New-look Cats take Nashville for Music City Bowl

NASHVILLE (WYMT) - The Wildcats are in the bowl game rhythm in the Music City.

Kentucky has taken over the Vanderbilt campus in practice ahead of their Music City Bowl matchup against Iowa on New Year’s Eve.

The bowl game rematch is projected to be among the lowest scoring of the season, with on over-under of 31. Kentucky head football coach Mark Stoops says it’s not only because of several opt-outs, including Will Levis and Chris Rodriguez, but also the stout Hawkeye defense.

“It’s important, in a game like this with two good defenses, to not beat yourself with turnovers and penalties and things that can put you in a bad spot,” Stoops said. “There were some games late in the year when we’re getting penalties on special teams and things of that nature, we cannot do those things. We have to play clean.”

The experience of a bowl game isn’t lost on several members of the Wildcats. Defensive coordinator Brad White says that football is all about games like Saturday’s.

“You can see it when you watch games and you watch bowl games and you see excitement and you see guys cheering,” said White. “It doesn’t matter where you’re at, what venue, how many fans, what’s at stake...football’s fun and making big hits is fun and making big plays and celebrating with your teammates and to not lose sight of that.”

Kentucky’s bowl game against Iowa is set to kick off at Noon ET on Saturday. You can catch the action on ABC.

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