[More Cowbell]

After a disappointing loss to Georgia, I think we can put to rest any flickering hopes of contending for the East division title. Now, the Cats have to focus on just getting bowl-eligible first, then improving their bowl spot. Let's see what's at stake...

UK currently sits at 4-4, with games left at Mississippi State, home for both Charleston Southern and Vanderbilt, then at Tennessee. As Charleston is as close to a gimme win as possible, it appears that UK could finish anywhere from as good as 8-4 or as bad as 5-7.

Right now, at least 9 SEC teams go to a bowl, with the order of selection as follows:
1) BCS bowl
2) Capital One
3) Cotton
4) Outback
5) Gator
6) Chick-Fil-A
7) Music City
8) Liberty
9) Birmingham
Plus, if the SEC gets a second team into a BCS bowl, (which is usually the case), then each team moves up a spot and a tenth team goes bowling. So...

If UK finishes 8-4, the sky is really the limit. Considering the middle of the league is the weakest it's been in years, an 8-4 record may end up as the fourth-best overall record behind Auburn, Alabama, and LSU, giving UK a good shot at the Outback. If more attractive teams like Arkansas, South Carolina, and Florida finish with a better or even the same record, UK will get pushed down, but I don't see them dropping past #7 in the pecking order. So if UK wins out, look for the Cats to end up in the Outback, Gator, or Chick-Fil-A bowls.

If UK finishes 7-5, we may be headed back to Nashville once again. Depending on other teams' records, we could be as high as #7 or as low as #9 in the bowl order. Best case scenario here would get the Cats to the Chick-Fil-A, more likely would be either the Music City or Liberty bowls.

If UK finishes 6-6, even going bowling at all is not guaranteed. If by some chance the SEC does not land a second team in the BCS, a tenth bowl-eligible team could be left out in the cold. While the chances of this are slim, it is still a possibilty. Again, depending on how other teams do, we could be as high as #8 or as low as #10. Kentucky ends up in the Music City, Liberty, or Birmingham bowls, or possibly none at all.

Of course, 5-7 means it's time for basketball season. :biggrin:

[TidesHoss32]

UK will end up 6-6 and in the Liberty Bowl..theres no way a .500 SEC team with a win over South Carolina (and the Louisville win is looking better and better) and playing Auburn to a 3 pt game dont go bowling..I say the Liberty Bowl..

[LWC]

If UK doesn't get Mississippi State, they may not go to a decent bowl game. I have said for the past 2-3 years that THIS is the year to beat UT but every year I am wrong. Hopefully UK realizes that this season they really NEED the UT win.

[More Cowbell]

If UK doesn't get Mississippi State, they may not go to a decent bowl game. I have said for the past 2-3 years that THIS is the year to beat UT but every year I am wrong. Hopefully UK realizes that this season they really NEED the UT win.

Man, ain't that the truth! You figure if UK is going to snap that streak, they need to do it now, while Tennessee is down. If UK slips up against Miss St and Vandy, the UT game could mean the diference between going bowling and staying home.

[dangerousdaneerfan]

Birmingham for a rematch of the 83 game with WVU.

[cuppett777]

UK will end up 6-6 and in the Liberty Bowl..theres no way a .500 SEC team with a win over South Carolina (and the Louisville win is looking better and better) and playing Auburn to a 3 pt game dont go bowling..I say the Liberty Bowl..

i like to see them get the best bowl they can, but if not would love to see them in the Liberty Bowl i am just 45 min away...:Thumbs:

[MVP2]

I hope we can end that streak against TN, I'd be there to witness.

[MVP2]

If we win out, I'll say Chick-Fil-A Bowl. I'd say more than likely another Liberty Bowl or Music City Bowl.

[Scotty doesn't know]

My guess is that we end up in the Liberty bowl. However, it is a really interesting situation to see play out if they can beat the teams that they should (Vandy, Charelston Southern, and UT). 7-5 has potential to get us to the Chick-Fil-A bowl which would be another positive step for this program.

[BCF4L]

I hope they don't make a bowl game. They don't deserve a bowl game. They are not a very good team. Sure, their offense is pretty good, but if you're averaging less points than you give up, something is bad wrong. I'm tired of seeing UK schedule games so they can assure themselves of a bowl bid, with 4 cupcakes on their schedule every year. Funny thing is, they probably won't even be able to win 2 SEC games to get to the 6 win mark.

[Jarons]

I hope they don't make a bowl game. They don't deserve a bowl game. They are not a very good team. Sure, their offense is pretty good, but if you're averaging less points than you give up, something is bad wrong. I'm tired of seeing UK schedule games so they can assure themselves of a bowl bid, with 4 cupcakes on their schedule every year. Funny thing is, they probably won't even be able to win 2 SEC games to get to the 6 win mark.

Solid post!!!!:Thumbs:

[cuppett777]

i would like to see them play, Arkansas State,home and home, Louisville did,and they gave the cards a great game, they was a few mistakes away from winning that game...

[zaga_fan]

Liberty or Music City
pick one

[kentuckynole]

I hope they don't make a bowl game. They don't deserve a bowl game. They are not a very good team. Sure, their offense is pretty good, but if you're averaging less points than you give up, something is bad wrong. I'm tired of seeing UK schedule games so they can assure themselves of a bowl bid, with 4 cupcakes on their schedule every year. Funny thing is, they probably won't even be able to win 2 SEC games to get to the 6 win mark.

