Nashville Sports Year In Review: The Top 10 Moments Of 2022

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With 2022 in the rearview mirror, let’s take a look back at some of the best moments in the Nashville sports world from this past year.

From Nashville SC opening GEODIS Park to Hany Mukhtar‘s historic season, the second Music City Grand Prix, as well as Roman Josi‘s record breaking season with the Nashville Predators, 2022 saw quite a bit of activity this year in the city’s growing sports industry.

Here are The Sports Credential‘s Top 10 Nashville Sports Moments of 2022.

10 – The Nashville Stampede Win Inaugural PBR Team Series

The Nashville Stampede celebrating their championship win. Photo: Courtesy of the PBR

Professional Bull Riding introduced its team series in 2022, offering fans a new way to cheer for their favorite bull riders.

The Stampede was led by former PBR World Champion Kaique Pacheco and head coach Justin McBride. The team finished the regular season with a record of 7-20-1, but ran the table at the Team Series Playoffs in Las Vegas where they ultimately won the inaugural season.

To read up on the team and the PBR Team Series, click here.

 

9 – Belmont Women’s NCAA Tournament Run

Photo: Courtesy of Belmont Athletics

It’s no secret that the Belmont women’s basketball team has been one of the best college athletic teams in the city for years now, but for the past two years, the team has been able to do what no Belmont WBB team has done before: win NCAA Tournament games.

In 2022, the Bruins took on No. 5 seed Oregon in the first round of the March Madness tournament and went on to win 73-70. Sophomores Tutti Jones and Destinee Wells put on a show where they scored 22 points and 16 points, respectively. This was the Bruins second NCAA Tournament win in program history.

Belmont later took on the Lady Vols of Tennessee on their home court in what was one of the best games of the tournament. Wells and Jones showed up big time again, scoring 22 points and 17 points, respectively, but ultimately fell just short, losing 70-67.

Despite their loss, the Belmont WBB managed to show how dominant of a team they are and will be for the coming seasons.

 

8 – Walker Zimmerman, Shaq Moore Named To USMNT World Cup Roster

Walker Zimmerman and Shaq Moore. Photos: Courtesy of Nashville SC

One of the biggest events of the year was undoubtedly the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

The tournament, held in the winter instead of the summer, saw Nashville SC players Walker Zimmerman and Shaq Moore added to the USMNT roster. The Boys in Gold were one of only three clubs to have more than more of their players selected to the USA squad, and the pair were the first NSC players to play in a FIFA World Cup.

Zimmerman started and played all 90 minutes in three games for the USA, including the high-ratings match against England, which ended in a 0-0 draw. Moore played a combined 20 minutes in the tournament.

The U.S. fell to the Netherlands in the first round of the knockout stage 3-1, but Nashville SC successfully made its mark on the international stage.

 

7 – Scott Dixon Wins Dramatic Big Machine Music City Grand Prix

Scott Dixon celebrating his 2022 Big Machine Music City Grand Prix win in victory circle. Photo: Courtesy of the Music City Grand Prix.

The second annual Big Machine Music City Grand Prix this past August was one to remember as the NTT IndyCar Series Championship began heating up just as the series hit Nashville.

The already IndyCar legend Scott Dixon walked away victorious by beating Scott McLaughlin by just 0.106 seconds. This was also a record-breaking win for Dixon as he it was his 53rd career-win, making him the second most winningest driver in the sports history.

The New Zealand native started the race in 14th and found some trouble during his first pit stop. After a handful of cautions and some golden opportunities, the Chip Ganassi driver was able to find himself in the front and hold off the rest of the field.

He drove brilliantly and set himself up well to win the IndyCar season after the win in Nashville.

 

6 – Predators Host Stadium Series Game At Nissan Stadium

Nissan Stadium during the NHL Stadium Series. Photo: Courtesy of the Nashville Predators

The Nashville Predators continued to shine in the national spotlight as they continue to host major events, most recently being a NHL Stadium Series game against the Tampa Bay Lightning in February. It was the first time an outdoor professional hockey game has ever been played in Nashville or at Nissan Stadium.

