In a rematch of some of the thrilling video games of the 2021 bowl season, Kentucky Soccer is headed to Nashville to tackle Iowa within the TransPerfect Music Metropolis Bowl on New 12 months’s Eve. The Wildcats and Hawkeyes will tangle at midday ET (11 a.m. Central time in Nashville) at Nissan Stadium in a recreation that will probably be nationally televised by ABC.

“On behalf of our workforce and all of us on the College of Kentucky, we’re excited to just accept the invitation to the TransPerfect Music Metropolis Bowl,” mentioned Coach Mark Stoops, who will probably be going through his alma mater for the second consecutive season. “The Massive Blue Nation all the time paints Nashville blue and the hospitality is second to none.  We sit up for an incredible week and our workforce can’t wait to play yet another time this 12 months!”

With the Music Metropolis Bowl celebrating its 25^th 12 months of existence, it’s becoming that the workforce that has made probably the most appearances within the postseason recreation, Kentucky, will probably be making its sixth journey to the occasion.  All 5 earlier UK video games have been determined by eight factors or much less, with the Wildcats posting a 2-3 document in these hotly contested affairs.

“We’re honored to obtain the invitation to the TransPerfect Music Metropolis Bowl,” mentioned Mitch Barnhart, UK Director of Athletics. “It will likely be an thrilling day for Wildcat followers as our soccer workforce performs in Nashville whereas our males’s basketball workforce takes on Louisville in Rupp Enviornment.  We all know it presents a problem for our followers and employees, however simply as we did in related circumstances in 2017, I’m assured that the Massive Blue Nation will prove sturdy in each areas.

“We’re additionally honored to signify the Southeastern Convention within the 25^th 12 months of the Music Metropolis Bowl and I wish to acknowledge Bowl President Scott Ramsey and the Nashville Sports activities Council for his or her years of service to school soccer.   We’re trying ahead to what we hope will probably be a giant New 12 months’s Eve for the Wildcats!”

All Kentucky soccer season ticket holders and eligible Okay Fund donors who positioned a Music Metropolis Bowl request throughout the precedence request interval (Nov. 16 – Dec. 1) will obtain tickets, and affirmation emails will probably be despatched Sunday night (Dec. 4). Tickets ordered throughout the precedence request interval will probably be allotted into the most effective seat areas in Kentucky’s official allotment and assigned so as of Okay Fund precedence level rating later this week.

After holding tickets to meet all precedence requests and inside wants, tickets in Kentucky’s official allotment are bought out. Public tickets are actually accessible straight via MusicCityBowl.com and Ticketmaster.com. Kentucky will probably be on the east facet of Nissan Stadium. Pupil ticket data for the Music Metropolis Bowl will probably be accessible on Sunday night, on-line at UKFootballTix.com.

Kentucky enters the sport with a 7-5 document, the sixth time within the final seven years that the Wildcats have gained a minimum of seven video games, with solely the Covid-shortened 2020 season interrupting the pattern. The Wildcats enter the sport following their fourth straight Governor’s Cup win, a 26-13 victory over in-state rival Louisville.  It’s the fifth straight 12 months that the Wildcats accomplished the common season with a win, the primary time in class historical past that has been achieved.

Offensively, the Wildcats have been guided by quarterback Will Levis, who is finishing 65.4 p.c of his passes for two,406 yards and 19 touchdowns. Levis has unfold the wealth within the passing recreation, with the highest receivers being Barion Brown, who set UK freshman data for many catches (45) and yards (604) and had 4 receiving touchdowns; senior graduate switch Tayvion Robinson, who nabbed 35 balls for 470 yards and three TDs; and Dane Key, 31 for 472 yards and a UK freshman document six TD catches. Senior operating again Chris Rodriguez Jr. leads the bottom assault, speeding for 904 yards and 6 touchdowns, averaging 113 yards per recreation within the eight video games he has performed.

Kentucky ranks 12^th within the nation in scoring protection, permitting 19.1 factors per recreation, and 18^th in complete protection, giving up 320.2 yards per contest.  It has been a workforce effort, with 14 Wildcats accumulating a minimum of 30 tackles on the season. Linebacker D’Eryk Jackson leads the best way with 63 tackles, adopted by security Jordan Lovett with 59, linebacker Jordan Wright with 58, and linebacker DeAndre Sq. with 58, regardless of lacking three video games due to damage.  Leaders in different defensive classes are Wright in tackles for loss (8.5); linebacker J.J. Weaver in quarterback sacks (3) and fumble recoveries (3); cornerback Carrington Valentine in go breakups (10); and two interceptions every by Lovett, linebacker Trevin Wallace and cornerback Keidron Smith.

Iowa additionally enters the sport with a 7-5 document and contains a protection that has been even stingier than Kentucky’s. Iowa ranks fourth within the nation in complete protection, permitting solely 277.9 yards per recreation, and is sixth within the nation in scoring protection, permitting simply 14.4 factors per contest.  Senior linebacker Jack Campbell, the Massive Ten Defensive Participant of the 12 months, has 118 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and two interceptions. Campbell was joined by eight extra teammates incomes All-Massive Ten honors, together with defensive linemen Lukas Van Ness, Joe Evans, Logan Lee and Noah Shannon; linebacker Seth Benson; and defensive backs Riley Moss, Cooper DeJean and Kaevon Merriweather.

The Iowa offense is guided by quarterback Spencer Petras, who has thrown for 1,725 yards and 5 touchdowns. Petras’ high goal is senior tight finish Sam LaPorta, who has 53 catches for 601 yards and a landing. Kaleb Johnson is the main rusher with 762 yards. 5.4 yards per carry, and 6 touchdowns.

The TransPerfect Music Metropolis Bowl extends Kentucky’s school-record streak of seven consecutive bowl appearances, all coming below Stoops.  That’s one in every of a number of milestones he’s achieved this 12 months.  He grew to become the longest-termed coach in class historical past, 10 seasons, and his win at Florida was his 61^st with the Wildcats, breaking the college document of 60 victories by Paul “Bear” Bryant.  Stoops and the Cats additionally broke the college document for many consecutive wins in opposition to non-conference opponents, a streak that now reaches 20 video games – the longest lively streak within the nation – and will probably be on the road within the bowl recreation.

A part of the 20-game non-conference win streak are 4 straight bowl wins, defeating Penn State, 27-24, within the 2019 VRBO Citrus Bowl; Virginia Tech, 37-30, within the 2019 Belk Bowl; NC State, 23-21, within the 2020 TaxSlayer Gator Bowl; and a 20-17 come-from-behind edging of Iowa within the Vrbo Citrus Bowl on Jan. 1, 2022.  The Wildcats personal an all-time document of 12-9 in bowl video games.