Wildcat Bowl Memories: Air Attack vs Joe Pa
By Staff
by Paul Jordan
Today is going to be a day of nostalgia on the blog for the UK football program as they head into their fourth straight bowl this weekend. UK football is a lot like being a Chicago Cub fan in that we have been teased with flashes of brilliance and hopes of finally turning the corner only to fall a little short. But in that time, we have had a lot of good times and fond memories as well. I would argue that the recent four year bowl streak is enough to put away talk that we are just a “basketball school” but that is just my opinion of the program. During the day, we have contributions from Tru and Ken Howlett over at A Sea of Blue and our very own Andrew Hardison has some of his favorite memories of football, so it should be a good day to keep checking in and share those memories.
As for me, I will start the reminiscing and I would have to say that my favorite bowl memory was that of a loss. I know that is a little odd to say, but sometimes a loss can bring realization of how far we have actually come.
The season was the 1998 season and Hal Mumme’s “Air Raid” offense with Tim Couch was back for another season. The season started with a 68-34 destruction of the Louisville Cards at their new Papa John’s Stadium. A four game span in the middle of the season saw the Cats beat South Carolina 33-28. beat LSU in Baton Rogue 39-36, lose a 28-26 heartbreaker to Georgia, and defeat Mississippi State 37-35. Tim Couch was a staple on Sportscenter and finished with 4275 yards passing and 36 TD’s. The Couch to Yeast connection was good for 1311 yards and 14 TD’s. No team was safe from the Air Raid and the resurgent Wildcats finished 7-4, including a 4-4 record in the SEC.
The Cat’s reward that year? A trip to the Outback Bowl in Tampa on New Year’s Day vs Joe Paterno and his Penn State Nittany Lions. It was UK’s first New Years Day bowl in 47 years. The UK Air Raid was in full attack early as Couch hit Lance Mickelson for a 36 yard TD strike and then Anthony White for a second first quarter and UK finished the first quarter up 14-3 on mighty Penn State. It was a glorious day at the almost brand new Raymond James Stadium as UK fans made up about 40,000 of the 66,000 in attendance.
And it was this brisk January morning that is my favorite UK bowl memory. It was looking across the field and seeing Joe Paterno on the sidelines and my Wildcats up 14-3. And it was NEW YEARS DAY. I think it was at that moment I realized what it was like to be a football school. I could only think of all the bleary eyed party goers rising from their bed and turning on the bowl games to watch my Wildcats handing it to Penn freaking State. That euphoria lasted through halftime as the Wildcats let Penn State back into the game, but still led 14-13. In the second half, the memory fades as the Penn State defense finally figured out the Air Raid and shut us down to win 26-14.
But you can’t take that memory from me. The feeling of the noon sun starting to warm up the mid morning chill of a Florida January morning. And the fact that for a few brief hours, UK had the attention of the college football world on New Years Day, no less, and were handing it to a legend.
The good thing is that this memory, while good for me, leaves room for a much more fulfilling one down the road.
***** PROGRAMMING NOTE *****
Keep checking back for more bowl memories throughout the day today as we will have more bowl memories and thoughts throughout the day. Stay tuned for these football columns later today:
10:00 AM: Tru from “A Sea of Blue”
1:00 PM: Andrew Hardison
3:00 PM: Ken Howlett from “A Sea of Blue”
Keep following www.http://wildcatbluenation.com for the best in Kentucky basketball and football news, rumors, and opinions. By Kentucky fans for Kentucky fans