There was a lot of hype leading up to the game, which included a week long Winter Park around Bridgestone Arena and downtown Nashville. The game also included a star-studded halftime show with performances by Dierks Bentley and Miranda Lambert.

Sadly, the Preds fell 3-2  in what became a close and exciting game. If nothing else, Nashville once again proved they are a legit hockey town and that they can host a major sporting event as good as anyone.

 

5 – Mike Vrabel Named Coach of the Year

Mike Vrabel. Photo: Brett Carlsen/Tennessee Titans

The 2021-22 season was a crazy one for the Titans as they fought their way to the AFC’s No. 1 seed after suffering countless injuries, including losing Pro Bowl running back Derrick Henry for half the season.

Leadership and roster decisions by head coach Mike Vrabel helped the Titans overcome and win the AFC South for a second-straight season. He was named the 2022-21 NFL Coach of the Year after leading the team to a great season despite having to play nearly 100 different players and without the league’s top rusher.

His success was recognized not only by the league, but also with a contract extension from the Titans

 

4 – Roman Josi Breaks Predators Single-Season Points Record

Roman Josi. Photo: Courtesy of the Nashville Predators

The Nashville Predators’ 2021-2022 season ended in the first round of the NHL Playoffs, but not before Roman Josi broke the franchise record for points in a single season, finishing with an astounding 96 points.

Josi broke the record by picking up three points on three assists against the Ottawa Senators on April 8. With an outstanding performance last season, he broke the previous record set by Paul Kariya back in 2006. He was also named a Norris Trophy finalist.

Josi also made history when he became the NHL’s highest-scoring defenseman in 29 years, posting 23 goals, 73 assists and 96 points in 80 games. Only six defensemen in the past 50 years have scored more points in a single season.

 

3 – GEODIS Park Opens

GEODIS Park. Photo: Courtesy of Nashville SC

The opening of GEODIS Park was not only a big deal for Nashville SC and soccer in Tennessee, but also for Nashville as a whole. When GEODIS park opened in May 2022, it solidified NSC as the city’s soccer team and third professional sports team.

The stadium became the largest soccer-specific stadium in the U.S. and Canada with a capacity of 30,000. It saw multiple sellouts throughout the season and hosted countless moments of Hany Mukhtar brilliance and memorable moments.

The stadium also offers a new music venue that is a middle ground for attendance between Bridgestone Arena and Nissan Stadium. It is already set to host a string of concerts in 2023.

GEODIS Park will also host the USWNT in 2023 as part of the SheBelieves Cup.

 

2 – Hany Mukhtar Wins MLS Golden Boot & MVP

Hany Mukhtar with the Golden Boot and MVP Awards. Photo: Courtesy of Nashville SC

Only a few years ago, not many people would’ve imagined that a German-born soccer player would etch his name into Nashville sports history, but after winning the 2022 MLS Golden Boot and MVP, Hany Mukhtar has become a household name in Music City.

Mukhtar was nothing short of brilliant last season as he carried Nashville SC back to the MLS Cup Playoffs for a third consecutive year. He had a remarkable 34 goal contributions (23 goals, 11 assists) in 2022, which was tied for the fifth most in a single season in MLS history.

It was a tight race between him and Austin FC’s Sebastian Driussi, but Mukhtar nearly ended that debate when he scored two goals against Austin late in the season.

The Boys in Gold struggled at times and found themselves in deep water, but Mukhtar’s performances carried them through. He scored or assisted on an incredible 65.4 percent of all Nashville SC’s goals in the 2022 season.

 

 

1 – Titans & Mayor Agree To Contract For New Football Stadium

Rendering of new Titans stadium. Photo: Courtesy of the Tennessee Titans

By far the biggest story of the year came when the Titans and Mayor’s office announced a deal to build a new, domed football stadium for the NFL franchise.

