Just when you think these 500 bowls (approximate figure) are just meaningless program filler for ESPN or sponsorship opportunities for American commerce, along comes this year's Belk Bowl.
"This was probably the most fun game I've ever played in," Kentucky center Drake Jackson said Tuesday.
His Wildcats won, of course, which contributed to his enjoyment factor. It was more than the outcome, however. Why even the losing coach, Virginia Tech's Justin Fuente, who didn't impress me as a happy-go-lucky kind of guy, admitted after the Hokies fell 37-30 that it was still one heck of a football game.
Not that we should have been surprised. Kentucky and Virginia Tech were two evenly matched teams. The Cats finished the regular season 7-5; the Hokies 8-4. Both played their best football the second half of the season. Both were led by quarterbacks _ Virginia Tech sophomore Hendon Hooker and Kentucky junior Lynn Bowden _ and young defenses.
And, after all, we've come to learn that whenever Bowden is on the field something exciting is likely to happen. Unfortunately, some of that happened leading up to the game. At Monday's Media Day, Lynn was Bad Mood Bowden, his clipped answers apparently in response to some unkind things allegedly said by the Hokies during the week. The ill will spilled over into pregame when a confrontation with some Virginia Tech players involved Bowden throwing a half-punch at a Hokie.
Order was restored. Both sides returned to their respective locker rooms for a cool-it talk from their coaches. But then a month is a long build-up to a football game.
"When you're down here for a week and there's some crossover and things happen," Stoops said. "There's not a bowl game that I've been to that doesn't happen every now and then."
The trash talking on the field was trumped by big plays. One after another. Back and forth. There were three lead changes, two ties, a record-setting 54-yard field goal by the Hokies' Brian Johnson, an unsung and crucial job by UK kicker Matt Ruffolo, a pair of terrific touchdown grabs by Tech's Damon Hazelton and Dalton Keene, a 43-yard touchdown run by the Hokies' Deshawn McClease and a 61-yard touchdown run by Bowden.
And, to end it all, there was Kentucky's drama-filled 18-play, 85-yard drive that chewed up eight minutes and 10 seconds and ended with Bowden throwing a 13-yard TD pass to Josh Ali with 15 seconds left for what proved to be the winning score.
I can't imagine what poor Bud Foster was going through those final eight excruciating minutes. The legendary Virginia Tech defensive coordinator, and Somerset native, coaching his final game before retirement, could only watch helplessly as no matter what defense he called, his Hokies could not stop Bowden and his Cats.
On the one hand you'd think Foster deserved a better ending, but on the other hand, well, Lynn Bowden.
"It's what he's done to everybody," said Fuente.
So don't tell me this was a meaningless game for the Hokies, a proud football program that appears set for a run to at least an ACC divisional title in 2020.
"They were quiet after the game," said UK recruiting coordinator Vince Marrow of the Virginia Tech players. "This is the SEC, bro. Remember that."
And don't tell me this was a meaningless game for Kentucky, whose quarterback could have opted out and started his preparation for his days as an NFL wide receiver. Instead, Bowden chose to play and ended up setting an any-bowl record for rushing yards (233) by a quarterback, and leading his team to a meaningful victory. A bowl victory.
And Kentucky's eighth victory. During the bowl build-up, various Cats had talked about the importance of that number, how it meant something to them, especially this season. And they went out and got it.
Said Stoops, "I love this football team."
