With the win, Kentucky finishes the season 8-5 overall, duplicating last year’s final record. It is the first time since 1976-77 that UK has had eight wins in consecutive seasons.
UK is now 7-5 all-time in bowl games and has now won two in a row.
This marks only the second time in school history that Kentucky has won bowl games in consecutive seasons. The Wildcats got back-to-back bowl wins 56 seasons ago, during the 1950-51 seasons (1951 Sugar, 1952 Cotton Bowl).
Kentucky now leads the series with Florida State, 4-1-1, having claimed the past two meetings.
The Wildcats have a 44-39-6 record all-time vs. teams currently comprising the Atlantic Coast Conference.
UK has now claimed nine consecutive non-conference wins, the most since a 17-game win stretch from 1954-60.
Kentucky has now won eight of its last 11 meetings decided by 10 points or less, including a 4-2 mark in such games this season.
Team Notes
Fifteen Wildcat seniors played their final game for Kentucky today.
Kentucky totaled over 500 yards of total offense for the fifth time this season and the second consecutive game.
UK passed for over 300 yards for the fourth time this season and for the second consecutive game.
The Wildcats have thrown for 200 yards or more in 19 consecutive games.
Kentucky rushed for 143 yards. The Wildcats went 8-2 this season when gaining more than 100 yards on the ground.
Kentucky blocked its first punt since Jacob Tamme blocked a Florida punt on Sept. 24, 2005.
Individual Notes
Quarterback Andre’ Woodson had another career day for the Wildcats en route to his second consecutive Gaylord Hotel Music City Bowl Most Valuable Player honor, completing 32-of-50 passes for 358 yards and four touchdowns.
With four touchdown passes, Woodson has 79 career TD tosses and became UK’s all-time career passing touchdown record holder, moving past Jared Lorenzen’s 78 career TD passes. Woodson also moved into fifth place on the SEC career list for touchdown passes.
Woodson’s four touchdowns passes gives him 40 in the season, setting the Southeastern Conference single-season mark. Woodson passed Florida’s Danny Wuerffel’s 39 TD throws.
Woodson has thrown for 200 yards and at least one touchdown in 19 consecutive games.
With 32 passing completions vs. FSU, Woodson now has 791 career pass completions, moving past Tennessee’s Casey Clausen for eighth place on the SEC career list.
In two games at LP Field, Woodson has passed for 657 yards, seven TDs and just one interception, completing 52-of-78 passes.
Woodson ends his career as the SEC’s all-time leader in lowest interception ratio (minimum 400 attempts). Woodson threw 25 interceptions in 1258 career attempts, a ratio of one pickoff per 51.1 attempts. The old record was one interception per 49.2 attempts by D. J. Shockley of Georgia.
Woodson totaled his seventh career 300-yard passing performance, and his 25th career 200 or more yard passing game.
Senior Rafael Little totaled 152 yards on 28 carries and nine catches for 58 yards and a touchdown.
Little’s 152-yard rushing performance marked his sixth 100-yard rushing game of the season.
Little’s 13th 100-yard rushing contest of his career tied Moe Williams for second place on the career list for 100-yard games.
Little totaled 150 or more yards for the second time this season and the third time of his career.
Little totaled 1,013 yards rushing this season, the second 1,000 yard season of his career. Sonny Collins is the only other player in school history to have two 1,000-yard rushing seasons in a career.
Little finishes his career with 2,996 career rushing yards, moving past Mark Higgs for sole possession of third place on the UK career rushing list.
Little’s nine pass receptions gives him 132 career catches, moving him into sixth place on the UK career list, passing Derek Homer (129 receptions).
Little totaled 214 all-purpose yards, giving him 5,345 career all-purpose yards, passing LSU’s Dalton Hillard for seventh place in SEC history. He finished second in UK history behind Derek Abney.
Senior receiver Keenan Burton finished with seven catches for 56 yards.
Burton ends his collegiate career with 2,376 career receiving yards, moving past Derek Abney for second place on the UK career receiving yardage list.
Senior linebacker Wesley Woodyard finished the game with a team-best 15 tackles.
Woodyard has made at least four tackles in 37 consecutive games. He has 18 double-digit tackle games in his career.
Woodyard ends his career with 395 career tackles, passing Jerry Blanton (389) for seventh place on the UK career tackle chart.
Woodyard and Woodson made their team-high 37th consecutive start.
Senior Steve Johnson gained a team-high 124 yards on seven catches.
Johnson finished the season with 1,052 receiving yards on the season.
This was Johnson’s fourth 100-yard game of the season.
In two career games at LP Field, Johnson has totaled 10 receptions for 191 yards and two touchdowns.
Johnson ties fellow 2007 senior Keenan Burton for second place all-time on the UK single-season touchdown catch list, hauling in his 12th and 13th TD catch of the season.
Junior Dicky Lyons Jr. ended the game with five catches for 78 yards.
Dicky Lyons Jr. has totaled 108 career pass receptions, passing Kevin Coleman for 10th place on the UK career reception list.
Tailback Tony Dixon rushed for 17 yards on four carries, including his fourth touchdown run of the season.
Senior strong safety Roger Williams blocked a punt on Florida State’s first possession of the game. It is the first blocked kick of Williams’ career. It is Kentucky’s first blocked punt since Jacob Tamme blocked a Florida punt on Sept. 24, 2005.
Cornerback Trevard Lindley set a career high with three pass break ups.
Sophomore defensive tackle Corey Peters made his first career interception late in the fourth quarter.
Kicker Lones Seiber set the school record for extra points in a season, nailing five PATs in the game, giving him 54 for the season, passing Seth Hanson’s 51 extra points.
Sophomore linebacker Micah Johnson made his second career interception in the fourth quarter.
UK broke the following Kentucky team school bowl records …
Passing Attempts: 50 – Previous record: 40, Music City 2006
Passing Completions: 32 – Previous record: 30, Outback 1999, Music City, 1999
