Kentucky’s chance at a bowl game is still alive but took a big hit with their loss to Tennessee over the weekend. The Wildcats enter the weekend with a record of 4-5 with games left against Vanderbilt (2-7) Saturday, Tennessee-Martin (6-4) Nov. 23, and Louisville (5-4) on Nov. 30.
UK likely needs to either win at Vanderbilt or at home against Louisville to claim their fourth straight bowl appearance under Mark Stoops. If Kentucky wins out, they will take a 7-5 record into bowl season and a likely trip to the Music City Bowl in Nashville where they are 2-3 all-time.
A win over Vanderbilt and a loss to Louisville means a 6-6 mark and a likely trip to the Liberty Bowl in Memphis where they beat East Carolina 25-19 in 2008.
If Kentucky puts up one of their occasional clunkers at Vanderbilt this week, it makes the Louisville game in three weeks a must win for a bowl game. Of course, this takes into account getting a win over the FCS Skyhawks who lost to Austin Peay 38-24 last week.
Here is where some of the national writers have pegged the Wildcats to play in the bowl season.
Mark Schlabach (ESPN) – Music City Bowl (Nashville) vs. Miami, Fla. on Dec. 30
Kyle Bonagura (ESPN) – Belk Bowl (Charlotte) vs. Pittsburgh on Dec. 31
USA Today – Liberty Bowl (Memphis) vs. Kansas State on Dec. 31
247 Sports – Music City Bowl vs. Virginia on Dec. 30
Bleacher Report – Texas Bowl (Houston) vs. Kansas State on Dec. 27
Sports Illustrated – Belk Bowl vs. Virginia Tech on Dec. 31
CBS Sports – Music City Bowl vs. Virginia on Dec. 30
Athlon Sports – Belk Bowl vs. Virginia Tech on Dec. 31
Brett McMurphy – Belk Bowl vs. Miami, Fla. on Dec. 31
Sporting News – Belk Bowl vs. Florida State on Dec. 31