← 2004 season results

Opposing coach: Ron Zook [Florida]

September 25, 2004

Game Summary

Kentucky could not carry its offensive breakthrough against Indiana into its SEC opener, falling 20–3 to Florida at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on September 25, 2004. The Wildcats generated only 207 yards and 10 first downs, never reached the red zone and slipped to 1–2. Florida gained 523 yards, but three interceptions and missed scoring opportunities allowed Kentucky to remain within striking distance well into the fourth quarter.

Chad Anderson supplied an early opportunity by intercepting Chris Leak at Kentucky’s 10-yard line. The Wildcats followed with a 14-play, 56-yard drive that set up Taylor Begley’s career-long 51-yard field goal for a 3–0 lead with 6:06 remaining in the opening quarter. Matt Leach tied the score with a 40-yard field goal as the quarter ended.

A potential field-position swing disappeared in the second quarter when Dicky Lyons Jr. returned a punt to Florida’s 28, only for an illegal-block penalty against Joe Schuler to move Kentucky back to its own 27. Three plays later, a pass from Shane Boyd deflected off Jeremiah Drobney’s fingertips and was intercepted by Terrence Holmes. Ciatrick Fason broke free for a 46-yard touchdown run on the next play, giving Florida a 10–3 lead that stood at halftime.

Florida added a 21-yard field goal early in the third quarter, but Kentucky continued to find ways to prevent a decisive score. Muhammad Abdullah and Karl Booker joined Anderson with interceptions, while Lonnell Dewalt blocked a 47-yard field-goal attempt with 8:37 remaining. Kentucky still trailed only 13–3, but its next possession ended without a first down. Leak’s seven-yard touchdown pass to Fason with 4:08 left finally put the game away.

Boyd completed 17 of 35 passes for 134 yards and one interception, adding 28 rushing yards on 14 attempts. Glenn Holt caught seven passes for 52 yards, while Kentucky finished with just 73 yards on the ground. Florida’s speed and tackling limited the option plays and short passes that had worked against Indiana; nine of Kentucky’s 13 offensive possessions lasted five plays or fewer.

Fason led Florida with 210 rushing yards on 31 carries and scored both Gator touchdowns. Leak threw for 261 yards, with one touchdown and three interceptions. Kentucky also lost linebacker Dustin Williams to a broken arm during Fason’s second-quarter touchdown run. The defeat was Kentucky’s 18th consecutive loss to Florida.

Stadium: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
Gainesville

Box Score

Team	1	2	3	4	Final
Kentucky	3	0	0	0	3
Florida	3	7	3	7	20

Halftime: Kentucky 3; Florida 10

TV: ESPN2
TV announcers: Dave Barnett (play-by-play), Bill Curry (analyst), David Norrie (analyst)
Referee: Doyle Jackson
Attendance: 89,741
Uniform combination:

Team Statistics

Statistic	Kentucky	Florida
1st Downs	10	26
3rd down efficiency	4-16	10-18
4th down efficiency	0-2	0-1
Total Yards	207	523
Passing	134	261
Comp/Att	17/35	25/43
Yards per pass	3.8	6.1
Rushing	73	262
Rushing Attempts	27	40
Yards per rush	2.7	6.6
Penalties	6-54	11-91
Turnovers	1	3
Fumbles lost	0	0
Interceptions thrown	1	3
Possession	26:16	33:44

Scoring Summary

Period	Time	Scoring play	UK	UF
1st	06:06	UK — Taylor Begley 51 yd field goal	3	0
1st	00:00	UF — Leach,M. 40 yd field goal	3	3
2nd	09:09	UF — Fason,C. 46 yd run (Leach,M. kick)	3	10
3rd	11:49	UF — Leach,M. 21 yd field goal	3	13
4th	04:08	UF — Fason,C. 7 yd pass from Leak,C. (Leach,M. kick)	3	20

Individual Statistics

Kentucky

Rushing

Player	CAR	YDS	TD	LONG
Shane Boyd	14	28	0	8
Rafael Little	3	18	0	17
Alexis Bwenge	5	16	0	4
Tony Dixon	3	10	0	6
Arliss Beach	1	3	0	3
Marcus McClinton	1	-2	0	0

Passing

Player	CMP	ATT	YDS	TD	INT	LONG	SACKS
Shane Boyd	17	35	134	0	1	25	0

Receiving

Player	REC	YDS	TD	LONG
Rafael Little	1	2	0	2
Tony Dixon	2	1	0	3
Glenn Holt	7	52	0	17
Scott Mitchell	2	35	0	25
Eric Scott	1	15	0	15
Maurice Marchman	1	11	0	11
Jeremiah Drobney	1	7	0	7
Jacob Tamme	1	7	0	7
Lonnell Dewalt	1	4	0	4

Punting

Player	NO	YDS	AVG	LONG	IN 20
Anthony Thornton	7	254	36.3	47	1

Punt Returns

Player	NO	YDS	LONG
Dicky Lyons Jr.	1	4	4

Kickoff Returns

Player	NO	YDS	LONG
Tony Dixon	1	14	14
Draak Davis	3	65	28

Interceptions

Player	INT	YDS	LONG
Muhammad Abdullah	1	0	0
Chad Anderson	1	1	1
Karl Booker	1	10	10

Defense

Player	SOLO	AST	TOTAL	TFL	SACKS	FF	FR	PBU	BLOCKS	QH
Alexis Bwenge	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Lonnell Dewalt	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Muhammad Abdullah	4	2	6	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Chad Anderson	6	1	7	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Karl Booker	2	1	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Jon Sumrall	5	3	8	0	0	0	0	1	0	0
Michael Williams	6	1	7	1.0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Ray Fontaine	5	0	5	2.0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Ellery Moore	4	1	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Vincent Burns	4	0	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
Justin Haydock	3	1	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Earven Flowers	2	1	3	1.0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Wesley Woodyard	2	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
Antoine Huffman	2	0	2	0	0	0	0	1	0	0
B. Jay Parsons	2	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Ricky Abren	2	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Durrell White	1	1	2	1.0	0	0	0	1	0	0
Lamar Mills	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Dustin Williams	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Brad Booker	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Kicking

Player	FGM	FGA	LONG	XPM	XPA	PTS
Taylor Begley	1	1	51	0	0	3

Florida

Passing

Player	C/ATT	YDS	AVG	TD	INT	QBR
Chris Leak	25/43	261	6.1	1	3	39.1

Rushing

Player	CAR	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG
Ciatrick Fason	31	210	6.8	1	46
Skyler Thornton	6	31	5.2	0	15
Chris Leak	3	21	7.0	0	17

Receiving

Player	REC	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG
Andre Jerome Caldwell	8	84	10.5	0	22
Chad Jackson	2	67	33.5	0	65
Ciatrick Fason	5	43	8.6	1	18
O.J. Small	4	29	7.3	0	13
Dallas Baker	4	22	5.5	0	10
Billy Latsko	2	16	8.0	0	13

Interceptions

Player	INT	YDS	TD
Terrence Holmes	1	0	0

Punt Returns

Player	NO	YDS	AVG	LONG	TD
Vernell Brown	4	57	14.3	43	0

Kicking

Player	FG	PCT	LONG	XP	PTS
Matt Leach	2/4	50.0	40	2/2	8

Punting

Player	NO	YDS	AVG	TB	In 20	LONG
Eric Wilbur	2	60	30.0	0	0	39