MTSU’S Eldred King attempts to ward off a Kentucky defender on the game’s final play.

We got our first glimpse of Commonwealth Stadium on the way down to Knoxville on Friday evening. We meandered slowly through the parking lots surrounding the venue, noted the double decked sideline grandstands, the single deck endzones with suites on top, and the newer design and feel to the place as this certainly didn’t appear to be a grand old venue nor one that had been expanded a ton of times through the years.

And then it hit me….Holy crap!! This place looks just like the Ralph! Indeed, save for the fact that the field is much closer to surface level the similarities are quite striking. Once inside, any Buffalo fan will notice them right down to the small 200 level atop the lower level, with a pressbox tucked into one of the sideline 200’s. And just like the Ralph, Commonwealth opened in the year 1973(though there was no end zone seating until 1999) and has had a propensity for witnessing mediocre football and long losing streaks to a particular rival club. See: Alabama(75 years between victories).

One thing we know about Kentucky is that they are all about the horse racing, and pregame at Commonwealth in some ways isn’t much different than the moments leading up to the Kentucky Derby. You want to hear the “Call to the Post”….you’ll get it. You want to hear “My Old Kentucky Home”…here it comes. I was half wondering where the mint juleps and the ladies stylin’ hats were while they were at it.

The Blue Raiders of Middle Tennessee State were brought in to be the sacrificial lambs for the Wildcats, and oddsmakers thought lowly enough of them to set the line at 17 point underdogs.

Well…as they say, that’s why they play the games as MTSU had a 14-10 lead heading into the final quarter before Kentucky rallied to take a 20-14 lead and the ‘Cats appeared to be wrapping things up as they lined up for a chip sot 32 yarder with 20 seconds to go.

And that’s where the fun began…..or as they say in Kentucky….and DOWN the stretch they come!!

MTSU blocked the attempt, picked up the ball and raced deep into Kentucky territory before being brought down with eight seconds to go. A flag for a block in the back against MTSU would put the ball back at their own 38 yard line for one final play.

With recievers stacked to the right, QB Joe Craddock fired a bomb that connected with Malcolm Beyah at about the twenty five….who deflected it into the hands of a wide open Eldred King a few yards behind him inside the twenty. Unfortunately King didn’t have enough speed to outrun the army of blue coming for him and was brought down at the 1 yard line…. just inches away from as wild of a finish as those back in Buffalo were able to witness just hours earlier.

Kentucky wins….by a nose….in a photo finish!

As we wandered off into the Kentucky evening, it was mission accomplished. Another college football doubleheader in the books and two more great venues knocked off the list. Next up for college football: Michie Stadium at West Point(maybe), can’t wait!

-pjf

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