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In a rematch of one of the most exciting games of the 2021 bowl season, Kentucky football will travel to Nashville to take on Iowa in the Transperfect Music City Bowl on New Year’s Eve. The Wildcats and Hokies will square off at noon ET (11 p.m. Central time in Nashville) at Nissan Stadium in a game that will be televised nationally by ABC.
“On behalf of our team and all of us at the University of Kentucky, we are excited to accept an invitation to the TransPerfect Music City Bowl,” said coach Mark Stoops, who will face his alma mater for the second straight season. “Big Blue Nation always colors Nashville blue and the hospitality is second to none. We are looking forward to a great weekend and our team can’t wait to play one more time this year!”
Music City Bowl celebrates its 25th yearm year of existence, it is fitting that the team that has made the most appearances in postseason play, Kentucky, will be making its sixth trip to the event. All five of UK’s previous games have been decided by eight points or less, with the Wildcats posting a 2-3 record in those hotly contested affairs.
“We are honored to receive an invitation to the TransPerfect Music City Bowl,” said Mitch Barnhart, UK Director of Athletics. “It will be an exciting day for Wildcat fans as our football team plays in Nashville while our men’s basketball team takes on Louisville at Rupp Arena. We know it presents a challenge for our fans and staff, but just as we did in similar circumstances in 2017, I am confident that Big Blue Nation will come out stronger in both venues.
“We are also honored to represent the Southeastern Conference in 25m The year of the Music City Bowl and I want to recognize Bowl President Scott Ramsey and the Nashville Sports Council for their years of service to college football. We hope the Wildcats have a big New Year’s Eve!”
All Kentucky football season ticket holders and eligible K Fund donors who made a Music City Bowl request during the priority request period (Nov. 16 – Dec. 1) will receive tickets, and confirmation emails will be sent Sunday evening (Dec. 4). Tickets ordered during the priority request period will be allocated to the best seat locations in Kentucky’s official allotment and assigned later this week in order of K Fund priority point ranking.
After all priority requests and tickets are held to meet internal requirements, tickets are sold in Kentucky’s official allotment. Public tickets are available now directly through MusicCityBowl.com and Ticketmaster.com. Kentucky will be on the east side of Nissan Stadium. Student ticket information for the Music City Bowl will be available online at UKFootballTix.com on Sunday evening.
Kentucky enters the game with a 7-5 record, the sixth time in the last seven years that the Wildcats have won at least seven games, with only the Covid-shortened 2020 season interrupting the trend. The Wildcats enter the game coming off their fourth straight Governors Cup victory, a 26-13 victory over in-state rival Louisville. It is the fifth consecutive year that the Wildcats have finished the regular season with a win, the first time in school history that has been accomplished.
Offensively, the Wildcats have been led by quarterback Will Lewis, who is completing 65.4 percent of his passes for 2,406 yards and 19 touchdowns. Lewis spread the wealth in the passing game, with top receivers Berrien Brown, who set UK records for most catches (45) and yards (604) and had four receiving touchdowns; senior graduate transfer Tevian Robinson, who caught 35 balls for 470 yards and three TDs; And Dan Key, 31 for 472 yards and a UK freshman record six TD catches. Senior running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. leads the ground attack, rushing for 904 yards and six touchdowns, averaging 113 yards per game in the eight games he has played.
Kentucky is ranked 12thm 19.1 points per game and 18. in the nation in scoring defensem in total defense, giving up 320.2 yards per contest. It’s been a team effort, with 14 Wildcats accumulating at least 30 tackles on the season. Linebacker De’Eric Jackson leads with 63 tackles, followed by safety Jordan Lovett with 59, linebacker Jordan Wright with 58 and linebacker DeAndre Squire with 58, despite missing three games due to injury. Other defensive category leaders are Wright in tackles for loss (8.5); Linebacker JJ Weaver (3) and fumble recovery (3) in quarterback sacks; pass breakups by cornerback Carrington Valentine (10); and two interceptions each by Lovett, linebacker Trevin Wallace and cornerback Kidron Smith.
Iowa also enters the game with a 7-5 record and features a defense that is even more boring than Kentucky’s. Iowa ranks fourth in the nation in total defense, allowing just 277.9 yards per game, and sixth in the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 14.4 points per contest. Senior linebacker Jake Campbell, the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, has 118 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and two interceptions. Eight more teammates earned All-Big Ten honors along with Campbell, including defensive linemen Lucas Van Ness, Joe Evans, Logan Lee and Noah Shannon; linebacker Seth Benson; and defensive backs Riley Moss, Cooper Dejean and Kevon Merriweather.
Iowa’s offense is led by quarterback Spencer Petras, who threw for 1,725 yards and five touchdowns. Petras’ top target is senior tight end Sam LaPorta, who has 53 catches for 601 yards and a touchdown. Caleb Johnson is the leading rusher with 762 yards. 5.4 yards per carry and six touchdowns.
The TransPerfect Music City Bowl extends Kentucky’s school-record streak of seven consecutive bowl appearances, coming under all stops. It is one of the multiple milestones he has achieved this year. He became the longest-tenured coach in school history at 10 seasons and had a 61-win season at Florida.St With the Wildcats, Paul “Bear” Bryant broke the school record of 60 wins. Stoops and the Cats also broke the school record for most consecutive wins against non-conference opponents, a streak that now reaches 20 games — the longest active streak in the nation — and will be on the line in a bowl game.
Four straight bowl wins, including a 27-24 win over Penn State in the 2019 VRBO Citrus Bowl, part of a 20-game non-conference winning streak; Virginia Tech, 37-30, in the 2019 Belk Bowl; NC State, 23-21, in the 2020 TaxSlayer Gator Bowl; And on January 1, 2022, Vrbo trailed Iowa 20-17 in the Citrus Bowl. The Wildcats have a 12-9 all-time record in bowl games.
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