Missed Opportunity

Kentucky had a chance to bring their program up to the next level on Saturday in the Swamp. They failed; but clearly, all is not lost in the 2010 season. The Cats are still 3-1 and have a very favorable remaining schedule which appears to give them an opportunity to still be a major factor in the SEC East. It was a very big weekend all around the SEC. A couple of outcomes should give Kentucky fans reasons to still be optimistic.

Division contender South Carolina lost to Auburn, Georgia fell to 0-3 in the league, and it took double overtime for Tennessee to defeat UAB. Ole Miss, however, looked impressive in a relatively easy win over Fresno State. A win next week at Ole Miss is crucial to get things going in the right direction again for the Cats. It's a game that Kentucky may be favored to win, but Ole Miss seemingly is getting their act together based on Saturday's performance, and won't be an easy win on the road.

If the Cats can take care of business, it puts them in a position to still compete in the East. Remember, South Carolina has a conference loss and games remaining with Alabama and LSU. Florida still has games with South Carolina, Alabama, and Arkansas. The winner of this division could lose 3 conference games. Finishing first would be a long shot, but finishing 2nd remains a distinct possibility which would come along with it a trip to a warm weather New Years' bowl game.

There's plenty of negatives to take out of Saturday's loss to Florida, but they can pretty much be summed up by penalties and turnovers that we knew couldn't happen if the Cats wanted to stand a chance. Limiting mistakes was an area that the Cats had excelled at previously but the Gators were hungry and ready to prove their doubters wrong. It's also perplexing why Randall Cobb was not utilized in different formations like we expected him to be. Kentucky's star player did not touch the ball enough times for UK to stand a chance. With less talented overall players, UK needed to dig deep into the playbook and didn't. Florida, on the other hand, was not afraid to use Randall Cobb impersonator, Trey Burton, in the Wildcat offense as he scored 6 touchdowns (5 rushing and 1 receiving).

There were also some positives to take out of the game. Minus the two costly interceptions, Mike Hartline put up a respectable 242 yards in the air and a touchdown pass (he is still our best option at quarterback). Chris Mathews had 6 receptions for 114 yards and 2 touchdowns, while Randall Cobb caught 7 passes for 67 yards but only was given 2 rushing opportunities. Derrick Locke also gained 108 yards on the ground. The offense moved the ball well but turnovers and penalties cost them and opened up the game for the Gators. It should be noted that the game was within reach until later in the 3rd quarter. Had Hartline not been picked off for a touchdown on the other end which could have essentially been a 14 point swing, things could have been very interesting going into the 4th quarter.

I know competing for 2.5 quarters was not the result that UK fans were looking for, but if you remember, the Cats didn't even compete for 1 quarter in the last 2 meetings with Florida. It's easy to go from bad to good, but it's a long process to go from good to great in the SEC. It takes more than just a few stud recruits to win big in year 1 on the football field, it is a numbers game and it takes time. South Carolina was mediocre for a long time under Steve Spurrier and is just now on the brink of becoming elite and it will probably take time for Joker as well. With a top 20 class coming in next season, Kentucky is still on the right track. There's a lot more football to be played this year and a lot on the line to still play for. I think this season still has the potential to be a great one, but either way, Cats fans need to be patient. This program is on the right track and our time is coming.

The only thing UK fans don't need to be patient about is beating Tennessee. That needs to happen this year and it SHOULD happen!

I still have faith in this season's team. But if you've already lost it, Midnight Madness tickets go on sale Saturday! Tents will be allowed to be set up as early as Wednesday.

A look into the Weekend of Football...

Well, UK plays Akron. That should be exciting...

Akron only scored 3 points against Syracuse and lost to the infamous Gardner Webb in week 1. It should be a goal of the defense to get a shut out this week as they prepare for Florida the following week. After Ryan Tydlacka has missed 2 field goals and 1 extra point in 2 games for the Cats, Craig McIntosh will replace him this week. The supposed freshman phenom kicker, Joe Mansour, is not getting it done in practice and McIntosh will be given the kicking duties this week.

