The decision to play Iowa in the Music City bowl

[Eddie Gran can coach]

Why didnt UK take the Liberty Bowl, they have a better record than Arkansas.

Granted it's an opt-out galore game, but Iowa is freaking boring as UK.

A snozefest.

 

[HalHR2500]

Kansas in Memphis on Dec 28 would be a decent matchup instead of the Puke Bowl vs Iowa

 

[KYWC36]

Fans won’t admit this but Iowa might be the only team we have a shot to beat considering Levis and Crod probably opt out and I expect more

 

[3236]

Fans won’t admit this but Iowa might be the only team we have a shot to beat considering Levis and Crod probably opt out and I expect more

Some truth to this. That being said, other than having to play the same team two years in a row, Music City Bowl is much better than Liberty. The stadium wins, the city wins, the typical Big 10 opponent all win over Liberty. Just sucks playing Iowa again. Nothing against Iowa.

It is also more beneficial from a recruiting standpoint.

 

[SRQTiger]

How did Mississippi State get Tampa and we beat Mississippi state. Seems like kentucky would have gone to Tampa in a heartbeat. They haven’t been to Tampa in several years. Ancc do that is much bigger and better bowl than MCB

 

[WildcatofNati]

Fans won’t admit this but Iowa might be the only team we have a shot to beat considering Levis and Crod probably opt out and I expect more

I wouldn't necessarily expect any more draft opt outs. Who else is likely to be drafted?

 

[WildcatofNati]

How did Mississippi State get Tampa and we beat Mississippi state. Seems like kentucky would have gone to Tampa in a heartbeat. They haven’t been to Tampa in several years. Ancc do that is much bigger and better bowl than MCB

Mississippi St. won 8 games.

 

[Tskware]

How did Mississippi State get Tampa and we beat Mississippi state. Seems like kentucky would have gone to Tampa in a heartbeat. They haven’t been to Tampa in several years. Ancc do that is much bigger and better bowl than MCB

I went back and checked, and the Tampa bowl, fka Outback, has almost never taken a 7-5 team, in fact, maybe never has taken one, we just didn't win enough games.

To have any chance at all at that game, we needed LSU to beat A&M and Ole Miss to beat Miss State, then LSU would maybe have been in a NY6 game and Ole Miss would have taken the Citrus and maybe Tampa would have picked us as the best 7-5 available. But it didn't happen . . . . if we had held on vs. Vanderbilt, I think Miss State and UK would have traded places bowl wise.

 

[Kats meow]

How did Mississippi State get Tampa and we beat Mississippi state. Seems like kentucky would have gone to Tampa in a heartbeat. They haven’t been to Tampa in several years. Ancc do that is much bigger and better bowl than MCB

Vandy.

 

[sluggercatfan]

Why didnt UK take the Liberty Bowl, they have a better record than Arkansas.

Granted it's an opt-out galore game, but Iowa is freaking boring as UK.

A snozefest.

Heard today that Liberty wanted Arkansas.

 

[KYWC36]

I wouldn't necessarily expect any more draft opt outs. Who else is likely to be drafted?

Any of the kids with pro potential… nothing they do in this bowl game will move their needle forward. They’ve all put themselves on tape so The off season draft prep workouts and senior bowls will matter much more- why risk an injury for a bowl game in a disappointing year? They can focus on their future specifically instead of a game plan against iowa. Not saying I agree but it’s the spreading mentality we have been able to avoid so far

 

[hotelblue]

nashville is better than shreveport and a lot closer. so there’s that.

 

[HalHR2500]

I’m guessing UK has at least 5 opt outs

 

[BigBlueFanGA]

I’m guessing UK has at least 5 opt outs

That would be highly unusual based on history.

 

[SaltyCat22]

Kansas would destroy us even with their backup QB.

 

[Snarks]

This game will be painful to watch offensively

 

[CaptainBoogerBuns]

I went back and checked, and the Tampa bowl, fka Outback, has almost never taken a 7-5 team, in fact, maybe never has taken one, we just didn't win enough games.

To have any chance at all at that game, we needed LSU to beat A&M and Ole Miss to beat Miss State, then LSU would maybe have been in a NY6 game and Ole Miss would have taken the Citrus and maybe Tampa would have picked us as the best 7-5 available. But it didn't happen . . . . if we had held on vs. Vanderbilt, I think Miss State and UK would have traded places bowl wise.

We had 7 wins in 1998 when we were invited, right?

 

[Tskware]

We had 7 wins in 1998 when we were invited, right?

7-4, not five losses, only played 11 games then

 

[notFromhere]

How did Mississippi State get Tampa and we beat Mississippi state. Seems like kentucky would have gone to Tampa in a heartbeat. They haven’t been to Tampa in several years. Ancc do that is much bigger and better bowl than MCB

Record.

 

[notFromhere]

I went back and checked, and the Tampa bowl, fka Outback, has almost never taken a 7-5 team, in fact, maybe never has taken one, we just didn't win enough games.

To have any chance at all at that game, we needed LSU to beat A&M and Ole Miss to beat Miss State, then LSU would maybe have been in a NY6 game and Ole Miss would have taken the Citrus and maybe Tampa would have picked us as the best 7-5 available. But it didn't happen . . . . if we had held on vs. Vanderbilt, I think Miss State and UK would have traded places bowl wise.

