Florida
Predictions for #25 Kentucky’s game at #14 Florida on Saturday
The Kentucky Wildcats are getting set to play in what will not only be their biggest game of the season, but their toughest matchup to this point. Kentucky will take on the Florida Gators, who are ranked 14th in the entire country and have been on a very hot winning streak. Florida has not only been winning their games, they have been dominating opponents.
It will be a very tall task for Kentucky basketball to get the massive road win, but both teams also have a lot on the line. This game will decide first place in the SEC. With Florida currently being in first, the Wildcats will need to win if they want that top spot, what would complete an incredible turnaround job for this Kentucky team after starting SEC play with an 0-2 record. Florida has won their last four games by an average margin of 27.3 points, winning eight of their last nine games overall. Meanwhile, Kentucky has won nine of their last ten, looking to shock the college basketball world with an absolutely massive win.
The Kentucky Wildcats on SI staff is here to give their predictions for the big game between Kentucky and Florida in Gainesville.
Andrew Stefaniak
Florida has been on a tear over their last four games, winning by a point differential of 27.3 points over that stretch. They played three of those four games on the road, so this team might be the hottest in college basketball. While most are talking about the Gators being hot, Mark Pope’s Kentucky Wildcats are also hot having won eight of their last nine. This game is for first place in the SEC, so Pope’s team will be hoping to pull off the upset. Florida’s elite frontcourt will prove to be too much for the Wildcats, but Kentucky will play well enough to prove that they are capable of beating the defending National Champions in Rupp Arena to finish the regular season.
Score prediction: Florida 78, Kentucky 69
Kentucky MVP: Malachi Moreno
Wyatt Huff
This one is obviously the toughest team Kentucky has faced and will have for the entire season when it’s all said and done. It’s hard for me to see Mark Pope and the Wildcats pulling off some magic this time around. Florida has been playing like a juggernaut lately and have shown no signs of slowing down. Not to mention, they are good on both sides of the ball. Kentucky has handled physicality well up to this point, but Florida is just on another level in that area. I say Florida wins this one easy, especially with it being on their home floor.
Score prediction: Florida 86, Kentucky 71
Kentucky MVP: Otega Oweh
The Kentucky Wildcats have already shocked the college basketball world with multiple comeback wins, including victories over Arkansas on the road and a regular-season sweep over Tennessee, but can they do it against the toughest competition they have faced yet? The Florida Gators have been playing the best basketball of anyone in the country over the last month. Kentucky has a tall task at hand, especially with the Florida bigs. Can they overcome the big challenge?
A diver who was reported missing near the Fort Pierce Inlet has been found dead, according to the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office.
The U.S. Coast Guard received a mayday call around 11:30 a.m. June 27 about the missing diver. The Coast Guard then notified the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, which deployed four boats to assist in the search, according to a social media post by the Sheriff’s Office. The St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office marine unit also responded.
Friends of the missing diver joined the search, departing from Fort Pierce Inlet around 1 p.m.
The search, which included aerial support from the Coast Guard and FWC, focused on an area about six to seven miles north-northeast of the Fort Pierce Inlet, near Avalon State Park.
Around 4:10 p.m., the group of civilian divers entered the water and located the missing diver at the bottom of the ocean in about 55 feet of water. The diver was recovered and pronounced dead.
The body was transported to Coast Guard Station Fort Pierce. The St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division is investigating the incident.
No additional information is available at this time.
This story was created by Colleen Wixon, colleen.wixon@tcpalm.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct.
Colleen Wixon is the Indian River County government watchdog reporter for TCPalm and Treasure Coast Newspapers.
The Florida Lottery offers several draw games for those hoping to win one of the available jackpots.
Here’s a look at the winning numbers for games played on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Winning Mega Millions numbers from June 26 drawing
05-13-30-33-52, Mega Ball: 06
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Jackpot Triple Play numbers from June 26 drawing
09-12-15-25-30-38
Check Jackpot Triple Play payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Fantasy 5 numbers from June 26 drawing
Midday: 05-11-19-27-31
Evening: 17-24-29-34-35
Check Fantasy 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from June 26 drawing
Morning: 11
Matinee: 08
Afternoon: 14
Evening: 03
Late Night: 01
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Powerball, Mega Millions jackpots: What to know in case you win
Here’s what to know in case you win the Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot.
Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
Winning Pick 2 numbers from June 26 drawing
Midday: 2-7, FB: 1
Evening: 3-5, FB: 8
Check Pick 2 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from June 26 drawing
Midday: 2-8-7, FB: 1
Evening: 7-0-4, FB: 8
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from June 26 drawing
Midday: 3-4-9-0, FB: 1
Evening: 4-2-7-4, FB: 8
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 5 numbers from June 26 drawing
Midday: 0-5-3-4-6, FB: 1
Evening: 7-0-0-4-5, FB: 8
Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Where can you buy Florida Lottery tickets?
Tickets can be purchased in person at any authorized retailer throughout Florida, including gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. To find a retailer near you, go to Find Florida Lottery Retailers.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize
- Prizes of $599 or less: Claim at any authorized Florida Lottery retailer or Florida Lottery district office.
- Prizes for $600 to $1 million: Must be claimed in person at any Florida Lottery district office for games that do not offer an annual payment option.
- Prizes greater than $1 million and all prizes with an annual payment option: Must be claimed at Florida Lottery headquarters, except Mega Millions and Powerball prizes, which can be claimed at any Florida Lottery district office.
You also can claim your winnings by mail if the prize is $250,000 or less. Mail your ticket to the Florida Lottery with the required documentation.
Florida law requires public disclosure of winners
If you’re a winner, Florida law mandates the following information is public record:
- Full name
- City of residence
- Game won
- Date won
- Amount won
- Name and location of the retailer where the winning ticket was purchased.
When are the Florida Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 11 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
- Florida Lotto: 11:15 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday.
- Jackpot Triple Play: 11:15 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
- Fantasy 5: Daily at 1:05 p.m. and 11:15 p.m.
- Cash Pop: Daily at 8:45 a.m., 11:45 a.m., 2:45 p.m., 6:45 p.m. and 11:45 p.m.
- Pick 2, 3, 4, 5: Daily at 1:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Florida digital producer. You can send feedback using this form.
The Agrculture Department says the error rate in the SNAP food program for low-income families is high and might trigger a nearly $1 billion penalty.
Florida is not performing well when it comes to managing food assistance money.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture released its fiscal year 2025 Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program payment error rates that measure how accurately states determine who qualifies for SNAP and how much they should receive.
Florida’s error rate for 2025 was 12.97%, which covers both overpayments and underpayments. The national payment error rate for fiscal year 2025 is 10.62%. The 12.97% is more than double the federal threshold of 6% percent that Congress says is acceptable.
The result is the state will have to pay a nearly $1 billion penalty and subsequently could impact the 3 million mostly lower-income Floridians, who rely on that program. Florida is now required to submit a corrective action plan to the USDA detailing a solution.
Florida’s rate is actually down from the 15.1% error rate the year before, it’s still above a 10% threshold that would require Florida and other states to contribute to the program’s future costs. That would come to about $984 million for Florida in the fiscal year that begins in 2028.
Change is part of President Trump’s ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’
This change is part of President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” that focused on finding waste, fraud and abuse in numerous federal programs.
“These payment error rates are further proof that state accountability is severely lacking in SNAP,” U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said in a statement.
Critics predict huge cost shift to state
The Florida Policy Institute, a nonprofit research and advocacy group, called the change a “massive cost shift” from the federal government to the state.
“Now, unless Florida lawmakers act to raise revenue to preserve SNAP and make up for the loss in federal funds, we will see a cut to SNAP program eligibility or benefits, or cuts in other areas of the state budget,” said Holly Bullard, FPI’s chief strategy and development officer.
The Legislature did approve about $4 million in the new state budget for improved methods of finding errors so the rate will go down further.
The federal bill pushed by Trump also cuts SNAP nationally by about $187 billion over 10 years. In Florida, in the first five months since the bill took effect, participation in SNAP (formerly known as food stamps) has dropped by about 10% statewide — more than 277,000 people.
Curt Anderson is the Policy and Politics Reporter for The USA TODAY NETWORK-FLORIDA. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY at https://tallahassee.com/newsletters.
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