UK loses its first game of the season Saturday in triple overtime 36-30 against the Florida Gators.

It was a tale of two halves, the first dominated by defense, and the second dominated by offense.

UK entered the game riding a 27-game losing streak to the Gators, who unleashed a lethal defense on the Cats. Three turnovers and a struggling run game kept UK out of the end zone until the third quarter. UK only managed 81 yards on the ground with Braylon Heard leading the team with 39 yards.

Patrick Towles threw his first interception of the season in route to a 24-45, 369 game. He threw three touchdowns but ended up with three interceptions.

The savior for the Cats was a defense that was hungry to prove themselves.

They held the Florida to just three points through the first half. UK notched another interception on their belt after UK’s Nate Willis took one away from Jeff Driskel. Driskel went 25-43 for 295 yards, three touchdowns and that one interception. Both teams started rolling in the second half with scoring a combined 28 points.

But the real contest started in overtime. The teams traded touchdowns in the first overtime, field goals in the second until the Cats missed field a goal in the third. The Gators then scored a touchdown to take the victory and stretch the winning streak to 28 games.

STAFF REPORT