Burton runs wild over Cats, No. 9 Gators extend series streak to 24 games with 48-14 victory

No. 9 Florida routs Kentucky again, 48-14

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Trey Burton scored six touchdowns, breaking former Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow’s school record, and No. 9 Florida beat Kentucky for the 24th consecutive time, 48-14 Saturday night.

Burton became the fourth player in Southeastern Conference history to score six times in a single game and first since Auburn’s Cadillac Williams in 2003.

His big night helped Florida end its first-quarter slump and gave coach Urban Meyer a memorable milestone.

Meyer became the sixth fastest coach in NCAA history to reach 100 career wins. He improved to 100-18 at Florida, Utah and Bowling Green, hitting the century mark faster than anyone except Gil Dobie (108 games), George Woodruff (109), Bud Wilkinson (111), Fielding Yost (114) and Knute Rockne (117).

Now, Meyer and the Gators (4-0, 2-0 SEC) get their long-awaited rematch with defending national champion and top-ranked Alabama.

The Crimson Tide hammered Florida in last year’s SEC title game and ended the Gators’ shot at winning back-to-back national championships. Florida would love a little payback.

The Gators can only hope they play like they did against Kentucky (3-1, 0-1).

Florida, which didn’t score in the first quarter of its first three games, gouged the Wildcats for touchdowns on its first two drives. The Gators cooled off in the second quarter, punting twice and throwing an interception, but were equally dominant after the break.

Burton did most of the damage from the wildcat formation.

He scored on a 10-yard run to make it 27-7, then scampered in from 9 yards out. He added a 3-yard run in the fourth, making it 41-14 and sealing another lopsided meeting with Kentucky.

The Wildcats have been outscored 152-26 in the last three games, including 73-0 in the opening 15 minutes.

The latest one wasn’t quite the “coin flip” Meyer predicted. In fact, the only real suspense was who would win the actual coin toss. Florida took that one, too.

The Wildcats went three-and-out to open the game, and Florida marched 64 yards and took the lead on Burton’s 11-yard run. He added an 11-yard TD reception from John Brantley on the next drive.

Burton’s six scores broke Tebow’s record set in 2007 at South Carolina. He nearly became the second player in school history with touchdowns rushing, receiving and passing. But Omarius Hines tripped making a 42-yard catch and got tackled from behind.

Hines had nothing but green grass in front of him when Burton rolled right and threw deep. Burton picked up his teammate, scoring from 7 yards out a few plays later.

Burton finished with five carries for 40 yards and five receptions for 37 yards.

Brantley completed 24 of 35 passes for 248 yards, eclipsing the 200-yard mark for the first time this season. Brantley also snapped a streak of 156 passes without an interception.

Florida was equally effective on the ground. Jeff Demps ran eight times for 57 yards, but went to the locker room in the second half with an undisclosed injury. Emmanuel Moody added 46 yards rushing.

Kentucky’s lone highlights came from Chris Matthews, one of them on a fake field goal. Matthews appeared to run off the field on fourth down, but slipped toward the goal line and was uncovered when holder Randall Cobb stood up and tossed the ball toward the end zone.

Matthews hauled in the 11-yarder that made it 21-7 in the second. He added a 27-yarder from Mike Hartline in the third.

Matthews finished with six catches for 114 yards. Hartline was 21 of 39 for 242 yards, with two interceptions — one of them Jeremy Brown returned 52 yards for a score. Derrick Locke ran 23 times for 103 yards.

But Hartline and Locke walked off the field with their fourth consecutive loss to Florida, joining a long list of Kentucky players who have done the same.