GAYLORD HOTELS MUSIC CITY BOWL – Dec. 31st, 4:00 EST
Kentucky vs. Florida State –
One of the more intriguing bowl matchups went down the toilet when thirty-some Seminole players decided to take a little extra help on exams. Most Vegas books took this game off the live-wagering section a long time ago, with Kentucky as a 3 point favorite or so. Who knows what the line would be now, but it’s almost impossible to imagine that Florida State’s second teamers can hang with the Wildcats, a team that beat LSU and would probably win against FSU’s best.
So, we don’t really know what to expect in this one. We know Kentucky, so let’s talk about the ‘Cats. Andre Woodson is getting lots of buzz as a top ten draft pick in this year’s draft, and he gamely led the ‘Cats offense to the 14th best scoring output in the nation. Woodson trailed only Heisman-winner Tim Tebow in the SEC in total offense and pass efficiency, and can certainly light up a scoreboard with the best of them. Woodson wasn’t the whole story in Lexington, though; Rafael Little was 3rd in the SEC in rushing yards and 14th in receiving yards. Woodson was as good as anyone in the world this season at spreading the ball around to multiple targets. Five, count ‘em five Wildcat receivers were in the top 13 in the SEC in catches. The list includes Keenan Burton, Steve Johnson, Jacob Tamme, Dicky Lyons and Little – all with 4+ catches per game, all great targets to stretch and confuse a defense.
On defense, Jeremy Jarmon is on track to be the next great SEC pass rusher. Jarmon posted 8 sacks this year, and 58 total tackles; if he keeps improving, he’ll be a great one. Wesley Woodyard, a senior LB, led the SEC in tackles with 10.25 a game, and is your classic chase ‘em all over the field type.
This is a short preview, because I’ve got no idea what to expect from the ‘Noles, or if more suspensions will come down in the next few days. This has been an odd season, but if FSU wins a split squad contest against Kentucky just down the road from UK, that’ll take the cake. Kentucky 38, Florida State 14.
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