Kentucky’s Bowl Projections Entering Conference Championship Week
Your University of Kentucky Wildcats are bowling for the fourth consecutive season.
The demolition of the Louisville Cardinals in the season finale has made UK’s bowl picture even clearer. Before diving into the scenarios that could unfold in conference championship week, a look at where the experts project the Cats will play at the end of the month.
— ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura: Music City Bowl vs. Virginia Tech
— ESPN’s Mark Schlabach: Gator Bowl vs. Iowa
— Stadium’s Brett McMurphy: Gator Bowl vs. Wisconsin
— College Football News: Gator Bowl vs. Indiana
— Banner Society’s Jason Kirk: Music City vs. Indiana
Without going any further, it’s pretty safe to say Kentucky is either playing in Nashville or Jacksonville.
Tomorrow night we’ll receive even more clarity when the College Football Playoff rankings are released. If Florida is a top ten team at season’s end and Alabama is ranked ahead of Minnesota, four SEC teams will play in the New Year’s Six. Kentucky is competing against Tennessee and Texas A&M as the only seven-win SEC schools in the group of six bowls. A&M is scratched off the list for the Gator after playing the game last season, opening the door for UK to return to Jacksonville. A chalky championship week and you could be well on your way to setting up a tee-time at TPC-Sawgrass.
Of the potential opponents, Indiana would be fun for trash-talking purposes, however, an Iowa-Kentucky duel could turn into a spectacular slugfest between Mark Stoops’ team and his alma mater. Either way, right now you’re either playing close to home in Nashville or making a New Year’s trip to Florida. Not bad for a team playing a receiver at quarterback.
9 Comments for Kentucky’s Bowl Projections Entering Conference Championship Week
Hoping Gator Bowl. It seems more of a vacation for the players.
Agree. I know anything but the playoff is just an exhibition game, but Music City feels like more of a consolation prize than anything.
I’m burned out of Music City Bowl appearances. Of all the bowls in my lifetime, 4/8 have been MC. Gator Bowl has more history and is prime time, and quite frankly, is more fun as a fan b/c of the prestige .
Do you all think we will travel as well to Jacksonville compared to Nashville? I like Jacksonville as well but afraid we won’t have near the fan presence.
I am hearing UK vs Pittsburgh in the Music City Bowl which takes place on 12/30/19 is televised on ESPN 2 at 4:00 PM EST, 3:00PM CST.
I am really hoping that this is false I would rather we get Indiana in the Gator Bowl it would be a fun end of the season. Plus IU isn’t that much better at stopping the run than Louisville is. Go Cats All Day Every Day!!!
Agreed – rather do Gator, and would prolly go. But it pays about $2m less. The Gator Bowl is on the verge of going under, the Jags bailed them out this year but they need a new sponsor and better deal from the City. It’ll be the 75th game I think, so if it’s a good matchup could save them.
UK could really bail out The Gator Bowl then because of how well our fans travel even if it is on New Years. However I think Mitch is going to shoot for the Music City Bowl because of how much more money he can make the program than the Gator Bowl. Plus I can’t see Tennessee in the Music City Bowl because of how much of a homefield advantage it would have I am thinking Texas A&M gets the Gator Bowl with Tennessee getting the Belk Bowl, and us getting the Music City Bowl which is what I have been hearing is our destination for the past day now. We will see Tuesday night should give us a little bit more clarity where we are likely headed. For now we wait and focus on the Basketball team’s next game which I think is against Utah.
I stand corrected the next basketball game is against Fairleigh Dickinson. My bad guys!