The 20th edition of the Music City Bowl is shaping up to be an interesting one. On one hand, there is Northwestern who is looking for a third 10-win season in the last five years. On the other is Kentucky who is trying for its first eight-win season since 2009. With that in mind, let\u2019s begin the 2017 Music City Bowl Preview: Battle Of The Wildcats.<\/p>\n
Kentucky is playing in their 17th bowl in school history. They have an 8-8 record all-time. However, they have lost their last three and six of nine. Last season they lost to Georgia Tech 33-18 in the TaxSlayer Bowl. <\/a> The Wildcats have played in more Music City Bowls<\/a><\/strong> than any other team with five appearances. They are two and two all-time with the last coming in 2009 losing to Clemson 21-13. <\/a><\/p>\n Northwestern is playing in their 14th bowl game in school history. They have a 3-10 record all-time. These Wildcats\u00a0won their first bowl game in 1948 beating California 20-14 in the Rose Bowl.\u00a0However, it would be 47 years before they played in another bowl game losing 41-32\u00a0to USC again in the Rose Bowl.<\/p>\n They lost nine in a row before beating Mississippi State in the 2012 Gator Bowl. Last season, they knocked off\u00a0Pittsburgh 31-24 in the Pinstripe Bowl. <\/a> This is Northwestern’s first appearance in the Music City Bowl.<\/p>\n The two schools have only met once in history. That came all the way\u00a0back in 1928 in Evanston with Northwestern defeating Kentucky 7-0.<\/p>\n The marquee matchup for the Music City Bowl is between Justin Jackson<\/strong><\/a> of Northwestern and Kentucky’s Benjamin Snell Jr.<\/strong><\/a> For the season, Jackson has 1,154 yards and nine touchdowns. However, those numbers are the lowest since his freshman year.<\/p>\n Career-wise, Jackson rates as one of the best in Big 10 history. Currently, Jackson sites fourth all-time in rushing yards with 5,283, putting him only behind Anthony Thompson<\/strong><\/a>,<\/strong> Archie Griffin,<\/strong><\/a> and Ron Dayne<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n On the other side of the ball, the Wildcats of the SEC counter with the sophomore Snell. Following a slow start to 2017 Snell has been on a roll the last five games. Rushing for 777 yards and 12 touchdowns, he ended the year with 1,318 yards and 18 scores. He finished two yards short of Auburn\u2019s Kerryon Johnson<\/strong><\/a> for tops in the SEC.<\/p>\n For a second straight year, the Wildcats finished the regular season 7-5. However, this doesn\u2019t feel near as good as 2016. The Cats let two games slip away against Florida and Ole Miss.<\/p>\n Furthermore, the 44-17 blowout loss and total meltdown against Louisville left a bad taste in the mouths of True Blue Fans. Mark Stoops<\/strong><\/a>\u2019<\/strong> club comes into Nashville losers of four of their last six. Now to add to the frustration is the announcement on Wednesday that linebacker Denzil Ware<\/strong><\/a> is suspended for the game.<\/p>\n Denzil Ware will not play in the bowl game. Stoops says violation of team rules. \u201cNo comment\u201d if Ware will be back with the team next season. pic.twitter.com\/qmG4zYYe7U<\/a><\/p>\n — Jonathan Dunn (@Jonathan__Dunn) December 26, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\nBattle Of Elite Running Backs<\/h4>\n
How Kentucky Got To Nashville<\/h4>\n
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