2009 Music City Bowl
Encyclopedia
The 2009 Gaylord Hotels
Music City Bowl
was the twelfth edition of the college football
bowl game
, and will be played at LP Field
in Nashville, Tennessee
. The game was played on Sunday, December 27, 2009
and was telecast on ESPN
. The ACC's
Clemson Tigers
defeated the SEC's
Kentucky Wildcats
21–13.
Music City Bowl officials originally wanted to select North Carolina
as the ACC representative. This would have set up a contest between two traditional college basketball powers (the Wildcats and Tar Heels are first and second, respectively, in all-time college basketball wins). This plan came undone, however, when the Chick-fil-A
, Gator
, and Champs Sports
Bowls all passed on Clemson, which lost the 2009 ACC Championship Game
to Georgia Tech
. This forced the Music City Bowl to take Clemson. Under the ACC's bowl selection rules in 2009, the conference title game loser could not fall below the Music City Bowl, which had the fifth pick among bowl-eligible ACC teams. The Tar Heels accepted a bid to the 2009 Meineke Car Care Bowl
.
Since 2002, the name of the bowl game has been known as The Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl, being named after its primary sponsor, Gaylord Hotels
. The 2010 game will mark the first time since then that a new company will be the title sponsor of the game, as Franklin American Mortgage will take over. Gaylord Hotels will continue to be a major sponsor of the game.
This was Kentucky's third appearance in the bowl game in four years. It was Clemson's second appearance in the bowl. The game was a rematch of the 2006 game
in which Kentucky won by a score of 28–20. The two teams had met a total of 12 previous times with Kentucky winning 8 of the previous games. Aside from the 2006 Music City Bowl, the schools also met in the 1993 Peach Bowl
, a game won by Clemson 14–13.
Clemson senior
and likely future NFL player, C.J. Spiller ended his final college game with a win. Spiller was named the game's MVP as he accounted for 172 all purpose yards and a rushing touchdown, the 51st touchdown of his college career. The Wildcats' only TD came on their opening drive when freshman
quarterback Morgan Newton found Chris Matthews in the end zone for a 17-yard TD pass and a 7-0 lead. Clemson played excellent defense throughout the contest only allowing Kentucky to 277 total yards of offense. After the game 68 year old Kentucky coach Rich Brooks
stated that there was about an 80 percent chance that the game would be his last at Kentucky.
Weather was a significant factor in the game's play. The game time temperature was a chilly 38 degrees and steadily dropped throughout the night. Winds gusted up to 22 mph and not only affected the kicking game and strategy for both teams but also made the temperature feel as if it were in the low 20 degree range. At one point Clemson kicker Richard Jackson who has kicked 3 field goals on the season from 50 yards plus lined up for a 44 yard field goal. The ball hung in the air when kicked and ended up falling about 8 yards short of the goal post.
Gaylord Hotels
Gaylord Hotels is the hospitality arm of Gaylord Entertainment Company. It oversees four large hotels and convention centers which the company refers to as "resorts":*Gaylord Opryland in Nashville, Tennessee*Gaylord Palms in Kissimmee, Florida...
Music City Bowl
Music City Bowl
The Music City Bowl is a post-season American college football bowl game certified by the NCAA that has been played in Nashville, Tennessee, since 1998.-Site:The first Music City Bowl was played at Vanderbilt Stadium in 1998...
was the twelfth edition of the college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
bowl game
Bowl game
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
, and will be played at LP Field
LP Field
LP Field is a football stadium in Nashville, Tennessee, United States, owned by the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County....
in Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
. The game was played on Sunday, December 27, 2009
2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season
The 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on September 2, 2009, progressed through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in Pasadena, California on January 7, 2010, featuring the...
and was telecast on ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
. The ACC's
2009 ACC football season
The 2009 ACC football season was an NCAA football season that was played from September 3, 2009, to January 5, 2010. The Atlantic Coast Conference consists of 12 members in two divisions. The Atlantic division consists of Boston College, Clemson, Florida State, Maryland, North Carolina State and...
Clemson Tigers
2009 Clemson Tigers football team
The 2009 Clemson Tigers football team represented Clemson University in the 2009 college football season. The Tigers were led by head coach Dabo Swinney, who was in his first full season as head coach. The Tigers played their home games in Memorial Stadium...
defeated the SEC's
2009 Southeastern Conference football season
The 2009 Southeastern Conference football season started on Thursday, September 3 as conference member South Carolina visited North Carolina State. The conference’s other 11 teams began their respective 2009 season of NCAA Division I FBS competition on Saturday, September 5...
Kentucky Wildcats
2009 Kentucky Wildcats football team
The 2009 Kentucky Wildcats football team represented the University of Kentucky during the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Rich Brooks, in his seventh and ultimately final season at Kentucky, and played its home games at Commonwealth Stadium. The Wildcats competed...
21–13.
Music City Bowl officials originally wanted to select North Carolina
2009 North Carolina Tar Heels football team
The 2009 North Carolina Tar Heels football team represented the University of North Carolina during its 57th season in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Tar Heels played in the Coastal Division of the conference. The Tar Heels finished the season 8–5, 4–4 in ACC play and lost in the Meineke Car...
as the ACC representative. This would have set up a contest between two traditional college basketball powers (the Wildcats and Tar Heels are first and second, respectively, in all-time college basketball wins). This plan came undone, however, when the Chick-fil-A
2009 Chick-fil-A Bowl
The 2009 Chick-fil-A Bowl was a postseason college football bowl game between the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Tennessee Volunteers on December 31, 2009, in the Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia. Virginia Tech defeated Tennessee 40–12. The game was part of the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season...
