THE COACHES

Rich Brooks is in his seventh season at Kentucky with a record of 39-46 (.459) and 19th overall with a record of 130-155-4 (.457). The Wildcats’ offensive coordinator is Randy Sanders and Steve Brown serves as the defensive coordinator.

Dabo Swinney is in his second season at Clemson and overall with a record of 12-8 (.600). The Tigers’ offensive coordinator is Billy Napier and the defensive coordinator is Kevin Steele.


WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN KENTUCKY HAS THE BALL

Randall Cobb, a sophomore from Alcoa, Tenn., leads the team in pass receiving with 37 catches for 427 yards and four touchdowns. While operating at QB out of the "WildCobb" formation, he has rushed for 537 yards and 10 TDs. He ranks second in the SEC in touchdowns, third in scoring third in punt returns and third in all-purpose yardage. Derrick Locke leads the team and is sixth in the SEC in rushing with 843 yards and six touchdowns. He added 25 pass receptions for 254 yards and two scores. Morgan Newton guided the Wildcats to a 5-2 record in his starting assignments, including SEC road wins at Auburn, Vanderbilt and Georgia.

DeAndre McDaniel has eight interceptions to rank second in the nation and first in the ACC. He needs just one more to establish the Clemson single season record. He has been the leader of a Clemson team that ranks third in the nation in interceptions and 11th in pass defense. McDaniel has 87 tackles from his safety position, including two sacks. Rashard Hall ranks 13th in the nation and second in the ACC in interceptions this season with six in the 13 Tiger games. It is tied for the third most interceptions in Clemson history by a freshman.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN CLEMSON HAS THE BALL

Corey Peters, a senior from Louisville, notched 52 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, four quarterback sacks and five pass breakups in 2009. He was chosen SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week twice this season. All-SEC LB Sam Maxwell, a senior from Hartwell, Ga., will miss the bowl game due to injury. He totaled 80 tackles, including 5.5 for loss, with his biggest value coming on his game-changing plays. He ranked second in the SEC in interceptions and fifth in total passes defended, rare feats for a linebacker. Micah Johnson hit the century mark with 100 tackles, with six games in double figures, despite playing with a sprained knee for much of the season. He also had 6.5 tackles for loss.

A finalist for the Doak Walker Award, C.J. Spiller had 233 yards rushing in 20 attempts and scored a career high four touchdowns in the ACC Championship game against Georgia Tech on December 5. He now has 1145 rushing yards this year and 445 receiving yards. He has 50 career touchdowns and needs just one to become Clemson's career leader. Kyle Parker was Clemson's starting quarterback in all 13 games this year. The native of Jacksonville, FL, is tied for first in the nation in wins by freshman starting quarterbacks this year with eight, a total that is a Clemson freshman record. Parker completed 197-355 passes for 19 touchdowns and 2385 yards so far this season.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Locke leads the SEC in kickoff returns with a sizzling 29.6-yard average, including a 100-yard touchdown runback vs. Louisville. Cobb averages 13.5 yards on punt returns and 26.5 yards on kickoff returns. Ryan Tydlacka averaged 40.7 yards per punt. Even more valuable was his hang time and punt placement, which allowed only 10 of his 60 punts to be returned. As a team, UK ranked fourth in the SEC in net punting.

Spiller established an NCAA record for kickoff returns for touchdowns in a career with seven. He is the only player in the nation to score a touchdown in every game this year. This year he has accounted for a touchdown five different ways, 11 rushing, four receiving, four on kickoff returns, one on a punt return and one by throwing a touchdown pass. He has 7416 all-purpose yards for his career, third best in NCAA history.

SERIES/GAME NOTES

Record: UK, 8-4 • Last: Kentucky, 28-20 (2006 at Music City Bowl)
This game will mark the first time that Kentucky football teams have seen post-season action for four-straight years... UK began the string with a win against Clemson in the 2006 Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl, followed by another Music City victory in 2007 over Florida State... The Wildcats capped last season with a comeback triumph over East Carolina in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl...This will be the 14th bowl appearance in school history, with the Wildcats carrying an 8-5 record in post-season play... It will be the fourth time for UK to participate in the Music City Bowl... Kentucky has a 2-1 mark in the Nashville event, with a loss to Syracuse in 1999 before the two wins in 2006 and '07.



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