Wildcats Have Nothing To Lose

Expect Kentucky to come into The Swamp for today's 12:30 p.m. kickoff against fifth-ranked Florida and play like a team with nothing to lose.

Really, just how much more do the Wildcats have that Florida can take?

If it's not bad enough that the Wildcats have been beaten 21 consecutive years by Florida, they roll in as today's homecoming opponent having just lost their health.

"We're a little thin on the injury front, and we just need to find a way to get this thing going against an outstanding Florida team who's had a week off to get ready for us," Kentucky coach Rich Brooks said.

"This test will be bigger than anything we've seen all year."

In what looked like a win for the ages last week, the Wildcats (5-2, 1-2 SEC) might have been the big loser. Although they came from 20 points down against Arkansas to hammer out a 21-20 victory, the big win was costly.

Not only is Kentucky's leading rusher, tailback Derrick Locke, out with torn knee ligaments, but the defensive unit, giving up an SEC-low 11.8 points per game, will be without defensive tackle Myron Pryor, while five others are listed as questionable.

This wave of injuries comes less than two weeks after senior wide receiver Dicky Lyons suffered a season-ending knee injury.

"We have more physical problems than we've had in a long time," Brooks said.

The Gators (5-1, 3-1), meanwhile, want to be wary of possible mental challenges.

Florida is coming off an open date following its huge nationally televised trouncing of LSU two weeks ago, homecoming is a party and the likely SEC East title showdown with Georgia is next week in Jacksonville.

"Focus. We need to come out with the same intensity we had against LSU," quarterback Tim Tebow said. "I think our intensity during that game was the highest we've had this year.

"It's an early game; we have to be ready to go and come out fired up."

The Gators would like to prove the explosiveness they showed on offense in the 51-21 win against LSU was the result of steady improvement and that more is to come.

Freshman speedsters Jeffrey Demps and Chris Rainey appear to have found the flow, providing a home-run rushing threat to go with the dependable Tebow.

"The pieces are there," Tebow said. "We have to keep working, executing and getting things right. If we eliminate the mistakes we'll do fine. We have moved the ball efficiently and effectively throughout the year."

Florida coach Urban Meyer doesn't expect anything fancy from the Wildcats' defense.

"They don't run a lot of defense, they have a unique approach," Meyer said. "A lot of guys throw the kitchen sink at you. These guys don't. They're very functional.

"They are going to play how they play coverage-wise and force you to methodically work the ball downfield, which is something we haven't been great at."