Cats and Tigers face off in Music City bowl for second time

Official logo for the NCAA Music City Bowl in Nashville, Tenn. MCT 2008<p> 15000000, krtcampus campus, krtnational national, krtsports sports, SPO, krtedonly, mctgraphic, 15003000, FBC, krtfootball football, krtncaafootball ncaa college, krtussports, u.s. us united states, krtdiversity diversity, youth, bowl game, krtncaabowl, krtnamer north america, USA, tn tenn. tennessee, krtsouth, sec, acc, bowl, conference, currentbowllogo, currentncaalogo, game, nashville, music city, gaylord hotels, krt mct, krtlogo logo, 2008, krt2008,

Official logo for the NCAA Music City Bowl in Nashville, Tenn. MCT 2008<p> 15000000, krtcampus campus, krtnational national, krtsports sports, SPO, krtedonly, mctgraphic, 15003000, FBC, krtfootball football, krtncaafootball ncaa college, krtussports, u.s. us united states, krtdiversity diversity, youth, bowl game, krtncaabowl, krtnamer north america, USA, tn tenn. tennessee, krtsouth, sec, acc, bowl, conference, currentbowllogo, currentncaalogo, game, nashville, music city, gaylord hotels, krt mct, krtlogo logo, 2008, krt2008,

December 7, 2009

For the second time in four years, UK (7-5, 3-5 Southeastern Conference) will face the Clemson Tigers (8-5, 6-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) in the Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl, as announced Sunday night. It is UK’s third Music City Bowl appearance in the last four years and fifth appearance overall in the game, the most of any school.

“It definitely could have been a lot worse,” said UK head coach Rich Brooks about his team’s bowl destination. “Just ask a few of the other teams that are going other places, they’re upset they aren’t going where we are. We’re upset that we aren’t going where somebody else is going.”

UK defeated Clemson 28-20 in the 2006 Music City Bowl.

Playing in the 2006 and 2007 Music City Bowls, against Clemson and Florida State, respectively, gives UK a unique advantage most teams don’t experience when they arrive in a strange city to prepare for a bowl game. Brooks said the team is already familiar with the practice facilities, hotel and meeting areas.

The Cats will hold their first team meeting in Nashville on Dec. 22 and remain in the city in preparation for the Dec. 27 game, which will kickoff at 7:30 p.m. CDT. The team will remain in Nashville on Christmas Day as it prepares for the Tigers.

“I don’t know if they’ve got a Santa costume that fits me or not, but I know my players don’t think I’m Santa anyway,” Brooks said.

Clemson, which lost to Georgia Tech on Saturday night in the ACC Championship game, features one of the nation’s top tailbacks in senior C.J. Spiller. Spiller has rushed for more than 1,100 yards this season and piled up more than 2,500 all purpose yards while helping out on kickoff and punt returns. Spiller had five carries for 24 yards in the 2006 Music City Bowl.

“He’s extremely fast. We saw him a little bit his freshman year,” senior defensive tackle Corey Peters said. “It’s going to be a challenge. Hopefully, practicing against (junior tailback ) Derrick (Locke) all week will get us prepared for it, but it’s definitely going to be a challenge. He’s one of the premiere backs in the country.”