Kyle is on vacation this week …. and I specifically told all my writers NO VACATION, NO TIME OFF, and NO PAY!!! Shows you how well they listen. Fortunately, Kyle worked his butt off all summer and did a season preview about a month or so ago. Since most of you were on vacation, we will look at his picks for the upcoming football season:
September 4 – @ Louisville Cardinals
My Prediction: Kentucky 28 – Louisville 20
I think the smoother transition by Joker will make the difference. While I’d rather get a vasectomy than root for the Cardinals, I think Charlie Strong will be good for them in the future. I believe that Krags just left the team in too dire straits for the Cards to pull this one off. Hartline picks the defense apart with little pressure from a miniscule defensive line. Kentucky has more talent and more experience and should emerge from this one is a closer-than-it-should-be game.
POG: Mike Hartline
September 11 – vs WKU Hilltoppers
My Prediction: Kentucky 34 – Western Kentucky 10
I actually root for WKU in every game that they’re not playing Kentucky. The talent gap is just too wide for the Hilltoppers to come into this game and walk out with a win. Kentucky will stick to the running game and run over around and through the WKU defense on the way to a 150+ yard day for Derrick Locke.
POG: Derrick Locke
September 18 – vs Akron Zips
My Prediction: Kentucky 27 – Akron 14
I don’t think Akron is as good as the score indicates, but this is a classic trap game for UK. If the Cats can keep their eyes on the Zips and not look ahead to the Gators, this one won’t be as close. Derrick Locke has a big day against a slower defensive unit and the Kentucky defense crushes the Akron QB for 5+ sacks and 2 picks.
POG: Winston Guy
September 25 – @ Florida Gators
My Prediction: Florida 31 – Kentucky 28
I know that Florida is stacked with talented players, but they’ll also be breaking in a tone of new starters. The Gators won’t take the Cats seriously with this matchup wedged between away games at Tennessee and Alabama. Randall Cobb gets shut down as the defense focuses on him and Chris Matthews has a 100+ yard 2 TD receiveing day giving UK the lead midway through the fourth quarter. Defense gives up a big screen to Jeff Demps late in the game that puts Florida in position to kick the game winning field goal, and they come through. If this game were in Lexington though, the result might be different.
POG: Chris Matthews
October 2 – @ Ole Miss Rebels
My Prediction: Kentucky 17 – Ole Miss 14
This game comes out close than anyone would like. Kentucky goes into Oxford and beats up Ole Miss physically, but the Rebels capitalize on turnovers to keep the game close. Randall Cobb is the difference maker with 250+ all purpose yards and a kick return for a TD. Alex Smith breaks out and capitalizes on opportunities in the short zones on his way to a breakout game and SEC freshman of the week honors. DeQuin Evans notches 2 sacks and Joseph Mansour kicks a 50+ yard field goal for the Kentucky win.
POG: Randall Cobb
October 9 vs – Auburn Tigers
My Prediction: Auburn 24 – Kentucky 17
The Tigers come into Commonwealth and exact revenge for last years game. New QB Cam Newton hurts Kentucky on the ground while the Cats are dropping back into coverage and UK is caught off guard by one of Auburn’s patented trick plays at an inopportune moment. The Auburn defense forces a couple of turnovers when Kentucky gets into the redzone and takes points away from the Cats. Despite a great performance by Qua Huzzie wo racks up 10+ tackles, UK can’t overcome mistakes and drops one.
POG for UK: Derrick Locke
October 16 – vs South Carolina Gamecocks
My Prediction: Kentucky 44 – South Carolina 37 (OT)
The first streak is ended in Lexington as Joker defeats his former team. South Carolina’s Stephen Garcia starts after being benched for the previous two games and his rust shows early. Randall Burden picks off two errant passes taking one back for a touchdown. Kentucky builds an early lead and uses a combo of Derrick Locke and Donald Russell to punish the USC defense and work the clock. South Carolina gets a big special teams play late in the game that puts them into position to score and the game goes into overtime tied at 34. After a pair of field goals, Kentucky catches a USC corner on a play action and hits Chris Matthews in the back of the endzone. Stephen Garcia misses his target on fourth down and UK takes the win.
POG for UK: Derrick Locke
October 23 – vs Georgia Bulldogs
My Prediction: Kentucky 35 – Georgia 27
Kentucky catches Georgia sleeping and grabs their second win in a row. Georgia comes up to Lexington after blasting Vanderbilt and finds a different type of challenge waiting for them. After Georgia prepares to stop the run all week, Kentucky comes out in three receiver sets and forces on of the bigger OLB for Georgia to step out and cover. LaRod King catches 8 balls for 75+ yards in the biggest game of his career so far and DeQuin Evans comes up big again with a sack and a forced fumble. A.J. Green is banged up again this year and Kentucky takes out the bulldogs in a nationally televised primetime game.
POG: DeQuin Evans
October 30 – @ Mississippi State Bulldogs
My Prediction: Kentucky 24 – Mississippi State 3
The Wildcats travel down to Starkville to steal one from the Bulldogs in embarrassing fashion. The Bulldogs essentially beat themselves as QB Tyler Russell has taken over the starting job and commits five turnovers. The Wildcats score on a punt return by Jerrell Priester early in the game to get the lead and Bulldogs can’t keep up due to turnovers committed on their side of the field. While big, the MSU defense can’t keep up with Locke and Cobb piles up 10+ catches on the night and throws a double pass to a wide open Anthony Kendrick for a touchdown.
POG: Randall Cobb
November 6 – vs Charleston Southern Buccaneers
My Prediction: Kentucky 48 – Charleston Southern 13
Kentucky pummels the Bucs while resting their starters and getting some reps for the younger guys. Brian Adams breaks out with 150+ yards receiving against an overpowered secondary and Jonathan George rushes for 100+ yards for the first time in his career. Ricky Lumpkin abuses the woeful offensive line for 3 sacks, 5 tackles for loss, and a forced fumble before sitting the second half.
POG: Mike Hartline
November 13 – vs Vanderbilt Commodores
My Prediction: Kentucky 31 – Vanderbilt 20
Vanderbilt plays poorly all season with Warren Norman as a bright spot on a bad team. He comes to Kentucky and manages to run for 180+ yards, but QB Larry Smith has a bad game that the Wildcats take advantage of mistakes and miscues in the passing game and Randall Cobb abuses the secondary throughout the game. The Cats send Vandy back to Nashville with a loss and head to their Bye week.
POG: Randall Cobb
November 27 – @ Tennessee Volunteers
My Prediction: Kentucky 32 – Tennessee 21
The streak ends this year. I know, I’ve actually said that for the past 20 years, but this time it happens. Coach Dooley has enough of the garbage and kicks two more starters off an already ravaged team. The Offensive line is absurdly awful for a Tennessee squad and a kid that couldn’t even make it at Louisville is pummeled all night in Knoxville. Randall Cobb exacts his revenge in a career game before declaring for the NFL draft by catching 12 balls for 175 yards while racking up all four of Kentucky’s touchdowns. Danny Trevathan and Winston Guy both go for 10+ tackles and the Wildcats finish the game without a turnover or penalty. And with that Joker wraps up the season with an immediate contract extension and a trip to the Capital One bowl in Orlando on New Year’s Day.
POG: Randall Cobb
So there you have it: My officially irrelevant prediction of how the season goes for the gridiron Cats. That’s a 10-2 final record and a 2nd place finish in the SEC east. If everything plays out this way, I’ll see you all at the huge UK fan party in Orlando……….If my wife let’s me go.
If not, I’ll watch you on TV while I’m redecorating the dining room.
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