Clemson Falls To Kentucky In Music City Bowl

Dec. 29, 2006

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -Andre Woodson threw for three touchdowns and 300 yards as Kentucky surprised Clemson 28-20 in the Music City Bowl on Friday, the Wildcats’ first postseason victory in 22 years.

Woodson completed 20 of 30 passes to finish his breakout season with 31 touchdowns – more than five times his total from last year as a sophomore. He joins Tim Couch in 1997-98 as the only Wildcats quarterbacks to top the 30-touchdown mark in a season.

Behind Woodson, chosen as the game’s Most Valuable Player, the Wildcats (8-5) racked up their highest point total in bowl history. They won their sixth bowl game overall and their first since a victory over Wisconsin in the 1984 Hall of Fame Bowl.

Kentucky made its first bowl appearance since 1999.

Clemson (8-5) took the loss in its 18th bowl game since 1985. The Tigers hadn’t ended their season in defeat in three years. Despite beating Wake Forest and Georgia Tech, the teams that played for the Atlantic Coast Conference title, Clemson went into a tailspin down the stretch, losing four of five.

While Kentucky’s offensive fireworks weren’t completely unexpected, a defense that came into the game ranked second-to-last nationally made the difference. The Wildcats held a 4-2 turnover advantage and limited Clemson to just six points until the final seven minutes when Kentucky used a prevent defense.

A large early deficit forced the Tigers, one of the country’s best rushing teams, into passing situations. Running backs James Davis and C.J. Spiller combined for just 77 yards, and Spiller fell short of the 86 he needed to make the tandem the first in school history with 1,000 rushing yards each.