The Zips will give Randall Cobb the chance to boost up his Heisman numbers and score touchdowns in every way possible. Although Cobb is not getting the Heisman consideration he should at this point, Tom Leach describes how it could happen on his blog. When asked about the Heisman, Cobb said that he is only worried about winning an SEC Championship. If UK does that, than surely Cobb will be right there with everyone else in the Heisman talks.

The games of importance to look at in the SEC this week are No. 10 Florida vs. Tennessee and No. 14 Arkansas vs. Georgia.

The Volunteers are good enough to give Florida a battle, especially if the same sloppy Florida team shows up that has showed up the past 2 weeks against Miami of Ohio and South Florida. The Cats have to hope that it's as physical as can be this week between the Gators and Vols. Kentucky's starters hope to be rested on the sidelines in the 2nd half vs. Akron as Urban Meyer's Gators find themselves in what could be a physical matchup with Tennessee, just a week before they host the Cats in Gainesville.

In the Arkansas/Georgia matchup, the Bulldogs could very well fall to 0-2 in the SEC and maybe remove themselves from seriously contending in the SEC East, leaving Florida, South Carolina, and Kentucky as perhaps the three teams with the best chance of heading to Atlanta for the SEC Championship Game.

Cats fans should root for Tennessee and Arkansas, and things could look very bright for UK going into conference play. Be sure to check out Brown's picks for ALL of the big predictions in college football this week.

Pearl lied to NCAA about Tennessee Violations

The New York Times has dedicated over 2,000 words in their newspaper about rumors surrounding Kentucky and John Calipari this off season that have had little to no truth to them. This week, an ACTUAL violation has occurred at Tennessee, one that actually happened and one that they will be punished for. One that Bruce Pearl lied about to the NCAA and now is admitting it. The New York Times has decided to write less than 100 words about this, an actual violation, but continues to print 2,000 words worth of false rumors about Kentucky. Simply unbelievable. Could you imagine what would happen if Calipari did this? Enjoy a great day of Football folks, and continue to laugh at all things Tennessee and Louisville.

Go Cats and Go Colonels!



...and apparently, the video of the press conference is so embarassing that UT won't let anyone embed it onto other sites, but you can find it here. A fire alarm goes off during the middle of Pearl's speech. Hillarious.

The Elite 8 is set.

Two SEC teams remain and one Big East team is left. The Cats have their chance to take down that final team from the nation's most overrated conference. It's Calipari vs. Huggins. It's Patrick Patterson against his home state team. It's the chance for the nation's winningest team to get back to the Final Four for the first time in 12 years, which is nearly an eternity in Big Blue Nation. It's a chance for a potential matchup with Duke. This game, simply put, means everything.

The double digit wins are likely over, but these last three games are the type of games that you will want to be sure to record on your DVR. Each one of them are games that you will want to watch again, and again, and again...for the next twenty or thirty years (that is, if the Cats end up as the last team standing).

Just think of the potential matchups in these last three games:

• West Virginia: arguably the best team remaining in the Cats' hunt for #8. They're the last team from the Big East remaining, the same conference that Kentucky fans have to listen about all year from Louisville fans. With this win, the SEC could have two teams in the Final Four with every Big East team sitting at home. This would be bitter sweet for UK fans.

• Duke: Do I even have to say anything? When these two teams play in the tournament, it's ALWAYS a classic. The Blue Devils will have a tough game with Baylor to win before this is a possibility.

• Tennessee: Could you imagine how great it would be for an All-SEC National Championship? This would really make a lot of Louisville fans (and sportswriters from the Northeast) have to eat their words! But even more sweet would be a chance to beat Bruce Pearl in his orange jacket for the third time this year to bring home the 8th National Championship to Lexington!

