Sept. 25, 1999
By TIM WHITMIRE
AP Sports Writer
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Doug Johnson threw for 241 yards and two touchdownsand Robert Gillespie ran for 108 yards and a pair of scores as No. 3 Floridabeat Kentucky 38-10 on Saturday night.
Despite losing tailback Earnest Graham to a severe thigh bruise on thesecond play of the game, the Gators (4-0, 2-0 Southeastern Conference) hadlittle difficulty extending their winning streak over the Wildcats (2-2, 0-1)to 13 games.
Just as it did two years ago in a 55-28 victory at Commonwealth Stadium,Florida jumped to a 28-0 first-half lead and coasted, rolling up 476 yards ofoffense.
Though Johnson burned the Wildcats badly on a couple pass plays, it was theFlorida running game that did the most damage. With the Gators’ line openingwide holes, Gillespie and Bo Carroll had little trouble picking up for Graham,averaging nearly 8 yards per carry as Florida rushed for 224 yards.
There were few highlights for Kentucky coach Hal Mumme’s “Air Raid”offense, which didn’t score until the final possession of the first half.Sophomore quarterback Dusty Bonner had his worst day as a starter, completing36 of 46 attempts for 254 yards, no touchdowns and an interception.
Gillespie keyed Florida’s first touchdown with a short catch that he brokefor a 47-yard gain. That set up Carroll’s 14-yard scoring run with 10:22 leftin the first quarter.
On the next Florida scoring drive, it was Carroll running up a seam in theKentucky defense for 25 yards, then John Capel going 14 yards on an end around.
That set up Johnson’s play-action fake and deep throw to Darrell Jackson,who streaked 49 yards to the end zone for a 14-0 lead.
Bonner looked shaky in the first half, struggling to find open receivers andoverthrowing a couple. Florida made him pay for his most serious mistake, asecond-quarter overthrow that was easily intercepted by Bennie Alexander. Fiveplays later, Gillespie bulled into the end zone for a 21-0 Florida lead with9:57 left in the half.
The Gators pushed the advantage to 28-0 with a 10-play, 80-yard drive thatended with Johnson finding Brian Haugabrook in the left corner of the end zone.
Bonner led Kentucky on a 10-play, 80-yard drive near the end of the half, asthe Wildcats got on the scoreboard on Derek Homer’s 5-yard run with 1:24 left.
When the Wildcats drove to a 37-yard field goal by Marc Samuels to start thesecond half, they were within 18 points, but that was as close as they wouldget.
Florida answered with Jeff Chandler’s career-best 49-yard field goal to makeit 31-10.
Homer, benched after fumbling twice in the Wildcats’ first three games, ranfor 83 yards but fumbled deep in Florida territory late in the third quarter.
It was the sixth straight year in which Florida beat Kentucky by doubledigits, but the Gators’ point total was their lowest against the Wildcats sincea 24-20 thriller in 1993.
