Ad Disclosure
Kentucky expected to be without key defender against Florida, per report
Published:
The Kentucky Wildcats are gearing up for a tough conference battle against the Florida Gators in Week 8.
The Wildcats lost a heartbreaker to Vanderbilt at home in Week 7 and will be looking to rebound quickly. However, the team will have to do that without one of its best defenders.
According to Matt Zenitz, UK cornerback Maxwell Hairston is not expected to play in Week 8. This will be the third straight game the All-SEC corner has missed due to injury.
The current expectation is that Kentucky will be without All-SEC cornerback Maxwell Hairston again when it faces Florida Saturday, a source tells @247Sports/@CBSSports.
Hairston, who has missed the last two games, led the SEC with five interceptions last year.… pic.twitter.com/9MaMa5lBvC
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) October 16, 2024
Hairston last played in Kentucky’s Week 4 win over Ohio. The standout DB has collected 8 tackles, 1 interception, and 1 forced fumble so far this season in limited action.
Want to bet on the Cats this Saturday? Check out the SDS guide to Kentucky betting sites and land a sign-up offer today!
Even without Hairston, Kentucky has been strong against the pass. The Wildcats are No. 13 in pass defense and are allowing just 162.2 passing yards per game.
As mentioned above, Hairston was an All-SEC player in 2023. The CB collected 68 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, and 5 INTs. Two of Harrison’s 5 INTs were pick-6s.
Fortunately for the Wildcats, the Gators are far from the nation’s best passing attack. With Graham Mertz sidelined, the Gators will start DJ Lagway for this game. Lagway has yet to throw for 100 yards in a game against a non-FCS opponent.
Kentucky and Florida have had similar seasons. Both teams are sitting at 3-3 overall, while the Wildcats are 1-3 in SEC play and the Gators are 1-2. These SEC rivals will kick off from Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Saturday at 7:45 p.m. ET.
Bryce Lazenby covers college football for Saturday Down South. A Nashville native, his previous stops include FanSided, Dimers, and The Leaf-Chronicle.