That, my friends, would be the ultimate best case scenario for the most fun ride Kentucky fans have maybe ever ridden towards a National Title. It would be a string of games that would rival the 1998 team's comeback wins over Duke, Stanford, and Utah to bring home our seventh title. To this point, for sure, I think it can be said that the remarkable turnaround under Calipari has been the most fun season ever had in Lexington.

But for now, let's just land the plane. Survive, and advance.

Cats spank Vols, advance to SEC Championship

Thousands of Big Blue Nation's craziest and most passionate fans have packed the city of Nashville, some with tickets and many without them. All of them dreamed of one matchup in this tournament: a rematch with Tennessee. They got just that on Saturday. The 74-45 blowout win with a 90% Big Blue crowd owning the Volunteer State's streets of Nashville is bittersweet for Cats fans. They put together their most dominating performance of the season against a very good Tennessee team that is the only team in history to beat the #1 and #2 teams (Kansas and Kentucky) in the country in the same season.

Today, however, it wasn't meant to be for the Vols. There were no John Wall dance mockery's by Scotty Hopson, only player ejections, as the Pro's defeated the Con's in Round 3. The Cats' dominating performance silenced many analysts who viewed the Cats as "vulnerable" and a poor 3 point shooting team, as Eric Bledsoe stroked five of them in the 29 point victory. The Cats also sealed their deal for a #1 seed with the win. They'll face the winner of the Vandy/Mississippi State game (MSU currently leads by 11) tomorrow at 1 in the Championship Game. Either matchup will be a heated one. Either the hometown Commodores will be playing in Rupp Arena South just minutes from their campus, or DeMarcus Cousins will be receiving more phone calls from Mississippi State fans as they hope to revenge their overtime loss in Starkville. Whatever tomorrow's result will be, the Cats will be a #1 seed. With a Kansas loss to Kansas State today, the Cats will then be playing for the #1 OVERALL seed. What a great day of basketball!

My Appologies

I did watch today's win over Alabama, but unfortunately I was at work (hardly working) while watching John Wall take over the world. Be sure to check out the site tomorrow with much more SEC Tourney Coverage as the Cats take on the Vols for Round 3. Selection Sunday's Live Chat is still on for 5-8pm. The facebook group has not had a very positive response, but I'll be there around 5 to take any of your questions about the Tournament.

Magic in Rupp

There was magic in Rupp Arena last night, both literally and figuratively. There was magic throughout the game as the Cats put together one of their best highlight reels of the season in their 82-61 rout over South Carolina to avenge their only loss of the season. The Cats also currently can claim that they have defeated every team that they have played this year, a feat that has only been accomplished by one Kentucky team at the end of a season: the 34-2 1996 Cats who split with Mississippi State and avenged their early loss to John Calipari's UMass team in an eventual meeting in the Final Four.

Pittsburgh Steelers Quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, as well as NBA Hall of Famer, Ervin "Magic" Johnson joined the long list of stars that have graced their presence through Rupp Arena this season to watch these super talented Wildcats. The presence of Roethlisberger, "Magic", Lebron, Drake, Mike Tomlin, Ashley Judd, and Eddie Montgomery at games this year are a testament to the Cats' emergence once again as the premiere program in college basketball in every sense of the imagination.



Ervin Johnson, however, was not the only "Magic" in Rupp last night. In fact, there's been a spark of magic in these Cats since their only loss in Columbia on January 26th that has made a world of a difference in this team. It's something that was missing throughout the season, and especially in that game at USC, that has been prominent ever since that game. What is it you ask? The dominating performance of Patrick Patterson that we had been accustomed to before the "new kids on the block" came in town this year. Before the season, Patrick Patterson was looked as the Cats' only veteran starter whom would lead the Cats this year and be a strong National Player of the Year Candidate. Instead, Patrick has at times been ineffective and has lost the spotlight to talented Freshman DeMarcus Cousins and John Wall. However, since that loss in South Carolina, Patrick has emerged along with Cousins to be an unstoppable force in the paint (and beyond the arc).

