Once again, it appeared that Kentucky was going to end the streak. We've felt this way so many times before, but this time, the stakes were bigger than ever before. At halftime, they appeared to be on their way to making history with an almost perfectly executed first half of football on both sides of the ball. They were playing for 2nd place in the SEC East and a New Years Day Bowl Game, and to end the 24 year losing streak to the Volunteers. After the 1st half, everything was going according to plan and Commonwealth was about as loud as it had ever been.
Tennessee would not give up without a fight though. They rallied and took a three point lead and appeared to have the game won late in the 4th quarter. Then, something happened: a UT fumble in their own territory. Something that UK fans had been accustomed to happening to them in this series so many times before with the game on the line. This time, however, it was Tennessee fumbling the ball and giving UK the chance to win it. It was the complete opposite thing that Cats' fans have been accustomed to in this game, but it turned out to be just another tease.
Kentucky had the chance to win it, but after Morgan Newton fell shot three yards of a first down conversion on third down, UK settled for a field goal to tie it and bring the game into overtime. The decision to run a option keeper with Newton, instead of Randall Cobb, was definitely a puzzling one. If I was in Rich Brooks' shoes, however, I would not have passed the ball and risk a turnover. I would, on the other hand, have elected to put the ball into the hands of Randall Cobb on that third down play. His speed would most likely have picked up the first down, or at least make it close enough to be able to go for it on 4th down. If it would have been 4th and 1, instead of 4th and 3, Brooks said after the game that he would have gone for it and try to go for the win, instead of overtime. Overall, however, I thought the play calling in this game and in the entire second half of the season with a true freshman quarterback has been good for Joker Phillips. As this young offense matures, the more things they will be capable of doing and the more exciting they will be. They have already shown improvement in each and every game.
In overtime, the Cats lost the coin toss and had the ball first. The very first play looked to be a perfectly executed out-route 7 yards deep to the sideline, but the ball was dropped. It would have been a first down. Next play was a sack that pushed UK almost out of field goal territory. Newton had running room on 3rd down and could have put the Cats in better position to make a field goal, but instead threw an incomplete pass. Lones Seiber then missed a 49 yard field goal. It would mark the 2nd time in 3 years that a missed overtime field goal cost UK the game against the Vols, and also the 4th loss by less than 7 points in the last 5 years to the team that somehow, someway, ends up beating the Cats in ridiculous fashions for 25 years in a row.
Tennessee would not give up without a fight though. They rallied and took a three point lead and appeared to have the game won late in the 4th quarter. Then, something happened: a UT fumble in their own territory. Something that UK fans had been accustomed to happening to them in this series so many times before with the game on the line. This time, however, it was Tennessee fumbling the ball and giving UK the chance to win it. It was the complete opposite thing that Cats' fans have been accustomed to in this game, but it turned out to be just another tease.
Kentucky had the chance to win it, but after Morgan Newton fell shot three yards of a first down conversion on third down, UK settled for a field goal to tie it and bring the game into overtime. The decision to run a option keeper with Newton, instead of Randall Cobb, was definitely a puzzling one. If I was in Rich Brooks' shoes, however, I would not have passed the ball and risk a turnover. I would, on the other hand, have elected to put the ball into the hands of Randall Cobb on that third down play. His speed would most likely have picked up the first down, or at least make it close enough to be able to go for it on 4th down. If it would have been 4th and 1, instead of 4th and 3, Brooks said after the game that he would have gone for it and try to go for the win, instead of overtime. Overall, however, I thought the play calling in this game and in the entire second half of the season with a true freshman quarterback has been good for Joker Phillips. As this young offense matures, the more things they will be capable of doing and the more exciting they will be. They have already shown improvement in each and every game.
In overtime, the Cats lost the coin toss and had the ball first. The very first play looked to be a perfectly executed out-route 7 yards deep to the sideline, but the ball was dropped. It would have been a first down. Next play was a sack that pushed UK almost out of field goal territory. Newton had running room on 3rd down and could have put the Cats in better position to make a field goal, but instead threw an incomplete pass. Lones Seiber then missed a 49 yard field goal. It would mark the 2nd time in 3 years that a missed overtime field goal cost UK the game against the Vols, and also the 4th loss by less than 7 points in the last 5 years to the team that somehow, someway, ends up beating the Cats in ridiculous fashions for 25 years in a row.
(Photo courtesy of The CatsPause)
Not only did UK lose, but they didn't get any help from Georgia Tech or Clemson either. If the two best teams in the ACC would have been able to beat Georgia and South Carolina like they were supposed to, the Chick-fil-et Bowl would still have been a likely destination for the Cats on New Years Eve in Atlanta. But now, with six 7-5 teams in the SEC, who knows? UK could go anywhere from the Independence Bowl to Atlanta, but now it seems like another Music City Bowl against Florida State or Boston College is the most likely destination.
To sum up everything that happened on Saturday, here are a few truths that should make us feel a little bit better, some honest opinions and facts that I think should ease the pain of possibly the most heartbreaking loss in the history of Kentucky football:
- Kentucky could be in the Orange Bowl if they played in the ACC or Big East. Look at what two middle of the pack SEC teams did to the two teams that will be playing for an Orange Bowl bid next week in the ACC Championship.
- Kentucky was 4-1 on the road this season, winning very big SEC road games for the first time in a long, long time...against Auburn and Georgia
- There's still a chance the Cats are picked to play in Atlanta against the loser of the ACC Championship game. If not, we should still get another chance at a big time program like FSU or BC in Nashville.
- Unlike many of the other heartbreaking losses to Tennessee, including the 2007 game, this year the Cats return all their star players on the offensive side of the ball. All five touchdowns in last week's win over Georgia were scored by players that will be returning next year. Locke returns for his senior year, Cobb returns for two more years and aspires to be the Chris Lofton of football before he graduates, and Morgan Newton still has three more years to beat Tennessee. I wonder if Lane will still be around in Morgan's senior year?
- The Cats were just an overtime away from finishing 2nd in the SEC East. With our returning players, and Tim Tebow leaving Florida...the SEC East will be wide open next year. It's not ridiculous to think that the Cats could be a preseason #2 pick in the SEC East (Florida will still be a favorite, but not a heavy favorite) and could contend for the division title and SEC Championship appearance with a little more luck and less injuries next year.
- One last thing: after last night's game, I've made a personal commitment to attend every UK-Tennessee game for the rest of my life, in Knoxville and in Lexington, until the streak ends.
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