28GA/FLA TAB PROCESS
28 The Brunswick News / Thursday, October 31, 2013
Florida season: Gators' Road To J’Ville
Game 4: at KENTUCKY
Gators manhandle Wildcats Associated Press
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Tyler Murphy’s comfort passing and running belied the fact that he was making his first career start for No. 20 Florida. Matt Jones showed that he could hold on the ball and carry it for a lot of yards. By raising their games, both players help lift the Gators after a difficult week. Jones rushed for 176 yards and a touchdown and Murphy threw for 156 yards and a score as Florida beat Kentucky 24-7 on Saturday night, its 27th straight win over the Wildcats. Murphy also rushed for a 5-yard TD for the Gators (3-1, 2-0 Southeastern Conference), who lost starting quarterback Jeff Driskel and defensive tackle Dominique Easley to season-ending injuries but moved forward thanks to strong performances on
James Crisp/AP
Florida running back Matt Jones outruns Kentucky’s TraVaughn Paschal, left, and Marcus McWilson in the second quarter of their game on Sept. 28 in Lexington, Ky. Jones gained 67 yards on the play and rushed for 176 yards against the Wildcats.
offense and defense. “It’s been a long week for us psychologically and mentally as much as anything,”
Florida coach Will Muschamp said of the injuries’ effect. “I’m very pleased with how our guys pulled together and came up here
and did what we did.” Of Murphy, the coach added that he was “just proud of his performance. He continues to improve and gain confidence in his play.” Jones, who had 28 carries, outgained Kentucky by himself while he, Murphy and Trey Burton provided all of the Gators’ touchdowns in the first half to extend the longest active winning streak over a major opponent. Florida gave Gators wide receivers coach Joker Phillips a happy return after his firing last fall as Wildcats coach. Joe Mansour’s 25-yard run on a fake field goal was the only TD for Kentucky (1-3, 0-1), which was outgained 402-173. “We had a few opportunities to make it a game and didn’t make them,” Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said. Despite failing to score a second-half touchdown, Florida had no problems moving the ball on Kentucky thanks to Murphy, who didn’t miss a beat in completing his first 11 passes and rushing for 36 yards, variety that the Wildcats struggled to keep up with. He threw a second-half interception, but it didn’t matter as Florida picked off Maxwell Smith in the end zone en route to another stifling performance in which the Gators’ SEC-leading defense held the Wildcats to just 48 yards rushing — seven below their average — and allowed just 1 of 8 thirddown conversions.