Florida football: Gators lose Franks, beat Kentucky 29-21

The biggest storyline of the game wasn’t a win or loss, but an injury to Florida football starting quarterback Feleipe Franks could end his season.

Kentucky seemed to dominate every aspect of the game against Florida football Saturday night in the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams.

Florida football scored 19 unanswered points after Franks went down in the third to hold off Kentucky, 29-21 Saturday night in Lexington.

Despite the win, it could be considered a let-down on both sides of the ball for the Gators.

At one point late in the third quarter, the Wildcats were 8-of-10 on third-down conversions and the Florida football defense managed just one sack on Kentucky backup quarterback Sawyer Smith.

But, after Franks went down with what looks to be a season-ending injury, backup quarterback Kyle Trask came out on Florida football’s next possession and found Van Jefferson with a pair of strikes and seemed poised in the pocket.

Trask’s first drive was capped by a pitch to Lamical Perine for a short touchdown run, cutting the Kentucky lead to 21-16 after a missed (and questionable) 2-point conversion.

Shawn Davis collected his second interception of the game with about six minutes left in the game — the second for Sawyer Smith — halting the Wildcats and giving the Gators some hope.

After an incompletion and a sack, the Gators were recipients of the third targeting penalty of the night, moving the ball to the Kentucky 36. On the next play, Kyle Pitts caught a short pass and turned it into big yardage.

Two plays later, Trask scampered in from four yards to give the Gators a 22-21 lead with 4 minutes, 11 seconds left in the game.

At that point, Florida football scored 12 unanswered after Franks left the game injured.

The Wildcats were able to drive to the 25 where kicker Chance Poore missed a 35-yard field goal to the right, giving the Gators the ball with just under a minute to play.

Just a few plays later, Josh Hammond seemed to seal the win for Florida football with a 76-yard touchdown run, leaving the Gators with an 8-point lead with about 30 seconds left on the clock.

It was enough to give the Gators the revenge win, but it did show that Florida football is not where it needs to be and Kentucky is better than most give them credit for.

In the first half, neither team was spectacular, but Florida football seemed to underestimate Smith and the Kentucky offensive line.

Smith started the game 9-for-9 passing before his first incompletion.

However, it was a fumble in the first quarter that led to an 8-play, 31-yard drive for Florida, capped by a 15-yard touchdown pass from Franks to Freddie Swain — who had a good 15 yards all the way around him without a defender.

Kentucky quickly countered when Smith connected Ahmad Wagner for a 26-yard touchdown to tie the game.

Then, it all seemed to come apart.

Two plays later, Franks fumbled the football after being sacked. Kentucky’s Taj Dotson was there to pick it up and put the Wildcats’ offense back on the field.

Eleven plays later, Sawyer plunged in from a yard out on a quarterback sneak, putting Kentucky up 14-7.

Over the course of the drives, Florida football’s offense looked overwhelmed at best, outmanned at worst as the Kentucky offensive line dominated the line of scrimmage.

Now, Florida football will prepare to host Tennessee next Saturday at The Swamp.