Here is what Patterson did in Columbia in the loss to USC and what he has done since that game:

• Patterson had a quiet and ineffective five point performance and let the smaller Gamecocks out rebound the Cats (the leading rebounding team in the nation).
• The next game he was 3 of 4 from the 3 point line against Vanderbilt at Rupp
• Patterson has continued to hit a three point shot in EVERY GAME since his poor performance in Columbia (that's 8 straight games- and the big guy only has 2-3 attempts per game from deep range)
• He then had back to back double-double performances that made the difference in close road games against Mississippi State and Vanderbilt
• Then on Thursday night, he capped that off with his highest point total of the season with 23 points and 8 rebounds

Patrick has recently played himself back into being a Top 10 pick in the NBA Draft, as he was considered to be before the season started. And with Patterson playing like this, along with Cousins being Cousins, John Wall being John Wall, and DeAndre Liggins NOT being the same Liggins we saw a year ago- the Cats' can't be beaten, not with this version of Patterson.

The Cats face the Vols tomorrow in yet another brutally tough road game to clinch at least a share of what would be it's 44th SEC Championship.

Reece Davis Reflects on Gameday

To highlight the interview, Reece says that he admits that most of the fans did not show up to see their show, but to exhibit their passion to the rest of the country, "which quite frankly, is simply unmatched," he says. He also goes on to say that he usually doesn't like to rank Gameday appearances because he doesn't want it to get on the Internet and be a shot against other schools, but in this case, he has not experienced anything like he did in Lexington on Saturday. When he looks back on his entire career, Reece ranks Saturday's Gameday Show as possibly the most incredible thing he's ever been a part of. Reece is one of the few employees of the Worldwide Leader of Sports that truly understands and appreciates college basketball's greatest program and fan base.



Be sure to check back with us here at Wildcat Wrap as we "Wrap up" tomorrow night's battle with Mississippi State in Starkville. Just like the Wall/Downey matchup a few weeks ago, the Jarvis Vernardo matchup with Cousins and Patterson in the post will be another one to take a close look at. One of the few dark spots in the Tennessee win was a single digit performance by Cousins, ending his seven game streak of putting up a "Double-Double". It was Cousins' worst game of the season and he'll need to rebound from it against the nations best shot blocker on Tuesday. If it's another quiet game for Cousins, than Bledsoe and Wall might have to take over again.

Gameday a Success! Rupp puts on a show like no other.

When the University began to publicize their goal of getting 24,000 people to fill up Rupp for a TV show on a Saturday morning, many were a bit skeptic and thought it had the chance to be an embarrassing epic fail on national television. I too, had my doubts, but I tried to rally the troops as much as I could, buying 8 tickets myself and spreading the word to every Cat fan I knew. The entire Big Blue Nation rallied together and proved once again, that nobody does it quite like us. Some may call us cocky or obnoxious, but days like Saturday give us the right to be. We don't just have a really good basketball team, but we rally behind them and show unbelievable support, even in seasons like last year, that is unparallelled to anywhere else.

When you have that much pride, passion, and support that we all displayed on Saturday, with a total of probably about 40,000 different people (as Coach Cal pointed out...most of us there Saturday morning did not have tickets to the game that night) throughout the course of that day walking into Rupp and making noise, we have the right to be very proud! We have the right to pump our chests out because we're not like your stereotypical fair weather UNC or Duke fan that likes a team for no other reason than the fact that they're really good. At Kentucky, it's just so much more than the team itself. It's being a part of the Big Blue Nation and the passion that comes along with it that is simply absent at other schools. It's about feeling connected with our program, something that Coach Cal understands and has done a brilliant job of doing this season!

Whenever The Nation has an opportunity to show everyone else just how big we are, we come out in full force. Whether it be for Midnight Madness, Gameday, preseason tournaments in Mexico, or the SEC Tournament, the Nation is everywhere and it always steps up when called upon. Perhaps, the next Big Blue record setting attendance event could be in Commonwealth Stadium? Cal talked about having Madness there this year, and it could be a possibility again next year. Hopefully they'll also be having a pretty big event in early April when the team comes back from winning #8 in Indianapolis.

