America.”

When Kentucky welcomes the No. 22-ranked Florida Gators to Kroger Field tomorrow at noon EST, they’ll do so as the betting favorites for the first time since 1988. There is a lot riding on this game for the Wildcats, which can take a 5-0 record into Athens for a high-profile showdown against top-ranked Georgia next weekend with a win.

The matchup on Saturday is such an important game that the Southeastern Conference set up shop outside of Kroger Field to hype up the event. SEC Nation and Marty & McGee will take over the Gate 12 area all morning. But before they make an appearance on national TV, a few of the crew members provided fans with their thoughts on the contest. The consensus? There’s a reason Kentucky is favored as an unranked team against the Gators — quarterback Devin Leary chief among them.

“I like this Kentucky team a lot,” Smith said. “I think that offensively they’re still sort of working it out just a little bit. I love Devin (Leary). His arm talent is ridiculous. He can make every single throw. I think he’s still sort of working through what Liam wants him to do. I love the wide receiving core, love the running back (Ray Davis), I love their back-end defensively. So there’s a lot of pieces here to do really special things.”

“I really like this Kentucky team,” Former Vanderbilt quarterback Jordan Rodgers said. “I think every year they’re incredibly underrated as a defense. I think (defensive coordinator) Brad White is one of the best in the entire country. Year in and year out, Kentucky is one of the best defenses in the SEC. We don’t talk about them maybe as much as we should. So that keeps them in every game. I’m a huge fan of Liam Coen, huge fan of Devin Leary, I think they’re just starting to hit their stride as far as who they want to be on offense around Ray Davis, around the running game, but there’s a ton of talent. I think this Kentucky team is in a really good spot.”

Fellow SEC Nation colleague Tim Tebow — who knows a thing or two (or five) about playing quarterback in the SEC — is equally high on Leary.

“I think Devin is silly talented. Super strong arm,” The former Florida QB and 2007 Heisman Trophy winner said. “I don’t think he always has to use — I mean he can rip it, me and Jordan (Rodgers) were just talking about it. He’s gotta have one of the stronger arms when you look around the quarterbacks in college football. It’s silly. He can make every throw.

“He’s got a lot of experience, makes a lot of adjustments at the line, a lot of calls. I think he’s got so much trust in his arm and his playmaking ability that sometimes he hangs onto it. Maybe against better competition, you might want to get it out faster, take your check-down. But man, he’s just got a lot of talent. I’m excited to see how he plays in this game and some of the bigger ones because he’s got everything that you would want in a big-time quarterback. Now it’s how do you handle the stage?”

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How Kentucky can beat the Gators

Although the SEC Nation crew wouldn’t leak out their score predictions — they suggested with a smile that you tune into the show Saturday morning to find out — they did break down some keys to the game.

“Both teams have been doing such a good job at stopping the running game of opposing teams,” Tebow said. “I think that’s really such a big part of this game is being able to control the line of scrimmage, time of possession, ball control, and then being able to capitalize in the red zone. Field goals won’t win it, touchdowns are gonna win this thing. I think that really starts by who can control the line of scrimmage.

“For both sides, it’s really strength on strength as far as both teams want to run the football,” Rodgers said. “So I actually go to the quarterbacks, and I think whoever makes the big play — but even more so, whoever doesn’t make the big mistake at the quarterback position, (Graham) Mertz and Leary, I think is going to be the team that wins. In games like this, because they’re so evenly matched, it’s cliche, you go to the turnover battle, but whichever quarterback protects the football, because of the style of both these teams and how they want to play, is going to have the best chance.”

“Take care of the football. I think (Kentucky has) gotta take care of the football this weekend,” Smith added.

Kentucky will have every opportunity to pull off the win and beat Florida for the third straight season. We’ll find out soon enough if they’re up to the task.

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