Actually their offense is averaging more points than the defense. However the defense is terrible this year and hopefully they will be looking for a new defensive coordinator in the off season.
Most teams play 4 cupcakes every year to assure that they make a bowl game. Most teams don't deserve a bowl game considering that 70 out of 120 teams do make a bowl game and now they are allowing teams with a 5-7 record to make a bowl game.

[zaga_fan]

Actually their offense is averaging more points than the defense. However the defense is terrible this year and hopefully they will be looking for a new defensive coordinator in the off season.
Most teams play 4 cupcakes every year to assure that they make a bowl game. Most teams don't deserve a bowl game considering that 70 out of 120 teams do make a bowl game and now they are allowing teams with a 5-7 record to make a bowl game.

In UKs defense if they play 4 legit teams out of conference they would never make a bowl lol

[Scotty doesn't know]

Okay so the I think that the most important thing for this program to continue to be middle of the pack is to be in these types of bowl games in crappy seasons like this one. They are rewarded for being in the SEC with the watered down bowl games but it is still one more thing for the players to play for and to continue building on. I do not think that many people would agree that the best thing for this program would be to miss the bowl game in crushing fashion (losing to Miss St., Vandy, and Tennessee). We HAVE TO build on these tiny tiny positives even if it is to barely get to a bowl game. We should be fine to get there and I am confident that they will get to 7 wins (winning Vandy, Char. Southern, and Tennessee).

[More Cowbell]

I hope they don't make a bowl game. They don't deserve a bowl game. They are not a very good team. Sure, their offense is pretty good, but if you're averaging less points than you give up, something is bad wrong. I'm tired of seeing UK schedule games so they can assure themselves of a bowl bid, with 4 cupcakes on their schedule every year. Funny thing is, they probably won't even be able to win 2 SEC games to get to the 6 win mark.

I disagree completely, and I don't think a true UK fan should ever feel that way. Missing a bowl would be a terrible blow to the program, and that's something UK doesn't need. Not only does even a low-level bowl add to the program's prestige, but the extra 15 practices that are allowed with it are invaluable. I don't care if it's the Sani-Flush Toilet Bowl, it's better to be in the postseason than not.

As for the schedule, I wouldn't say UK schedules 4 cupcakes, it's actually 3. The rivalry game with Louisville is not a cupcake, and as recently as 4 years ago they were a top 10 team and decidedly ahead of UK as a program. Just because we've moved ahead of them for now doesn't make it a cupcake game. And I hope they do continue to schedule 3 easier teams for the other games. When you play in the meat grinder that is the SEC, you deserve to have a break in the non-conference. If you look at their schedules, all but a couple of teams in the SEC use the same philosophy: play one BCS-level team and then 3 cupcakes every year.

[BlackcatAlum]

I agree with BCF4L & MC, we need this bowl game, but fact of the matter is the new bowl system is watered down. No way UK makes a bowl game last year or if we only win 6 games this season 5 or so years ago.

UK still has a huge hump we need to get over as a program and until they do, we will never be in a respectable bowl.

[vundy33]

Birmingham for a rematch of the 83 game with WVU.

Gah you're old.

I love these threads. More Cowbell does a great job of simplifying our situation for everyone.

[cougarpride08]

With the follow fan base that we have, do you guys think that 6 wins will get us a shot at a bowl game? Bowl officials know that if they can get UK, they will have the following.

[kentuckynole]

I disagree completely, and I don't think a true UK fan should ever feel that way. Missing a bowl would be a terrible blow to the program, and that's something UK doesn't need. Not only does even a low-level bowl add to the program's prestige, but the extra 15 practices that are allowed with it are invaluable. I don't care if it's the Sani-Flush Toilet Bowl, it's better to be in the postseason than not.

As for the schedule, I wouldn't say UK schedules 4 cupcakes, it's actually 3. The rivalry game with Louisville is not a cupcake, and as recently as 4 years ago they were a top 10 team and decidedly ahead of UK as a program. Just because we've moved ahead of them for now doesn't make it a cupcake game. And I hope they do continue to schedule 3 easier teams for the other games. When you play in the meat grinder that is the SEC, you deserve to have a break in the non-conference. If you look at their schedules, all but a couple of teams in the SEC use the same philosophy: play one BCS-level team and then 3 cupcakes every year.

Why anyone would think we need to improve our schedule is crazy talk. We already play in the toughest conference in the FBS. We don't need anymore tough games since we play 8 conference games and 1 rivalry game.
We need to get better in the SEC not better non-conference games.

[TidesHoss32]

With the follow fan base that we have, do you guys think that 6 wins will get us a shot at a bowl game? Bowl officials know that if they can get UK, they will have the following.

Absolutely..If you are an SEC team with a .500 overall record, you will go bowling. You can pretty much bank on it. Now, if they go back to the days of "you have to win 6 games vs. D-1 opponents" then maybe not, but not until then..

[EJisBeast]

I agree. If kentucky would just come out strong at the start not in the 2nd half. We could win some games. Like Auburn and Ole Miss.

[Benchwarmer]

In UKs defense if they play 4 legit teams out of conference they would never make a bowl lol

A few years back they were loosing to these 4 out of conference teams.

[Stardust]

A few years back they were loosing to these 4 out of conference teams.

Great post, you are so, soo very right. We should all be so very happy now with where UK football bas come. Nice job and I hope everyone else recognizes that UK football is headed back to the top..., well maybe not top, but they are gettin' better :notworthy

[cougarpride08]

I think we should enjoy any bowl game we get to period.

[ImagineThat!]

Maybe UK and WVU can play each other in the toilet bowl.

What do WVU and UK can have in common?

UK has Joker as a coach....WVU has a joke as a coach