UK promoted the opportunity to sell Gameday out and actually distribute tickets (which hasn't even been done before for the show) and of course, the fans responded. The team responded as well, as they have all year long in hyped up crowds at Rupp, with a double digit win over the 12th ranked Volunteers. The Bob Knight-less Gameday crew did a great job interviewing Calipari and putting together a piece on the "John Wall Dance". The event also included a game of HORSE afterwords with Wildcat Legends Chuck Hayes, Jodie Meeks (in town for the Tennessee game- how fitting), Kyle Macy, Richie Farmer, Goose Givens, Wayne Turner, Tony Delk, Scott Padgett, Cameron Mills, and Kenny Sky Walker, among others. Capping off the night with a win, it was a great day in Lexington!

Below are a few pics I was able to take from my upper level seats. Enjoy.

Battle for First Place in the SEC: UK vs Vandy

I know what most UK fans are probably thinking about tomorrow's game- Vandy's pretty good, but, there's no way UK will lose 2 games in a row. Well, just ask the Texas Longhorns what happened to them in back to back games after being ranked #1. Vandy's more than pretty good. They are VERY good. The Commodores have won 11 in a row and are coming off a win over Tennessee. They're undefeated in the SEC, and the winner of this game tomorrow takes claim to 1st place in the conference with a head-to-head tiebreaker. They are probably the most underrated team in the country. Calipari has commented that he thinks Vandy will be the best team his team has faced so far this year and that they should be ranked in the top 10. It will be interesting to see how the Cats respond to Tuesday's loss in Columbia. Tomorrow's game is HUGE and a very big test for the Cats! Luckily it is at home in Rupp, where I don't think the Cats will lose this year.

Weekend Wrap-up!

The Cats narrowly escaped the Georgia Bulldogs Saturday and are now one of only two undefeated teams in college basketball. It was a great week for the SEC as Georgia beat #17 Georgia Tech and a depleted Tennessee team shocked #1 Kansas. Purdue was also defeated which should give the Cats a #2 ranking this week behind the nation's only other undefeated team, Texas.

The UK women's hoops team is also rolling. After losing by one point in overtime, on the road against #8 Georgia, the Cats knocked off #16 Vanderbilt this weekend to improve to 15-2. Can somebody explain to me how this team is still not ranked? They ought to definately be ranked tomorrow!

And in football news, Joker Phillips is already making a big splash in his first week on the job as Head Coach. He has aleady made a few key staff changes and already has made a big impact on recruiting. He is saying all the right things, bringing new life and excitement to the program, and is gathering this fan base in a similar way that John Calipari did last summer. Say what you want about his play-calling the last few years with a young and inexperienced offense, but Joker has all the qualities of being a terrific Head Coach and is already impressing me on his first week at the job. I'll write more later this week on all the new changes, new staff, and incoming transfers and potential recruits that Joker is already bringing in, in just the first week on the job.


This weekend I was fortunate enough to see UK recruit C.J. Leslie and North Carolina's Word of God Academy (John Wall's old school) face Cincinnati Roger Bacon at Lexington Catholic on Saturday night. Roger Bacon pulled off the huge upset in a thriller which featured four or five lead changes in the last few minutes of the game but Leslie still impressed the Big Blue crowd, UK players, and Coach John Calipari whom were all in attendance. Leslie was the tallest guy on the floor for either team, but he didn't play like a big man at all. He is quick, explosive, a great shot blocker, and a great passer as well. He can play like a guard when asked to and should fit in very well in Calipari's Dribble Drive Offense. If he can improve his outside shot, he could be another Patrick Patterson next season. His game also reminds me some of Kevin Garnett. When asked about the likelihood of playing with his former high school teammate next season, John Wall, Leslie smiled and said that we would have to just wait and see and that Wall has been talking a lot to him about UK and luring him to come here.

