Kentucky 7-5 (3-5), 4th Southeastern - East
vs
Florida State 7-5 (4-4), 4th Atlantic Coast - Atlantic
December 31, 4:00pm, ESPN
The big story for the Music City Bowl is not the game itself, it is the fact that 36 players on the Seminoles roster are not available to play either due to injury, rules violation, or the academic cheating scandal. This is a black eye for a program that is looking to come back into the National scene. The Wildcats of Kentucky have had up and down season, but overall this is a good team. Rich Brooks has done a good job building this program into respectability.
Before the suspension of all of those players, the big story surrounding Florida State is how the school laid out a succession plan that has Jumbo Fisher taking over for Bobby Bowden when he decides to leave. Quarterback has been a position that has not be so stable for Florida State, but with Xavier Lee out for the bowl game, it is Drew Weatherford's job. This season Weatherford has thrown for 1773 yards with 8 touchdowns and 1 interception. For a team that use to run the ball so well, Antone Smith was the leading rusher this season with a little over 650 yards. De' Cody Fagg, Greg Carr, and Preston Parker are good targets for Weatherford, but their inconsistent play has plagued them. On defense, the Seminoles are good against the run but below average against the pass and Kentucky is going to be able to exploit that weakness.
Andre Woodson was once a Heisman Candidate, but after a few midseason losses, he fell off the radar. That does not mean he isn't a special player. Woodson is a strong armed, athletic quarterback who has thrown for 3351 yards, 36 touchdowns, and only 10 interceptions. Rafael Little and Derrick Locke have added up to 1400 yards on the ground but each has missed some time due to injuries. On defense, the Wildcats are an impressive 22nd against the pass in a tough SEC Conference, but below average against the run. I think that sets them up perfect going up against a depleted Seminole offense.
It is one thing to lose 2 or 3 players, but to lose 36 for one game is a serious blow that not even the best teams in the country can over come. For the Seminoles it is a chance for them to get some playing time for the youngster and to see how they handle pressure. For Kentucky, it is time for them to send out Andre Woodson and the rest of their seniors out with a victory. Kentucky is much better than their 7 win record shows, and they will prove it beating the Seminoles with ease.
Kentucky 40 Florida State 13
Picking Kentucky to Win (87.5%)
ITB Brian Sakowski, ITB Charlie Swager, Football Frontier, The LSC Scoop, Corn Nation, Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician, Sportsbone TV, Rizzo Sports, ITB Ron Juckett, The Enlightened Spartan, Bastard Sons of Pinfall Marks, Kansas It's Business Time, Pitch Right, MidWest Coast Bias, Rodney Polston, Pete Boivin, Jason Stiver, Sunny Verma, Lorena The Dodgerchick, Matt Kieta, Timmy B, Greg Gowins, Richard Dixon, Dan Schoonover, Lou Nemec, Brian Isaacson, Logan Jaffe, Jeff Brancolini
Picking Florida State to Win (12.5%)
MizzouRAH, Cyril Tircuit, Mrs Corn Nation, Brant Chruscial
