Looking Ahead: Florida Gators vs. Kentucky Wildcats 2020 Football Matchup

Next up in the 'Looking Ahead' series is the Kentucky Wildcats, a wildcard matchup for the Florida Gators as of late.

Continuing the 'Looking Ahead' series, this time we take a look at the Gators matchup against the Kentucky Wildcats, a matchup that is projected to take place on September 12, the first SEC matchup of the Gators' schedule this year.

RELATED: Looking Ahead: Florida Gators vs. LSU Tigers 2020 Matchup

Series History:

The Florida Gators and the Kentucky Wildcats football teams have faced off 70 times total in their history, the first matchup coming in 1917 with the Wildcats getting the best of the Gators, winning 52-0. Since then, Florida has won 52 out of their 69 games against Kentucky, including 31 of the last 32 meetings between teams.

The Gators currently lead the series total 52-18.

There hasn't been nearly the storied history between the Wildcats football team against the Gators - absolutely not in the same vein as the basketball matchups -, however, the matchup has become a bit different as of late.

While the Gators hold an extremely high winning percentage against the Wildcats, they did fall to the team in Dan Mullen's first season as head coach, 2018. The Wildcats were able to get the best of the Gators, winning 27-16. Over the last two Gators victories over the wildcats in 2019 and 2017, the Gators have won by an average of 4.5 points, not exactly dominating as Florida has in the past.

A Look Back:

In the teams' most recent matchup, the Gators defeated the Wildcats 29-21 in Lexington, earning Dan Mullen huis first victory over Kentucky as the Gators' head coach, enough to earn the victory a place in SI All Gators' 'Most-Fun' wins Mullen has had thus far in his two years with the team.

This matchup had plenty of storylines to follow, not only was it won in a very nail-biting fashion after former Gators quarterback Feleipe Franks went down with a severe injury, ultimately ending his career in Gainesville, but the Gators also found their quarterback for the season and one year beyond in Kyle Trask.

"That night in Lexington birthed a new day of quarterback play in Gainesville, with production higher than Gator fans had seen since Tim Tebow was strapping up in orange and blue," writes SI - All Gators' Graham Marsh.

The Gators would end up being down 21-10 late in the third quarter, however, a resurgence from the Gators' defense and in turn, their offense, allowed the team to come back in stunning fashion quieting the roaring crowd in Lexington.

One of the Gators' most-seasoned veteran receivers, Josh Hammond - now a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars -, would put the game to rest on a 76-yard touchdown off of a jet sweep, one of the most electric plays of his career and a true stamp on the beginning of the end of his career in Gainesville.   

.@J_Hammond10 CALLED GAME!#GatorStandard pic.twitter.com/jFe4pN0cXW

— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) September 15, 2019

A Look Ahead:

As mentioned earlier, the Gators will face off against Kentucky in their first SEC matchup of the year this season, September, 12th, 2020. The Gators will hope to continue their hot streak and earn a back-to-back victory over the Wildcats as they continue their dominance in the series.

The Gators will enter 2020 with a new wide receiver corps, much different than the one boasted in last year's matchup, and a revamped offensive line - hoping to compliment Trask with a more complete running game this time around. While the Gators' defense also has a few different members, their overall structure remains intact led by veteran defensive back Marco Wilson.

The Wildcats, however, will be returning one of their star players, quarterback Terry Wilson who is dangerous through the air, but even more dangerous on the ground in Kentucky offensive coordinator Eddie Gran's offense, one of the most brilliant offensive minds in college football.

Wilson wasn't available for the matchup last season injured after just two games in 2019, never to return for the remainder of the season.

This season, Wilson will return and look to build off of his impressive 2018 showing which included 547 yards in the ground to go along with 1,889 yards through the air, while not overtly staggering numbers, the Wildcat quarterback boasts a 12-3 record as a starter.

Whatever happens, it appears the matchup of - Kentucky vs. Florida -, isn't as much of a snoozefest as it used to be, perhaps for the better as Gators fans will have something to enjoy watching, that is of course if the Gators win.