While No. 21 Northwestern comes into Friday's Music City Bowl on a roll, having won seven straight games, Kentucky is limping into the game.
The SEC's Wildcats are definitely 180 degrees removed from the Big Ten's Wildcats in terms of last-season momentum. Kentucky (7-5) ended the regular season with four losses in six games, including 42-13 and 44-17 routs at the hands of College Football Playoff semifinalist Georgia and Louisville, respectively.
"That bad taste in our mouth from that last game hasn't gone away," Kentucky quarterback Stephen Johnson said. "A lot of us are really trying to go out and get this win.