[Stardust]

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/nkysports/20...-i-see-it/

This week the coaches of the SEC predicted UK’s football squad would finish 4th in the conference.

So what, right?

Well, according to the coaches, if UK finished 4th, then they would be in front of Vandy (no story there) but it means they would also be in front of perennial power Tennessee, too.

That’s the same Tennessee that’s defeated UK 25 times in a row. More than likely, in order to finish ahead of the Vols, the Cats would have to beat the Vols – and this year the game is in Knoxville.

So can it happen? Of course. Will it? History says no.

But the law of averages says the streak has to end at some point. Is this the season?

If anything, the Cats have missed out on their best opportunities in recent years, losing a multiple-overtime game in Andre Woodson’s senior campaign, and losing again in OT last year, when Rich Brooks made the worst coaching decision of his life (Randall Cobb, a native of Tenn, leads UK downfield in the last minute to try and win the game. Then, when the Cats got within 20 yds, Morgan Newton became the QB, the offense stalled, and at 4th and goal from just a few yds out, Brooks elects to tie the game with a FG. They forced OT, and promptly lost. I will never forgive him. Cobb should have gotten a chance to win the game).

Anyway, so is this the year? I can only hope.

Lane Kiffin left Tenn in the lurch worse than many coaches do when they leave a team – but let’s face it, they’re still Tennessee, and they still have talent. But apparently the league coaches feel UK’s Joker Phillips and his mission to improve overall team speed is working.

UK has many question marks, but Tenn may have even more, and if there was another chance for Kentucky, it would make sense that this would be it.

The only problem? The game being in Knoxville. I always see a chance for UK to beat UT in Lexington. But this year’s game will be in the sea of orange, a horrendous color to be certain, and a difficult place for any opposing team to win.

So what do I think? Right now, without seeing this UK team, I think they’ll give UT a shot, but I think I’d still give the Vols the edge. About 110,000 Tenn fans don’t want to see their team lose at home to UK.

For me, right now, I don’t see that happning any time soon.