Kentucky?s performance in the Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl has drawn more praise, as Richard Cirminiello of CollegeFootballNews.com had three UK entries in his column, ?The 100 Stars of Bowl Season.?
Kentucky?s overall performance was rated No. 19 on the list, Andre? Woodson came in at No. 27, and the Kentucky defense was No. 73. Cirminiello wrote:
19. Kentucky ? The Wildcats authored a historical and improbable win against Clemson in the Music City Bowl, adding an exclamation point to their turnaround season. The double-digit underdogs started fast, forcing the Tigers to abandon the run, and held on behind a surprising effort from the defense for their first bowl win in 22 years. For Rich Brooks, it was sweet redemption for a coach that?s spent most of his four years in Lexington on the hot seat.
27. Kentucky QB Andre Woodson ? Woodson added another chapter in his breakthrough junior season, withstanding some early pressure from Clemson in the Music City Bowl to throw for 299 yards and three touchdowns on 20-of-28 passing. By leading the Wildcats to their own Music City Miracle, the junior became just the third Kentucky quarterback in the last half-century to win a bowl game.
73. Kentucky D ? The nation?s 118th-ranked defense delivered, by far, its best performance of the 2006 season in the Music City Bowl, creating four game-changing turnovers and holding Clemson to just six points through the first 3? quarters, when the outcome was still in doubt.
13 SEC Players Declare for NFL Draft: Thirteen players from the Southeastern Conference declared for early entry to the National Football League Draft, which will be held in April. The list of SEC players includes:
Jamaal Anderson, DE – Arkansas
Chris Houston, CB – Arkansas
Jarvis Moss, DE – Florida
Reggie Nelson, S – Florida
Brandon Siler, LB – Florida
Ryan Smith, CB – Florida
Charles Johnson, DE – Georgia
Danny Ware, RB – Georgia
JaMarcus Russell, QB – Louisiana State
Rory Johnson, LB – Mississippi
Stanley Doughty, NT – South Carolina
Sidney Rice, WR – South Carolina
Robert Meachem, WR – Tennessee
Notes: Kentucky would have played against all of these players next season, with the exception of Rory Johnson at Ole Miss ? Danny Ware is the cousin of Wildcat strong safety Roger Williams ? One player from UK?s non-conference opponents, Louisville RB Michael Bush, also gave up his final season to enter the draft.
