Music City Bowl

Sporting News, The, Dec 27, 1999

Syracuse vs. Kentucky 4 p.m. ET, December 29, Nashville, Tenn., ESPN

Why you should watch: This matchup of 6-5 teams provides the opportunity to watch the continued development of three young quarterbacks, Kentucky's Busty Donner and Syracuse's Troy Nunes and Madei Williams.

SYRACUSE (6-5): The Orangemen, hurt by turnovers, lost four of their last five committed to games. Unlike Kentucky, Syracuse tries to win games on the ground behind RBs James Mungro and Dee Brown. The Orangemen have a big edge on Kentucky defensively. Look for LB Keith Bulluck to be all over the field. The veteran line also may be able to take advantage of the Wildcats' young offensive front. And Syracuse has enough athletes to keep up with the myriad Kentucky wideouts. Aside from his strong receiving skills, WR Quinton Spotwood could break open the game with a return,

KENTUCKY (6-5): Sophomore QB Dusty Bonnet is a pedestrian athlete who thrived in Tim Couch's wake by making good decisions. The strong Syracuse pass defense offers a challenge, but the Orangemen haven't seen many passing attacks like the Wildcats'. Injuries limited the effectiveness of the wide receivers, but TE James Whalen took up most of the slack. The ground game floundered behind a rebuilt line, which is why RBs Anthony White and Derek Homer struggled. The defense has been uneven. It is vital that Kentucky forces the Syracuse quarterbacks to win the game. The Wildcats' strong special teams could provide the difference in the game.

ADVANTAGE:       OFFENSE    DEFENSE    SPECIAL TEAMS   COACHING

Syracuse                     [check
Kentucky         [check]                 [check]        [check]

TSNverdict:

Kentucky     30
Syracuse     27