You would think there would be no chance of Wall returning next season, but, who knows? With Leslie likely committing with the Cats, I wouldn't say that there isn't any chance at all of it being a possibility, even if it's a small chance.

I also got my first glimpse of the Bluegrass Stallions this afternoon. The Stallions feature a roster comprised of UK products Wayne Turner, Bobby Perry, Ravi Moss, Lukasz Obrzut, and Head Coach Kyle Macy, as well as EKU's Darnell Dials and Jason McLeish and also Justin Taylor of Georgetown College. Unfortunately, today was the last game for the ABA franchise at the Kentucky Horse Park Arena built for the upcoming World Equestrian Games. The facility is world class, but has become too expensive of a venue for the Stallions to rent out. I hope that this arena is still used for basketball in the future. It would be a great facility to host a high profile high school tournament, such as the one played this weekend at Lex Cath.

The Stallions will be playing the remainder of their home games in Lexington high school gyms and likely touring the Bluegrass region with games in the new civic centers in Corbin and Frankfort until they find a permanant home for hopefully a second season of basketball next year. The Stallions won today over a team from Louisville, by a score of 129-60. They play a very entertaining brand of basketball and it was great to see well known and adored ex-cats and other local players have the chance to stay around Lexington and play professionally. I hope they find a way to stay in town.

(Photos courtesy of highschoolhoop.com and the Bluegrass Stallions)

Rocky Top Rolls Again, Maybe Next Year...

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.

(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.

Biggest Game, Ever?

Just like the LSU win in Commonwealth a few years ago, a win over Tennessee tonight could be one of those defining moments in the rebuilding of Kentucky football under Rich Brooks. This win would not only break the 24 game losing streak, but would give the Cats a 2nd place finish in the SEC East and almost guarantee an Outback Bowl appearance on New Years Day. For those reasons, it would be an even more overall significant win than the one against #1 LSU two years ago.

Year, after year, after year, after year...when you ask Kentucky fans, "What is the one team on the schedule that you want to beat more than anyone else in the world?" The answer is always Tennessee. I've even heard some fans say they'd trade away a Final Four in basketball to beat Tennessee in football.

To put it simple: tonight could be the best night in the history of UK football. Even though the Vols are not ranked and have won one less game than the Cats have so far, the goalposts will be brought down if the Cats win tonight. To outsiders, this might seem ridiculous. But for a Kentucky fan who has never witnessed a win over Tennessee in my lifetime, I understand the significance of ending the streak and finishing off the best season Kentucky has had in 30 years. This win will propell the Cats very close to the top of that SEC mountain that we've been climbing for so long and we're not finished yet (just ask a certain sophomore qb/wr/punt returner). Commonwealth will be rocking tonight, possibly like it never has before.

Where will the Cats go bowling?

Possible Opponents in Atlanta

Clemson

Virginia Tech

Boston College

Georgia Tech

Possible Opponents in Tampa

Wisconsin
Penn State
Iowa
Michigan State

With the huge win over Georgia last night, the Cats have finally positioned themselves in the upper echelon of the mighty SEC East. With three straight SEC road wins: @Auburn, Vanderbilt, and Georgia, they've finally taken that next step. They will not be playing a bowl game in the state of Tennessee this year. For the first time since Tim Couch led the Cats to the 1999 Outback Bowl on New Years Day, the Cats will be playing in a very significant warm-weather New Years (Eve or day) bowl game and can finish in 2nd place in the SEC East, 2nd only to the Florida Gators, with a win over Tennessee at Commonwealth on Saturday night. So far this has been a year of ending huge losing streaks to Auburn and on the road against Georgia. Ending the nation's longest losing streak against Tennessee and earning a ticket to Tampa to face Penn State, Iowa, or Wisconsin on New Years Day, would be icing on the cake for this roller coaster season that has seen highs, lows, injuries, and plenty of surprises along the way.

