No. 20 Florida earns 27th straight win over Kentucky

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Tyler Murphy 's comfort passing and running belied the fact that he was making his first career start for No. 20 Florida. Matt Jones showed that he could hold on the ball and carry it for a lot of yards. By raising their games, both players help lift the Gators after a difficult week. Jones rushed for 176 yards and a touchdown and Murphy threw for 156 yards and a score as Florida beat Kentucky 24-7 on Saturday night, its 27th straight win over the Wildcats. Murphy also rushed for a 5-yard TD for the Gators (3-1, 2-0 Southeastern Conference), who lost starting quarterback Jeff Driskel and defensive tackle Dominique Easley to season-ending injuries but moved forward thanks to strong performances on offense and defense. "It's been a long week for us psychologically and mentally as much as anything," Florida coach Will Muschamp said of the injuries' effect.