In early October, the team and Mayor John Cooper announced their plan that wouldn’t directly hit Nashville taxpayers or come from the city’s general fund. The deal includes a new lease, which will not force the city to pay for any repairs and will keep the Titans in Nashville long-term.

The proposed stadium would be a state-of-the-art building with a capacity of nearly 60,000. It will open the opportunity for Nashville to host the Super Bowl, College Football Playoffs and even a NCAA Final Four.

This new stadium will cost over $2 billion, but will be paid for by the team and the NFL, $500 million in bonds by the state and by a sales tax in and around the stadium, as well as a new hotel occupancy tax. So far, the deal has passed the first wave of approval by the Metro Council and will most likely be finalized in early 2023.

College Corner: MTSU Football, Vandy Volleyball, Belmont’s Kenny Sidwell

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MTSU Beats San Diego 25-23 At 2022 Hawaii Bowl

Photo: Courtesy of Middle Tennessee Athletics

Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) football pulled off a major comeback at the EasyPost Hawai’i Bowl. The team secured a 25-23 win over over San Diego State off of Zeke Rankin‘s 37-yard field goal at the Clarence T.C. Ching Complex on Dec. 24.

Trailing 14-0 after the first quarter, MTSU caught a spark on defense, taking advantage of two SDSU turnovers to regain momentum. Decorian Patterson secured his seventh interception of the season and Christian Dixon ripped the ball right out of Jalen Mayden’s hands to set up MTSU’s first touchdown of the game, a 8-yard strike from Chase Cunningham to Jordan Ferguson. Rankin added two field goals to take MTSU into the locker room down just one point, 14-13.

The teams traded field goals in the third quarter to push the score to 17-16, and the Blue Raider defense came up big again, with Ferguson securing an interception. Two fourth quarter Jack Browning field goals, the final of which coming from 52-yards out, would give SDSU the 23-22 lead with 5:43 to play.

But Rankin’s clutch boot from 37-yards out with 2:09 to play retook the lead for MTSU, 25-22. A big sack from Zaylin Wood pushed SDSU into a 4th and 24, and Teldrick Ross picked up the fumble of the hook and ladder to secure the win.

 

 

Vanderbilt Names Anders Nelson As Volleyball Coach

Anders Nelson. Photo: Tommy Quarles for University of Kentucky Athletics

Vanderbilt has named Anders Nelson as the head coach of its newly announced volleyball team. Nelson has been rising through the ranks and led Kentucky to a NCAA national championship, being the first SEC volleyball program to win a national championship.

This past April, Vanderbilt announced the addition of volleyball as its 17th varsity sport. The program was originally discontinued after the 1979-80 academic year.

“It is a unique honor to join the Vanderbilt family as the first head volleyball coach of this new era,” Nelson says. “From the beginning of my lifelong relationship with volleyball, I learned to value not only the thrill of competition but the opportunity to influence how young people see themselves and the world around them.” He continues, “Challenging and supporting student-athletes to be their best on the court unlocks their potential off the court. To build an SEC program on those principles, in a vibrant and dynamic city, at a world-class university like Vanderbilt is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I’m grateful to Chancellor Daniel Diermeier and Candice Lee for entrusting it to me.  There is so much to do before 2025, and I can’t wait to get started.”

As Kentucky’s head coach, Nelson not only led the Wildcat’s to a 2022 National Championship, but extended a streak of winning at least a share of six consecutive SEC championships. He will lead a Commodore program that begins play in the 2025-26 academic year.

Nelson, 35, spent the past 11 seasons at Kentucky, first as an assistant coach and as associate head coach for the past seven seasons. The Wildcats reached the NCAA tournament in each of his 11 seasons in Lexington, and progressed to at least the second round on all but one occasion. In his seven seasons as associate head coach, Kentucky compiled a 117-11 record in official SEC matches and won at least a share of six conference titles, including a perfect 18-0 record in 2018.

