John Clay's Sidelines

Big Blue Links for Saturday:

• Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader writes that UK looks to end streak: “While a few tears will be shed, the UK players know they can’t let themselves get too emotionally caught up in the moment. The Cats are just 2-4 under Rich Brooks on Senior Day, including last year’s 31-24 loss to Vanderbilt. The Cats have seen first hand the past two weeks how Senior Day can go awry. They beat Vanderbilt 24-13 in its home finale and followed that with a 34-27 win over Georgia on the Bulldogs’ Senior Day in Athens.”

• Chip’s notes lead with the bowl possibilities: “The Cotton Bowl won’t have any representatives in Lexington, but Cotton Bowl vice president of communications Charlie Fiss said they are keeping an eye on the Wildcats. The Cotton Bowl typically selects a team from the SEC West. Fiss said Mississippi, Louisiana State and Arkansas are the main teams on the radar. But a Kentucky win over Tennessee could shake things up.”

• Mark Wiedmer of the Chattanooga Times Free Press writes on Randall Cobb: “When Tennessee’s Volunteers and the Wildcats renew one of the more lopsided rivalries in Southeastern Conference history tonight at 7 in UK’s Commonwealth Stadium, it’s hard to envision anyone being a better fit for a program than Cobb with the Cats. Tennessee’s 2007 2A Mr. Football, Cobb has scored touchdowns by run (9), reception (4) and return (1). That’s 14 total, and his 8.4 points per game lead the SEC among non-kickers.”

• Wes Rucker of the Times Free Press writes that history won’t help UT: “Past games have no bearing on tonight’s Southeastern Conference meeting in Lexington, the Volunteers and their coaches have said.‘The history of this series means nothing to this game,’ first-year head coach Lane Kiffin said. ‘I’m sorry. It doesn’t.‘”

• Mike Strange of the Knoxville News-Sentinel picks a UK win: “I went into the week with a gut feeling this would be Kentucky’s year. UT’s 24-game winning streak against the Cats is remarkable. Kentucky, in the Jared Lorenzen and Andre Woodson years, had enough horses to end that streak somewhere along the line.”

• Michael Grant of the C-J reports on UK’s seniors: “Left guard Christian Johnson is one of the few seniors who remember what a losing season is like. He played in 2005 when the Wildcats were 3-8. The Fort Campbell, Ky., native, who took a redshirt last year because of a back injury, said the seniors have made their mark – UK is no longer an SEC doormat.”

• UK Football Fan pays tribute to UK seniors: “But Johnson’s importance to this team cannot be measured in tackles. He is “the guy”. Micah is vocal, talented, intense, and looks like a Greek god. When you see him in the tunnel or getting off the bus, it is a reminder that this isn’t old Kentucky. He has been an absolute warrior on the field, playing hurt, getting to the ballcarrier in open space, fighting to the whistle. Micah is a foxhole guy.”

• Kentucky Sports Network does a video interview with Randall Cobb.

• Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger writes on DeMarcus Cousins: “DeMarcus Cousins can dominate a game and/or frustrate a coach at the same time. He can make a great play and/or make a horrible decision at almost the same time.”

• A Sea of Blue reviews the Cancun Challenge: “But aside from Wall, some other UK players have displayed their youth for all to see, like DeMarcus Cousins and Eric Bledsoe. Bledsoe struggled against Cleveland State, but came back with a strong game against the Stanford Cardinal.”

• Inner Circle writes on Rex Chapman and John Wall: “The freshman scoring record at the University of Kentucky has stood since the 1986-87 season, and has only been seriously threatened twice. Rex Chapman holds the record with 464 points over 29 games during his inaugural season, scoring at a 16 point-per-game clip. Patrick Patterson scored 411 points in his injury shortened rookie season, and would have broken the record had he played the entire year.”

• Wildcat Blue Blog writes about a 2010 Heisman push for Randall Cobb: “It seems unlikely this year, but both Locke and Cobb are within shouting distance of cracking the top 10 list all time for all purpose yardage per game in the SEC. The number 10 spot is 169 yards a game while Locke has 156 yards and Cobb has 143 a game in all purpose yardage.”