Blue Preview: Playing without its stars, can UK overcome Iowa in Music City Bowl?
Music City Bowl: Kentucky vs. Iowa
When: Noon, Saturday.
TV: ABC.
Announcers: Play-by-play, Matt Barrie; analysis, Louis Riddick; sideline, Harry Lyles Jr.
Radio: UK broadcast, WLAP-AM 630 and WBUL-FM 98.1; ESPN national broadcast, WLXG-AM 1300 and WLXG-FM 92.5.
Satellite radio: UK stream, XM Channel 191, Sirius Channel 136, Internet Channel 962; ESPN national broadcast stream, XM Channel 201, Sirius Channel 137, Internet Channel 964.
Records: Kentucky (7-5, 3-5 SEC); Iowa (7-5, 5-4 Big Ten).
Series history: Kentucky leads 1-0.
Most recent meeting: Wan’Dale Robinson caught 10 passes for 170 yards; Christopher Rodriguez ran for 107 yards and a touchdown and also caught a TD pass; and DeAndre Square made the game-sealing interception with 48 seconds left as No. 22 Kentucky upset No. 15 Iowa 20-17 in the VRBO Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Fla., on Jan. 1.
Line: Iowa is favored by 2.5 points.
The story line
Kentucky will seek to win its 21st straight non-conference contest; its fifth consecutive bowl game; and to end the calendar year 2022 the same way the Wildcats began it — by defeating Iowa in a bowl game. The Wildcats will do so while playing without offensive stars Christopher Rodriguez and Will Levis plus starting cornerback Carrington Valentine, all of whom opted out of the Music City Bowl.
The number(s) to watch
Can anyone score? On average, the Iowa defense gave up the sixth-fewest points in the FBS in 2022 at 14.42 a game while the Kentucky “D” gave up the 11th fewest points at 19.08. Conversely, the Iowa offense ranked 122nd of 131 FBS teams in points scored per game at 17.9, while Kentucky’s “O” was 105th at 22.1. What shaped up to be a rock fight under normal circumstances will also see both teams without their starting quarterbacks, with UK’s Will Levis opting out and Iowa’s Spencer Petras injured.
The big threat
Iowa middle linebacker Jack Campbell. One star who chose to play in the Music City Bowl is Campbell. The 6-foot-4, 246-pound senior is a consensus first-team All-American, the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and the Butkus Award winner, which goes to the nation’s best linebacker. A homegrown product of Cedar Falls, Iowa, Campbell has made a whopping 118 tackles this season with six tackles for loss, five quarterback hurries, two interceptions and a forced fumble, a pass breakup and a safety. Kentucky saw on New Year’s Day in Orlando how difficult Campbell is to block: He recorded a game-high 14 tackles in the Citrus Bowl.
On the spot
Whoever plays quarterback for Kentucky. With Kentucky starting QB Will Levis prioritizing NFL Draft preparation, the Wildcats will presumably go with either former Somerset star Kaiya Sheron or true freshman Destin Wade under center. A redshirt freshman, the 6-3, 208-pound Sheron started in place of an injured Levis on Oct. 9 and completed 15 of 27 passes for 178 yards and two touchdown passes vs. one interception in UK’s 24-14 home loss to South Carolina. If he plays in Nashville, the 6-3, 222-pound Wade would be making his college debut in the pro football stadium nearest his hometown of Spring Hill, Tenn.
The mood
Is apathetic. The combination of UK star players not playing; a second bowl meeting in the current calendar year against the same opponent; the expectation of a low-scoring grind; and the highly familiar (for UK fans) site of Nashville has left the Big Blue Nation feeling tepid toward the Music City Bowl. It will be interesting to see if Mark Stoops can get his team to play with a passion that seems mostly lacking in the fan base for the rematch with Iowa.
