PREMIUM
Rogers' Friday Afternoon FIGHT
(NCAAF) Kentucky vs. Northwestern,
Point Spread: -7.50 | -110.00 Northwestern (Home)
Result: Loss
Point Spread: -7.50 | -110.00 Northwestern (Home)
Result: Loss
The set-up: The Kentucky Wildcats enter this bowl game 7-5 but sure don't head into it with much momentum. The Wildcats lost four of their last six games but still have, with a victory, a shot at eight wins for the first time since 2007. However, Kentucky hasn't won a bowl game since the 2008 season. The Wildcats will square off with the 9-3 Northwestern Wildcats in the Music City Bowl at Nissan Stadium in Nashville. Northwestern enters this game on a seven-game winning streak and has a shot at double-digit wins for the third time in the last six years. However, the Wildcats are just 3-10 all-time in bowl appearances. These two Wildcat schools have only one prior meeting (way back in 1928!) and while Northwestern is making its first trip to the Music City Bowl, this is Kentucky's fifth.
Kentucky:The Wildcats ended the regular season with four losses in six games, including a 42-13 loss to Georgia and a 44-17 loss to Louisville. QB Stephen Johnson is completing 60.7 percent of his passes for 2,048 yards, 10 TDs and four INTs. The Kentucky Wildcats ground game is averaging 169.8 YPG (57th), led by sophomore RB Benny Snell, Jr. Snell ran for 1,091 yards as a freshman and surely had no sophomore jinx, running for 1,318 yards on 5.1 YPC with 18 TDs. However, Kentucky's 25.8 PPG (84th) hardly makes up for a defense allowing 28.6 PPG (80th) on 425.7 YPG (90th).
Northwestern: QB Clayton Thorson is completing 60.6 percent of his passes for 2,809 yards with 15 TDs and 12 INTs. The ground game is averaging 160.9 YPG (70th) and Justin Jackson leads the way with 1,154 yards (4.5 YPC) and nine TDs. The senior has topped 1,000 rushing yards in each of his four seasons at Northwestern. The Wildcats average 29.7 PPG (52) and unlike Kentucky, have a strong defense, allowing 19.8 PPG (16th) on 358.8 YPG (37th)..
The pick: "That bad taste in our mouth from that last game hasn't gone away," Kentucky QB Stephen Johnson said, speaking of the team's 44-17 rout at the hands of in-state rival Louisville. "A lot of us are really trying to go out and get this win. Last year, we were really excited because we beat Louisville, our rival, and now we have that bad taste in our mouth and we are eager and anxious to go out and win that last game." Northwestern has won seven consecutive games - its longest winning streak since the memorable Rose Bowl run in 1996 - and is also a perfect 7-0 ATS, as well. Northwestern also has a chance to cap off a successful campaign by posting back-to-back postseason victories for the first time in program history. The Northwestern defense is for real, allowing only 20 points in its last three games, and it faces a Kentucky team that is 2-9 ATS its last 11 outside the SEC. Meanwhile, Pat Fitzgerald's team won all seven games last season by seven points or more and has won all nine this year by at least a TD. Lay the points and make Northwestern an 8* play.
Kentucky:The Wildcats ended the regular season with four losses in six games, including a 42-13 loss to Georgia and a 44-17 loss to Louisville. QB Stephen Johnson is completing 60.7 percent of his passes for 2,048 yards, 10 TDs and four INTs. The Kentucky Wildcats ground game is averaging 169.8 YPG (57th), led by sophomore RB Benny Snell, Jr. Snell ran for 1,091 yards as a freshman and surely had no sophomore jinx, running for 1,318 yards on 5.1 YPC with 18 TDs. However, Kentucky's 25.8 PPG (84th) hardly makes up for a defense allowing 28.6 PPG (80th) on 425.7 YPG (90th).
Northwestern: QB Clayton Thorson is completing 60.6 percent of his passes for 2,809 yards with 15 TDs and 12 INTs. The ground game is averaging 160.9 YPG (70th) and Justin Jackson leads the way with 1,154 yards (4.5 YPC) and nine TDs. The senior has topped 1,000 rushing yards in each of his four seasons at Northwestern. The Wildcats average 29.7 PPG (52) and unlike Kentucky, have a strong defense, allowing 19.8 PPG (16th) on 358.8 YPG (37th)..
The pick: "That bad taste in our mouth from that last game hasn't gone away," Kentucky QB Stephen Johnson said, speaking of the team's 44-17 rout at the hands of in-state rival Louisville. "A lot of us are really trying to go out and get this win. Last year, we were really excited because we beat Louisville, our rival, and now we have that bad taste in our mouth and we are eager and anxious to go out and win that last game." Northwestern has won seven consecutive games - its longest winning streak since the memorable Rose Bowl run in 1996 - and is also a perfect 7-0 ATS, as well. Northwestern also has a chance to cap off a successful campaign by posting back-to-back postseason victories for the first time in program history. The Northwestern defense is for real, allowing only 20 points in its last three games, and it faces a Kentucky team that is 2-9 ATS its last 11 outside the SEC. Meanwhile, Pat Fitzgerald's team won all seven games last season by seven points or more and has won all nine this year by at least a TD. Lay the points and make Northwestern an 8* play.