After beating Miami (OH) in the opener at Paul Brown Stadium, the Cats struggled in a win over Louisville before losing three straight games in a row in SEC play, two of them against the top two teams in the nation. They never gave up on the season, however, just like they never gave up down by 14 points towards the end of the 3rd quarter last night between the hedges against the Bulldogs. With a 2-3 record, their starting quarterback hurt and possibly out for the season, and just experiencing a devastating two point loss at South Carolina, it looked like it could be a long season for the Cats. Instead, the Cats shocked the Auburn Tigers the very next week. Two weeks later, the Cats experienced another very disappointing loss to Mississippi State. At this point, it looked like the Cats were headed to yet another Liberty or Music City Bowl. It even looked like that until about the 4th quarter of last night's game.

Then, one forced Bulldog turnover after another, an entire season and possibly an entire football program took a giant step forward with a comeback win at Georgia. A win that positioned the Cats to make it to a New Years Bowl Game, something that Andre Woodson couldn't even accomplish as a junior or senior. This time, a true freshman quarterback and all-around best player Randall Cobb, only a Sophomore, are taking the Cats to levels they've never been before. Saturday's battle with Tennessee will be possibly the biggest November home football game in the history of Commonwealth Stadium. The stakes are high, "the streak" could end, and unlike the similar 2007 matchup, there's a lot of positive momentum going into this game. It's going to be one of the best atmosphere's ever in Commonwealth, and I can't wait to be a part of it!

Win or lose, however, I believe the Cats are a lock to at least play in Atlanta on New Years Eve in the Chick-fil-a (formerly the Peach) Bowl for a number of reasons. Even if we lose to Tennessee, the overall records of UK, UT, and UGA will be identical, with UT having a one game edge in conference play, assuming that Georgia losses to Georgia Tech. This could propel the Vols ahead of the Cats in the bowl pecking order with the Vols in Tampa and the Cats in Atlanta, but as long as Georgia losses, the Cats will have one of the top two bowl spots in the SEC East (with Florida obviously playing in a BCS game).

The only scenario that could possibly take the Cats to another Music City Bowl would be a Georgia win over Georgia Tech combined with a UK loss to Tennessee. Then, the Peach Bowl would possibly prefer the in-state Bulldogs after a big win against their rival to end the season. But I believe that EVEN IF that happens, the Peach Bowl would have a hard time justifying the choice of the Bulldogs over the Cats after the Cats just beat the Dawgs on the road.

Plus, they can make more money off the Cats with more fans spending money on hotel rooms than if the in-state Bulldogs were in town. Big Blue Nation has broken attendance records in nearly every bowl appearance in the program's history. These bigger, non-BCS bowl games are a much bigger deal to us than they are for other SEC schools like UT and UGA, which is why we are a better choice for higher attendance and revenue. No matter what happens, I really like our chances to play in Atlanta. And if we beat UT, I think we're a lock to play in Tampa on January 1st.

It's been a great day for both the football and basketball teams today. But could you imagine bigger back-to-back days than an Outback Bowl appearance on January 1st followed by a certain basketball game scheduled for January 2nd at Rupp? Has there ever been a more exciting time to be a Big Blue fan? I don't think so.

Early Season Notes: On the court and on the recruiting trails.

#1 Kansas barely escaped Memphis in Josh Pastner's head coaching debut in an ugly shooting, offensive struggle for both teams.

#2 Michigan State almost lost as well, at home to Gonzaga.

#3 Texas won big, but only against Western Carolina.

And of course, #4 Kentucky squeaked past a smokin' hot-shooting Miami (Oh) team at the buzzer.

