Music City Bowl Was All Academic As Wildcats Take Down Noles 35-28

There was a big dose of irony for the Noles as they prepared for the Music City Bowl. After all, the mass suspension of players for the game was due to cheating on an online music appreciation course. The irony of ironies. So the Noles were left singing the blues as they headed to Nashville with first team players missing on both offense and defense. The Seminoles were left preparing for the Kentucky Wildcats short 36 players.

The Noles came to Nashville like so many aspiring singers, writers, and musicians- to face the music. The game was an opportunity for the remaining players to show what they were still capable of doing on the field.

The first half was marked by momentum changes and questionable calls by the refs. One call saw an FSU TD by wide receiver Greg Carr called back for offensive play calling. The FSU defense played about as good as they could play and made some big calls when it was needed.

FSU corner Tony Carter's interception and return for a TD tied the game up for the Noles. FSU was able to keep points off the board for Kentucky when the Wildcats missed a field goal to end the half. The first half ended in a 14-14 tie with Bobby Bowden summarizing the sentiments of many FSU fans regarding ref penalty calls when he told ESPN analyst Jack Arute, "It irritates the crap out of me."

In the third quarter,it was all blue as the Wildcats scored twice to take the lead 28-14, It was obvious that the depleted FSU defense was getting tired. The fat lady was beginning to warm up her vocal cords at the end of the third quarter for her final song in the Music City Bowl.

When Kentucky scored a TD with under six minutes left in the game to go up 35-21, only the most rabid fan thought the Noles still had a shot.

However,a blocked Kentucky field goal and a subsequent TD by the Noles gave fans hope as the Noles pulled to within seven with a little over two minutes to go. When an onside kick was recovered by Kentucky, it looked over.

It looked as if the Noles still had a shot when a fumble by the Wildcats and an almost sure recovery fumble by the Noles was snatched out of the hands of Nole safety Michael Ray Garvin.

However,the Noles were able to get the ball back with a minute left and drive the ball down the field to attempt a hail Mary in the end zone that was batted away by the Wildcats to end the game.

The Noles came close but were unable to overcome a lot of adversity. The fat lady finally sang "The King," Elvis Presley's song, "Too Much". There was too much going against the Noles going into the Music City Bowl and in the end it was all academic.