Jadan Baugh's five TD runs carry Florida past Kentucky

Field Level Media|published: Sun 20th October, 24:27 2024

Florida Gators wide receiver Elijhah Badger (6) hauls in a pass for a huge gain while being pursued by Kentucky Wildcats defensive back JQ Hardaway (6) during the first half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, October 19, 2024 against the Kentucky Wildcats. [Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun]

Jadan Baugh produced three of his five touchdown runs in the second quarter and Florida went on to defeat Kentucky 48-20 on Saturday night in Gainesville, Fla.

Florida's DJ Lagway threw for 259 yards on 7-for-14 passing. He was intercepted once. Elijhah Badger caught three passes for 148 yards to help the Gator (4-3, 2-2 Southeastern Conference) win for the third time in four games.

Baugh finished with 106 yards on 22 carries. Florida's Cormani McClain returned a fourth-quarter interception 29 yards for a touchdown.

Kentucky quarterback Brock Vandagriff was 12-for-26 for 165 yards with a touchdown. He threw two of the team's three interceptions as the Wildcats fell to 3-4, 1-4.

Florida scored on 98- and 1-yard possessions within a 26-second span as part of its 24-point second quarter. There was a dizzying stretch of scoring that involved both teams before the Gators held a 27-13 halftime advantage, aided by a 313-157 gap in total yardage.

Kentucky's Barion Brown had two long touchdown plays, including a 99-yard kickoff return, in the first half.

The Wildcats turned the ball over on downs in Florida territory on the three possessions in the fourth quarter.

Lagway moved into the first-string QB role for the Gators after Graham Mertz sustained a season-ending knee injury a week earlier at Tennessee.

Trey Smack made field goals from 29 and 33 yards for the Gators before Kentucky pulled even when Vandagriff connected with Brown on a 45-yard pass play in the second quarter. The extra-point attempt failed.

The Gators were back in front less than four minutes later on Baugh's 7-yard run. He tacked on a 10-yard run with 2:10 left in the half when the Gators needed only four plays to cover 98 yards.

That came after Kristian Story's interception and 63-yard return gave the Wildcats the ball at the Florida 11, only to have the Gators stop Demie Sumo-Karngbaye's fourth-and-1 run short at the 2-yard line.

Kentucky's next possession ended when Vandagriff was picked off by Devin Moore, who made a 52-yard return to the Wildcats 1. Brown scored on the next snap.

Kentucky was back on the board on Brown's kickoff return, meaning the teams combined to score 21 points in 40 seconds.

--Field Level Media