The only conclusion that I can come up with at this early stage of the season is that there aren't any dominant teams at this stage. There is no team that will dominate an entire season like North Carolina did a year ago as the pre-season #1 and eventual National Champion. Kansas and Kentucky obviously both have the talent to be very dominant towards the middle and end of the season, but they aren't there yet. I do not think the rankings should change that much, however, until these teams lose a game. They're all up there for a reason: their talent. No, Kentucky hasn't proven anything. But nobody has proven anything at this point of the season, so talent is all you can really go by.

Most impressive teams early on: Tennessee and Memphis

Why UT? Because anytime you win 124-49 in a regular season game, it raises eyebrows, even against UNC Asheville. The Vols could be a legit National Championship contender.

Why UM? Because not only did they almost knock off the #1 team in the nation in Pastner's first game, but on the very next day....Pastner signed the #1 recruiting class in the country so far in the early signing period for 2010. Memphis will remain a national power. A disciple of Coach Cal at Memphis, Pastner could be the game's best young coach and also a phenomenal recruiter. To put things into perspective of how young Pastner is, he was a walk-on player for the 1997 Arizona team for Lute Olson that defeated Kentucky to win the National Championship. Just think, Pastner being a head coach for a major D-1 program would be like Ron Mercer already being a big time head coach.

Speaking of recruiting, the Cats did not sign any additional players this week and are not expected to anytime soon. Rivals.com 4-Star Forward, Stacey Poole, remains the Cats' lone commitment at this point. However, the top 4 unsigned players in the nation are all strongly considering the Cats (Brandon Knight, Josh Selby, C.J. Leslie, and Terrence Jones). C.J. Leslie comes from the same high school as John Wall. Likely, all of these guys will wait to see which Wildcats end up staying or going to the NBA next season, before making their ultimate choice.

2010 SEC Basketball Preview: Eastern Division

SEC East Predictions

1. Kentucky (AP ranked 4th): Kentucky has the most talent since their 1996 team which is considered by many to be the best college basketball team ever assembled. They are by far the most improved team in the league, and in the country. Patrick Patterson was picked by the coaches as Preseason SEC Player of the Year, while John Wall has been picked by many as Preseason NATIONAL Player of the Year. Demarcus Cousins is also a likely lottery pick in next year's NBA draft, but might only be the third Wildcat picked. We could go on and on about this roster all the way down to the bottom, but there's 11 other teams to talk about. (#1 Seed, NCAA)

2. Tennessee (AP ranked 10th): Seniors Wayne Chism, Tyler Smith, Bobby Maze, and JP Prince make the Volunteers one of the most experienced team in the country and also return a super sophomore from the bluegrass state in Scotty Hopson. UT could find itself as a top 10 team and a #1 or 2 seed in March and they'll get thier chance at #1 ranked Kansas on January 10th, but the Volunteers couldn't even beat Kentucky LAST year in two tries. It will certainly be a much tougher task to do so this year, but at least Jodie Meeks is gone... (#2 Seed, NCAA)

3. South Carolina: PG Devan Downey passed up the NBA to return for another season in Columbia. Downey vs. Wall will be one of the best individual matchups in the entire country this season. They should find themselves in the top 15 when it's all said and done. (#4 Seed, NCAA)

4. Vanderbilt: The Commodores' return their star Center, A.J. Ogilvy, from last season and all the Internet rumors (from UNC and Vandy boards) say that they beat North Carolina on Sunday in a secret scrimmage by double digits. We'll see for sure how good Vandy is in early season regular season games vs. Cincinnati and Missouri. (#7 Seed, NCAA)

5. Florida: Billy Donovan's program has slipped since their back to back National Titles 2 years ago. Still, it shows how good the SEC (especially the East division) is with a team only a few years removed from a National Championship picked by many to finish 5th in the division. (#1 Seed, NIT)

6. Georgia: It's gonna be a rough year for first year head coach Mark Fox, although the Bulldogs will still be improved from last year. (SEC tourney, 1st round loss)



That my friends, is a breakdown of the best division in all of college basketball. Hope everybody enjoyed picking on the SEC while it was down. Tomorrow I'll break down the Western Division.