, Gator
2010 Gator Bowl
The 2010 Gator Bowl game was a post-season college football bowl game between the Florida State University Seminoles from the ACC, and the West Virginia University Mountaineers representing the Big East, and was played on Friday, January 1, 2010, at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium in Jacksonville,...
, and Champs Sports
2009 Champs Sports Bowl
The 2009 Champs Sports Bowl was a college football bowl game between the Wisconsin Badgers of the Big Ten Conference and the Miami Hurricanes of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Played at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida, the game started at 8:00 PM US EST on Tuesday, December 29, 2009 and was...
Bowls all passed on Clemson, which lost the 2009 ACC Championship Game
2009 ACC Championship Game
The 2009 ACC Championship Game was a college football game between the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and the Clemson Tigers. The game, sponsored by Dr. Pepper, was the final regular-season contest of the 2009 college football season for the Atlantic Coast Conference. Georgia Tech defeated Clemson,...
to Georgia Tech
2009 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team
The 2009 Yellow Jackets football team represented the Georgia Institute of Technology in the 2009–2010 Football Season. The team was coached by second year head coach Paul Johnson...
. This forced the Music City Bowl to take Clemson. Under the ACC's bowl selection rules in 2009, the conference title game loser could not fall below the Music City Bowl, which had the fifth pick among bowl-eligible ACC teams. The Tar Heels accepted a bid to the 2009 Meineke Car Care Bowl
2009 Meineke Car Care Bowl
The 2009 Meineke Car Care Bowl was the eighth edition of the college football bowl game, and was played at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. The game started at 4:30 PM US EST on Saturday, December 26, 2009 and was telecasted on ESPN and ESPN360...
.
Since 2002, the name of the bowl game has been known as The Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl, being named after its primary sponsor, Gaylord Hotels
Gaylord Hotels
Gaylord Hotels is the hospitality arm of Gaylord Entertainment Company. It oversees four large hotels and convention centers which the company refers to as "resorts":*Gaylord Opryland in Nashville, Tennessee*Gaylord Palms in Kissimmee, Florida...
. The 2010 game will mark the first time since then that a new company will be the title sponsor of the game, as Franklin American Mortgage will take over. Gaylord Hotels will continue to be a major sponsor of the game.
This was Kentucky's third appearance in the bowl game in four years. It was Clemson's second appearance in the bowl. The game was a rematch of the 2006 game
2006 Music City Bowl
The 2006 Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl featured a contest between the Clemson Tigers and the Kentucky Wildcats. Clemson entered the game with a record of 8-4 after having been ranked in the AP poll for most weeks of the season, as high as #10; Kentucky was 7-5 and unranked...
in which Kentucky won by a score of 28–20. The two teams had met a total of 12 previous times with Kentucky winning 8 of the previous games. Aside from the 2006 Music City Bowl, the schools also met in the 1993 Peach Bowl
1993 Peach Bowl (December)
1993 Peach Bowl matched the Clemson Tigers of the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Kentucky Wildcats of the Southeastern Conference. Clemson entered the game at 8-3 and ranked #24 in the AP poll after being ranked as high as #21 during the season; Kentucky was 6-5 and unranked. Clemson was...
, a game won by Clemson 14–13.
Game summary
Clemson wore their secondary home Purple jerseys and Kentucky wore their white road jerseys.Clemson senior
Senior (education)
Senior is a term used in the United States to describe a student in the 4th year of study .-High school:...
and likely future NFL player, C.J. Spiller ended his final college game with a win. Spiller was named the game's MVP as he accounted for 172 all purpose yards and a rushing touchdown, the 51st touchdown of his college career. The Wildcats' only TD came on their opening drive when freshman
Freshman
A freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a...
quarterback Morgan Newton found Chris Matthews in the end zone for a 17-yard TD pass and a 7-0 lead. Clemson played excellent defense throughout the contest only allowing Kentucky to 277 total yards of offense. After the game 68 year old Kentucky coach Rich Brooks
Rich Brooks
Rich Brooks is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Oregon from 1977 to 1994 and at the University of Kentucky from 2003 to 2009, compiling a career college football record of 128–154–4. Brooks was also the head coach of the...
stated that there was about an 80 percent chance that the game would be his last at Kentucky.
Weather was a significant factor in the game's play. The game time temperature was a chilly 38 degrees and steadily dropped throughout the night. Winds gusted up to 22 mph and not only affected the kicking game and strategy for both teams but also made the temperature feel as if it were in the low 20 degree range. At one point Clemson kicker Richard Jackson who has kicked 3 field goals on the season from 50 yards plus lined up for a 44 yard field goal. The ball hung in the air when kicked and ended up falling about 8 yards short of the goal post.
Scoring summary
| Scoring Play | Score | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Quarter | |||
| UK - Chris Matthews 17 yard pass from Morgan Newton (Lones Seiber kick), 10:08 | UK 7–0 | ||
| CLM - Jacoby Ford 32 yard pass from Kyle Parker (Richard Jackson kick), 0:16 | TIE 7–7 | ||
| 2nd Quarter | |||
| UK - Lones Seiber 39 yard, 7:29 | UK 10–7 | ||
| CLM - Jamie Harper 1 yard rush (Richard Jackson kick), 5:19 | CLM 14–10 | ||
| 3rd Quarter | |||
| UK - Lones Seiber 44 yard, 10:13 | CLM 14–13 | ||
| 4th Quarter | |||
| CLM - C.J Spiller 8 yard rush (Richard Jackson kick), 10:14 | CLM - 21–13 | ||