Nashville, Tenn. » The University of Kentucky took care of one major part of its game plan in the Music City Bowl. It kept Clemson All-America tailback C.J. Spiller in check.If the 'Cats could have gotten their own offense on track, they might have been on to something.
After allowing seven runners to surpass 100 yards this season, Spiller picked up just 67 yards on 15 carries, with many of those coming on a clock-killing drive.
But the Wildcats gained just 277 total yards themselves and got next to nothing in the passing game, and that proved to be their undoing in a 21-13 loss that snapped a streak of three consecutive bowl wins. It was Clemson's first bowl win since 2005.
After the game, Kentucky coach Rich Brooks made it sound as though this was his final game.
"Eighty percent, I'm probably not coming back," he said. "I'm going to think about it. I'll decide in four to five days or a week. ...
"(It) may be time for a change, time for Joker to take it over. I'm not totally sure, but maybe it's time. ... I've got to do some thinking about it away from everything."
Freshman Morgan Newton started at quarterback for the Cats and went the entire way, completing 13-for-23 passes for 98 yards, about 7½ yards per completion and a little more than 4 yards per attempt.
The game started off similarly to Kentucky's 2006 Music City Bowl win over the Tigers.
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Clemson went three-and-out on its first possession, and the Cats took over and marched 61 yards on seven plays to take a 7-0 lead. Newton hit Chris Matthews on a perfectly thrown 17-yard out pattern in the end zone at the 10:08 mark.
But the Tigers snapped out of the doldrums thanks to Spiller, who sprung loose for a 40-yard gain on a screen. Danny Trevathan stripped Spiller on the play, but Ashton Cobb tried to scoop the ball up instead of falling on it, and it dribbled out of bounds.
Two plays later, Clemson receiver Jacoby Ford got behind Trevard Lindley and hauled in a 32-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 7 with 16 seconds remaining in the first period.
Clemson penalties helped the Cats take a second-quarter lead. A pass-interference call gave Kentucky a first down on a third-and-4 play, and the Tigers jumped offsides on fourth-and-1 from the 31. Lones Seiber connected on a 39-yard field goal to give Kentucky a 10-7 lead.
The Wildcats' run defense broke down completely on the next series. Jamie Harper came in for Spiller and ripped off a 26-yard run and followed that up with a 33-yarder, with Randall Burden making a touchdown-saving tackle at the 3. Harper then rumbled in for a 3-yard score at the 5:19 mark to push Clemson in front 14-10, a lead they would take into halftime.
The much-maligned Seiber had a solid outing in his Kentucky farewell, capping the Cats' drive to open the second half with a 44-yard field goal to cut the deficit to one (14-13) with 10:13 left in the third.
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