Florida’s availability picture shifted again Friday night, and the latest SEC report brought one clear setback and one encouraging update ahead of Saturday’s trip to Kentucky.
Cornerback Dijon Johnson, who had been listed as doubtful, was moved to out and will not play in the Gators’ Week 11 matchup in Lexington. Johnson, a fourth-year reserve, has appeared in six games this season and has 10 total tackles, an interception and three passes defended.
On the other side of the ledger, defensive lineman DK Kalu was bumped from questionable to probable, giving him a much better shot to suit up. Kalu has played in nine games with two starts and has totaled seven tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a quarterback hit.
Florida will also be without wide receiver Vernell Brown III, safety Bryce Thornton, inside linebacker Jaden Robinson and tight end Evan Chieca. Brown’s absence stretches to a sixth straight game after he suffered a grade-1 PCL strain against Ole Miss in Week 4, then re-aggravated it before Week 9’s Georgia game. Before the injury, the second-year receiver had 17 catches for 271 yards and two touchdowns in four appearances.
Thornton’s injury was not disclosed. He played 55 of 77 defensive snaps in last week’s loss to Oklahoma and has 28 tackles and three passes defended in eight games this season.
Robinson is set to miss a third straight game because of an undisclosed injury. The fourth-year linebacker has 26 tackles, four tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and two passes defended over seven games.
Kofi Asare remains on the report as questionable. The JACK has played in nine games with two starts and has seven total tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a quarterback hit.
Kentucky’s report is shorter, with four players ruled out: wide receiver Nic Anderson, inside linebacker Antwan Smith, and defensive backs Jaden Smith and Grant Grayton.
Florida’s Friday SEC Availability Report
EDGE Kofi Asare - questionable
DL DK Kalu - probable
CB Dijon Johnson - out
WR Vernell Brown III - out
TE Evan Chieca - out
LB Jaden Robinson - out
S Bryce Thornton - out
Kentucky’s Friday SEC Availability Report
WR Nic Anderson - out
LB Antwan Smith - out
DB Jaden Smith - out
DB Grant Grayton - out
Designated participation statuses
Out (0% chance to play)
Doubtful (25% chance to play)
Questionable (50% chance to play)
Probable (75% chance to play)
In Other News...
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Mizells recent surge has only sharpened the uncomfortable what if for Florida: what if he had gotten the same runway in orange and blue? After injuries slowed his early 2026 season, he has earned more snaps and more trust at UCLA, and his production has followed, including a six-catch, 176-yard, one-touchdown performance against Illinois. For Florida, it is the kind of development that does not change the past, but does make it harder to ignore. [Read more 🡒]
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Florida Barely Avoided A Travel Scare Before Kentucky Trip
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The outage created a messy travel picture for programs trying to get where they needed to be, and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy later confirmed the timing of the disruption. His advice to teams was straightforward: coordinate flight schedules with the FAA, a reminder that in college football, logistics can become part of the story just as quickly as the football itself. [Read more 🡒]