It won’t take any extra motivation to get the Cats ready to take on No. 1-ranked Florida on Saturday. UK (2-0) hasn’t beat Florida (3-0) in their last 22 meetings, and last year’s 63-5 pasting against the Gators gives the returning players a fresh memory of an embarrassment most of them said they’d like to put behind them.

But this year, the Gators will have plenty of motivation for themselves as well.

“It seems like we always get them when they’re mad,” UK head coach Rich Brooks said.

Last year’s game came the week after the Gators were upset by Ole Miss. This year, the Cats draw Florida the week after its offense struggled in a 23-13 win against rival Tennessee.

Brooks knows there would be plenty for the Cats to overcome from a football perspective, even without Florida having extra reasons to stick it to UK.

“They’re obviously a great football team,” Brooks said. “Defensively, they really have no weakness. Offensively, you have a diverse attack that is difficult to defend. They spread the field. Their offensive line is not only big and physical, but athletic. And they have Tim Tebow.”

Florida returns all 11 starters on defense from last year’s national championship team, a Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback, one of the nation’s strongest special teams units and depth to back up most of those positions with competent replacements.

With all that to go up against, most players know the Cats won’t be able to make many, if any mistakes against the Gators.

“If we have a four-play quarter against Florida (like against Louisville) we’ll get beat by 30,” sophomore wide receiver Randall Cobb said. “Hands-down. They’re too good of a team to not capitalize on stuff like that.”

The Cats can carry some confidence into the game from their 2007 win over then-No. 1-ranked Louisiana State University, the eventual national champion that season. Brooks said it’s easier to sell his players on their chances for this weekend because of games like that.

“I think it’s a lot easier to build mental belief when you’ve been there and done that,” Brooks said.

Senior guard Christian Johnson, who is in his fifth year with the team, said beating Florida would be the biggest accomplishment for him since arriving at UK – bigger even than the three-game bowl streak or the win over LSU.

“Ever since I’ve been here Florida has been the big team in the SEC,” Johnson said. “This is going to be a good week of practice. I’m very confident in our team and in everybody that this will be a good game.”

CATS, GATORS BATTLING FLU

Brooks said the Cats were accustomed to dealing with the flu every year, but the threat of H1N1 has given UK another item to worry about in preparations for Saturday’s game.

The Florida football team was given flu shots on Sunday as a precaution after three players, including offensive starters Jeffrey Demps and Aaron Hernandez, showed flu-like symptoms, according to an AP report.

In the report, Florida head coach Urban Meyer said the team was taking the necessary precautions to prevent the flu from spreading on the team.

“We go to the extremes,” Meyer said. “They get a separate dorm room for them. They get a separate hotel room for them. They put them right on whatever the flu stuff is. Our guys, our team doctors, they’re on it as fast as you can get on it.”

UK has its own problems with the flu. Sophomore defensive tackle Antwane Glenn exhibited flu-like symptoms last week. He was isolated from the team before being sent home to recover. Brooks said he was unsure whether Glenn had the normal flu or H1N1.

“I would think that almost every team in our league this year is probably going to be impacted in at least one game by the flu,” Brooks said in his Sunday teleconference. “And it sounds silly, but it could be costly in the game.”

The very nature of a football game could present opportunities for any disease to spread. Players will come in close contact with each other often, and with athletes sweating – and in some cases, bleeding – the flu could spread easily.

Senior tailback Alfonso Smith said playing against a team with players infected with the flu could be an ‘awkward situation,’ but the Cats will still have to go out and play.

“I guess we don’t really have any choice,” Smith said. “We still have to play the guys and if the guys are playing with the flu or whatever, we’re still going to have to play against them. I’m really not worried about that, but hopefully it slows them down, I guess.”

INJURY REPORT

Senior cornerback Trevard Lindley, who missed part of the Louisville game, was not listed on Brooks’ injury report at his Monday press conference. X-rays following the Louisville game on Lindley’s bruised knee were negative.

Junior wide receiver Kyrus Lanxter is doubtful for the Florida game. He is still recovering from a pulled hamstring. Senior center Jorge Gonzalez has a sprained MCL and may miss practice on Tuesday. He’ll be evaluated later in the week before the game.

Junior tailback Moncell Allen has a quad bruise, but is expected to play. Junior defensive end DeQuin Evans has a hip flexor, and could also miss some practice time. Offensive coordinator Randy Sanders will likely not need surgery on his arm after it was broken during a collision in the Louisville game.