What a Year it was in 2007

Well Ladies and Gentlemen, its been a while since we last spoke. I am very sorry for the time off, the holidays have been pretty hectic. However 2008 is here and we just experienced a great weekend to end 2007 in Nashville. The "Back-to-Back" Music City Bowl Championship is UK's first back-to-back victories in some 50 years. Coach Brooks said that we would accomplish some things that hadn't been done around here in long time; Coach Brooks...you are no liar. The job you have done during your tenure here at UK is nothing short of amazing.

Lets start with the Louisville game shall we. Mr. Little Brother all high and mighty sporting their Orange Bowl Championship and their top 10 ranking, strutting into Commonwealth Stadium expecting another Big Blue Blowout. Well our boys in Blue had other feelings about that. Tired of being shown up by Little Brother since the days of J-Load, Andre connected to Stevie "Got Loose" Johnson and sent the crowd into a frenzy and also sent little brother packing. What a day that was. And I think we all know where Louisville ended up this year. The Lay-Z-Boy "In front of your TV" Bowl.

We now move to Fayetteville, Arkansas. A formidable road opponent. These Razorbacks were the defending SEC West Champions as well as being lead by Heisman Candidate superstar Darren McFadden. A sure loss for the Cats, especially after the early turnovers. As Lee Corso would say..."Not so fast my friend!" Insert true freshman Derrick Locke in the second half and you have the first significant road victory of the Rich Brooks era. Not to mention a top 15 ranking to follow after the win. We then captured a top 10 ranking following the win over future bowl victor FAU.

After a tough loss in Columbia, SC we ushered in the consensus #1 team in the Land...the LSU Tigers. In front of a national audience, the entire country saw our beloved Cats pull off arguably the biggest victory in school history. Who could have imagined walking into Commonwealth that day that we would stop the Tigers on 4th and short and pull out the win in double overtime. It was simply incredible; the atmosphere, the fans... words do absolutely no justice.

We had ESPN Gameday make it's first ever stop in Lexington for football. Another day for the country to see that we are more than just a basketball school. We had one of the largest crowds ever for the show, and lets hope that its not the last time they come our way.

Sure there were some tough times. The turnover plagued USC game. The hard fought loss to Tebow. The exhausting loss to Mississippi State. The "what could have been" defeat at UGA, and of course the Tennessee game. So many close games, but the season was a success and we were rewarded with a return trip to Nashville, and the Music City Bowl. While it wasn't the Florida State that we all know from a few years back, it was still the Seminoles and legendary Coach Bobby Bowden. The victory was the perfect send off for these group of Seniors, the Seniors who stuck with the program through the lean years of probation, and lead this team to where it is today. We are forever indebted to these kids for all of their blood, sweat, and tears over the past 4 -5 years. 2007 was truly a great year for UK Football. With Rich Brooks stockpiling recruits and red-shirts, lets hope it only gets better.