13 Days Till Football Season: The Times UK Football was Unlucky

In western culture, the number 13 is not considered lucky.  Some laugh it off, others are terrified, developing the phobia triskaidekaphobia.  I'm no etymologist, but I'm pretty sure that world translates to "Kentucky football fan." We have been beaten down over and over, coming oh so close to victory, only to have the rug pulled out beneath our feet.  Before we hit the homestretch of the preseason and it's "all optimism everything," here are a few brutal reminders of the awfulness we've been forced to endure throughout the years.

The Bluegrass Miracle

This doesn't even bother me anymore.  I've become numb to the "most Kentucky football" play ever. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNiChtd8bBQ People forget that Nick Saban was the Tigers' coach at the time.

The Peach Bowl

The game-clinching interception was fumbled a second later.  That's not an exaggeration; instead of sliding, the ball was out of his hands within seconds.  The agony of defeat -- a familiar feeling for Kentucky football. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_M65XwymfNc

Florida's Stupid Play Clock

Boom Williams' fascinating touchdown to begin overtime should have won the game.  Instead, cheaters gon' cheat. There's an entire subcategory for flubs against Florida.  The most painful might have been when our friend Jared Lorenzen was taking snaps, but I'm not going to pour salt on that wound.  The L that defined the losing streak was actually much earlier, back in 1993.  Danny Woeful (as my Dad would call him) found Chris Doering with 17 seconds left to continue the Gators win streak over the Cats. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoLPAAFB0o8  

Rocky Topped in Three Overtimes

There are not as many close calls against Tennessee because frankly, they kicked our ass for years and years and years.  It was never close.  I grew up just waiting for us to take the final loss of the season in the cold.  There's one exception: 2007. After stopping the Vols in the second overtime, Kentucky had a chance to take home a victory with only a field goal.  Alternating seats in the handicap zone with two other friends, it was my turn to leave for this overtime.  I insisted on staying, but the blue coat told me I had to leave.  Then this happened. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcdVAElc59U Sitting just below this stupid orange-puke wearing Vol, I screamed, "It's your fault, IT'S YOUR FAULT!" to the blue coat who made me move from my lucky seat.  Losing in the freezing cold never hurt so much, even though Mark Higgs and Randall Cobb would beg to differ.

Tony Freaking Stallings

Most early moments in the series against Louisville favored the good guys, but the first time the game got close, Louisville prevailed.  After dealing with an hour and a half rain delay, the game went down to the wire, into overtime.  After an interception, Louisville only needed one play. https://youtu.be/8nmmG4hR4QQ?t=3h6m39s Enough with all of that negativity.  I know there are many more times we couldn't keep it together at the end of a game, but I need to end with a TOUCHDOOOOOOWN KENTUCKY! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6A5nPbpJQGI But if you'd like to share your most painful memory, the comment section is waiting.