OFFENSE: B

Kentucky’s offense played exceptionally well against a very tough Florida defense in the Swamp. Patrick Towles threw for 369 yards and three touchdowns, and the offense amassed 450 yards of total offense without left guard Zach West and, for a time, left tackles Darrian Miller and Kyle Meadows.

However, there were also some low points for the offense. Towles matched his three touchdowns with three interceptions, and only completed 53 percent of his passes for the game. Kentucky’s run game was dormant most of the night as well, as UK rushed for just 81 yards on 33 attempts, an average of only 2.5 yards per rush.

Even with three overtimes, scoring 30 on the Gators in their place is a tough task, but the turnovers and weak rushing attack do keep the grade from being a bit higher.

DEFENSE: B

There were plenty of positives on the defensive side of the ball for Kentucky. The defense did a great job of pressuring Florida quarterback Jeff Driskel, and the secondary did a great job of eliminating every receiver not named Demarcus Robinson. The Wildcats kept their opponent out of the end zone in the first half for the third straight game to open the season, and Kurt Roper’s offense only managed 20 points in regulation, the same number Florida scored against Kentucky without him last year.

Kentucky also allowed Robinson to catch 15 passes for 216 yards and two touchdowns, and allowed the Gators’ tailbacks to rush for 251 yards at five yards per carry. The SEC appears to be a tailback-driven league in 2014, and stopping the run will be key the rest of the way in the SEC. Robinson is a dynamic athlete and Driskel’s favorite target, but by the fourth quarter the defense ought to have adjusted and forced him to throw the ball elsewhere.

Like with the offense, the defense played well under difficult circumstances, but just weren’t quite at an A-level Saturday night.

SPECIAL TEAMS: A

The Cats’ special teams were excellent in all areas against Florida. Punter Landon Foster was called upon six times, and he landed five of his punts inside Florida’s 20. His leg was critical as Kentucky and Florida engaged in a field position battle in a first half that saw just six total points.

Demarco Robinson posted a 17-yard punt return, and Boom Williams took Kentucky’s only kickoff return 25 yards. The Cats allowed one long return to Florida’s Andre Debose, but it was following a penalty by Blake Bone that forced UK to kickoff from 15 yards deeper than usual. All in all, there was not much activity either way in the return game, which is a net positive for a young team like Kentucky.

But the star of the special teams was freshman kicker Austin MacGinnis, who made three huge field goals to help keep Kentucky in the game and eventually force overtime and then triple overtime. He missed his final field goal in the third overtime and Kentucky lost, but it had asked a lot of its kicker in his third career game and he delivered like a veteran time and time again.

Kentucky’s special teams earn an A in all areas.