We were 7-4 in 98 when they took us to play 8-3 Penn Station

 

[notFromhere]

I went back and checked, and the Tampa bowl, fka Outback, has almost never taken a 7-5 team, in fact, maybe never has taken one, we just didn't win enough games.

To have any chance at all at that game, we needed LSU to beat A&M and Ole Miss to beat Miss State, then LSU would maybe have been in a NY6 game and Ole Miss would have taken the Citrus and maybe Tampa would have picked us as the best 7-5 available. But it didn't happen . . . . if we had held on vs. Vanderbilt, I think Miss State and UK would have traded places bowl wise.

What we needed was an offense. Last year's offense, even if we had the same record because of special teams, likely would have put us in Tampa.

 

[VaxxedObamaCat]

This team only had two games they should have lost- UGA, Tennessee. The rest were really inexcusable. Ole Miss was a complete choke by Levis. Then we didn't come to play at all against South Carolina or Vandy.

Where does two losses put us in the bowl picture? Where would three losses have put us?

 

[Tskware]

We were 7-4 in 98 when they took us to play 8-3 Penn Station

As I said above, I don't think Outback has ever invited a five loss team, e.g., 7-5, we only played 11 games back then, and were 4-4 in the SEC, unlike this season

 

[UKWildcats1987]

This team only had two games they should have lost- UGA, Tennessee. The rest were really inexcusable. Ole Miss was a complete choke by Levis. Then we didn't come to play at all against South Carolina or Vandy.

Where does two losses put us in the bowl picture? Where would three losses have put us?

2 losses we are in the orange bowl.

 

[UKUGA]

7-4, not five losses, only played 11 games then

The year we went to Tampa, Georgia was 8-3 and had beaten us in the regular season (in Lexington, at that).

I know the guy who said he called Vince Dooley to invite Georgia to the Peach Bowl. It was not an entirely pleasant conversation.

 

[VaxxedObamaCat]

2 losses we are in the orange bowl.

Where is Tennessee then?

 

[Kommonwealth]

How did Mississippi State get Tampa and we beat Mississippi state. Seems like kentucky would have gone to Tampa in a heartbeat. They haven’t been to Tampa in several years. Ancc do that is much bigger and better bowl than MCB

They finished higher in the conference than we did.

 

[zannmann]

What a disappointing season. Went from top 10 ranking to playing in a crappy bowl against a crappy team.

 

[Burly]

Music City is not a crappy bowl
It’s New Year’s Eve on the biggest bowl day of the season
We didn’t got to Vegas cause it’s the last recruiting weekend
We didn’t go to Liberty because it’s the 2nd worst bowl in conference pecking order and it’s being overrun with crime. No one with a brain goes to Memphis where that Stadium is located
We can’t pick our opponent- Louisville sucks so bad in basketball it wasn’t even worth worrying about

 

[Catswin9]

Why didnt UK take the Liberty Bowl, they have a better record than Arkansas.

Granted it's an opt-out galore game, but Iowa is freaking boring as UK.

A snozefest.

I was disappointed to see Iowa again, but since it's a Dec 31st game on ABC, this will give the program national exposure.

 

[Tskware]

Music City is not a crappy bowl
It’s New Year’s Eve on the biggest bowl day of the season
We didn’t got to Vegas cause it’s the last recruiting weekend
We didn’t go to Liberty because it’s the 2nd worst bowl in conference pecking order and it’s being overrun with crime. No one with a brain goes to Memphis where that Stadium is located
We can’t pick our opponent- Louisville sucks so bad in basketball it wasn’t even worth worrying about

Pretty much my take as well, would have preferred Texas Bowl, but Ole Miss had a better record than us, so MCB was a no brainer, I just hate the rematch is all, would have been fine with Illinois-Minnesota-Maryland matchup.

 

[HalHR2500]

The rematch with Iowa is just disgusting from a viewing standpoint

The Alabama - Kansas State game will get all the eyeballs in that 12 noon 4 pm time slot

It’s the ashamed Bowl in Nashville - get your swag, play a 13-10 boring game in 2 hours

Not a game you want recruits to see frankly

 

[Ugoff]

Music City is not a crappy bowl
It’s New Year’s Eve on the biggest bowl day of the season
We didn’t got to Vegas cause it’s the last recruiting weekend
We didn’t go to Liberty because it’s the 2nd worst bowl in conference pecking order and it’s being overrun with crime. No one with a brain goes to Memphis where that Stadium is located
We can’t pick our opponent- Louisville sucks so bad in basketball it wasn’t even worth worrying about

This....can't believe anyone is pining for Mempiss.

 

[Jimmycowboy]

If you have not been to the Music City Bowl as a fan you should check it out! I've been twice and it is a awesome time!

 

[Kybluedude]

If you have not been to the Music City Bowl as a fan you should check it out! I've been twice and it is a awesome time!

Agree. Always have enjoyed the MCB in Nashville. Lots of worse spots to be in for NYE. Easy drive. Great stadium. Walking distance from a terrific downtown.

Iowa fans are good people. Very similar to Kentucky fans in their devotion to their state school.