VS.

Clemson and Kentucky had their bowl sights set higher than a trip to Nashville. Close late-season losses, however, relegated them to a Music City Bowl matchup for the second time in four years. Kentucky Wildcats finished their season with an overall record of 7-5 and 4th place at the SEC East Division while Clemson Tigers finished theirs with an overall record of 8-5 and 1st of the ACC Atlantic Division.

8:30 PM ET, December 27, 2009
LP Field , NASHVILLE, TN
ESPN

Kentucky Wildcats settled for the Music City Bowl after a 30-24 overtime loss to Tennessee on Nov. 28. The Wildcats failed to win eight regular-season games for the first time since 1984, and were left with their third trip to Nashville in the past four years. While Nashville may not have been Kentucky’s first choice of destinations, there was plenty for the Wildcats to be proud of this season. They became bowl eligible in four straight seasons for the first time in school history, and earned their first win at Auburn since 1961 and first at Georgia since 1977. Kentucky’s defense will be without its best player. LB Sam Maxwell, who had 80 tackles and tied for second in the SEC with six interceptions, is out following shoulder surgery. Injuries have been an issue all season for the Wildcats, most notably the one to starting QB Mike Hartline, sidelined since injuring his left knee against South Carolina on Oct. 10. Although freshman QB Morgan Newton led Kentucky to five wins in seven games as a starter, the team would surely like to get Hartline back for at least spot duty and a return has not been ruled out. In an effort to minimize mistakes by the inexperienced Newton, Kentucky relied on its running game. TB Derrick Locke and all-purpose performer WR Randall Cobb have combined for 1,381 yards rushing and 16 touchdowns, with Cobb averaging 6.4 yards per carry. The key for Kentucky will be to run the ball as many times as possible with Locke and Cobb and the most important part the defensive line has to stop Spiller trying to do the same thing. Other players at offense will be RB Alfonso Smith and WR Chris Matthews and they will help their team to win this one.

Clemson Tigers led by ACC player of the year RB C.J. Spiller will try to avoid a fourth straight bowl loss and prevent the Wildcats from winning a fourth consecutive postseason game. Clemson reached the ACC championship game against then-No. 10 Georgia Tech on Dec. 5, with the school’s first league title since 1991 and a spot in the Orange Bowl at stake. Despite 233 yards rushing and four touchdowns from Spiller, the Tigers lost 39-34 on Jonathan Dwyer’s 15-yard TD run with 1:20 remaining. Clemson biggest challenge will be to hand the ball to Spiller and make him the center of their offensive strike as well as to keep Cobb from Kentucky in check. Not only has he been able to get open as a receiver, but Cobb has been dangerous when lined up in the backfield taking direct snaps in Kentucky’s form of the Wildcat offense. This formation will test the Tigers’ front seven because Cobb will be teamed up with fleet-footed, undersized RB Derrick Locke. Cobb will have the choice of handing Locke the ball around edge or keeping it himself in between the tackles. This means MLB Brandon Maye and the rest of Clemson’s linebacker corps must be sure to get a good read on who has the ball because both Cobb and Locke have the ability to make them pay if caught out of position. In addition, the secondary will have to show discipline because Cobb is a former quarterback and has the capabilities to throw the ball at any point. So mainly Clemson will run the ball and will try to control the running game Kentucky brings, sounds simple but it will be a very hard task to complete. Other players helping the cause will be QB Kyle Parker, RB Andre Ellington, WR Jacoby Ford and TE Michael Palmer.

GAME ODDS

KENTUCKY 52
CLEMSON -7

THE GAME WILL BE PLAYED BY GROWN. THE QBS WILL HAVE THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY TO HANDLE THE BALL JUST ENOUGH TIME TO RELEASE IT TO THEIR RUNNER, BASICALLY THEY WON’T THROW AS MUCH AND THIS COULD MEAN A VERY DEFENSIVE ORIENTED GAME. MY PICK WILL BE KENTUCKY WILDCATS +7.

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