Kentucky down 18 players, 10 staff members ahead of Florida game

The Kentucky Wildcats are dealing with concerning COVID-19 issues ahead of Saturday's game against the No. 6-ranked Florida Gators. 

Per ESPN's Adam Rittenberg and local television station WKYT, Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops confirmed while speaking with reporters on Wednesday that he's without 18 players and 10 staff members due to positive coronavirus test results, subsequent quarantines, and injuries. 

Kentucky played without five starters and 10 total players during last Saturday's 63-3 thrashing at the hands of the Alabama Crimson Tide. Stoops hinted that his team won't be able to take the field versus Florida if Thursday's round of COVID-19 testing makes any additional players ineligible leading up to the final Saturday of November. 

"To say it's not strange, that's an understatement," Stoops explained. "Every day, you're just holding on. Every time my trainer and [chief of staff] Dan [Berezowitz] come walking down my hall, I'm like, 'Please, stay away.' Trying to keep my distance from those guys. We're getting people dinged a couple times a day."

Looking ahead, Kentucky hosts the South Carolina Gamecocks on Dec. 5. Florida, meanwhile, plays at the Tennessee Volunteers that same day and then welcomes the LSU Tigers on Dec. 12.