 

 

Former Belmont Coach & Administrator Kenny Sidwell Dies

Former Belmont University coach and administrator Kenneth “Kenny” Sidwell passed away on Sunday (Dec. 25) at the age of 86.

A Cave City, Kentucky native who was inducted into the Belmont Athletic Hall of Fame in 1993, Sidwell was a coach and administrator for the university for five decades. He arrived at Belmont in 1962 to be the head coach of the men’s basketball team. Sidwell also took on the duties as head baseball coach. After a five year stint at Tennessee Tech, he returned to Belmont in 1972 to serve as head basketball coach for a second time.

After two seasons, he gave up his coaching duties to become dean of students for the university under then president, Herbert Gabhart, a position he would hold for 15 years. In the early 1990s, Sidwell would become the first full-time Director of Athletics at Belmont, as he helped navigate the school’s move from NAIA to NCAA Division I in 1996. He later served as the school’s Director of Compliance before retiring in 2006.

Sidwell graduated from Tennessee Tech as the school’s all-time leading scorer, and he maintains dozens of Golden Eagle and OVC all-time records. He is a member of three Halls of Fame: the Belmont Athletic Hall of Fame, the Tennessee Tech Sports Hall of Fame, and the Kentucky High School Sports Hall of Fame.

Sidwell is survived by his wife Margaret, his son Tommy (Suzanne), and two grandchildren.

Belmont’s Ben Sheppard Named MVC Player Of The Week

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Ben Sheppard. Photo: Courtesy of Belmont Athletics

Belmont University men’s basketball senior Ben Sheppard has been named Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Player of the Week, after having brilliant performances against Trevecca Nazarene and MTSU.

Sheppard averaged 24.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 steals per game on 58 percent shooting last week. He led the Bruins to a 83-53 win against Trevecca, and hit the buzzer beater at the end of regulation against MTSU, which Belmont would go on to lose.

The Atlanta native scored a season-high 33 points vs. Middle Tennessee, which included eight 3-point field goals and 7-for-7 to open. Sheppard’s eighth 3-pointer was the dramatic shot to force overtime.

Sheppard ranks among MVC leaders in seven statistical categories, including second in points per game (20.6), fifth in field goal percentage (.497), sixth in assists per game (3.6) and eighth in steals per game (1.5).

The senior was school’s top scorer last season and is on the same path this year as he looks to help mentor a lot of young talent at Belmont. He and teammate Drew Friberg, who transferred from Princeton, are the nation’s top 3-point shooting duo (through games played Dec. 11).

Belmont returns to action when they head to Chattanooga on Dec. 18.

Vanderbilt Football Celebrates 2022 RISE Awards, Anfernee Orji Named MVP

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Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea with linebacker Anfernee Orji. Photo: Courtesy of Vanderbilt Athletics

Vanderbilt football head coach Clark Lea and his program celebrated Team 2 at the second annual RISE Awards on Saturday night (Dec. 10) on the Vanderbilt campus, commemorating a season where the Commodores overachieved preseason expectations.

Senior linebacker Anfernee Orji was named the team’s Most Valuable Player for the second consecutive season, while Gavin Schoenwald collected the Team 2 Player of the Year Award. Additionally, Will Sheppard was named Offensive Player of the Year and CJ Taylor earned Defensive Player of the Year.

Other awards included the Scholar of the Year, which went to Ethan Barr, scout team top performers, and the Lance Brown Impact Award, given to Director of Sport Nutrition Julia Baird.

The evening officially concluded the 2022 campaign, which saw the Commodores more than double their win total from a year ago as Lea completed his second season at the helm of his alma mater.

2022 Rise Award Winners:

Freshmen of the Year – Jayden McGowan & AJ Swann

Newcomer of the Year – Gunnar Hansen

O-Show Award (Offensive Scout)- Cole Spence

Skull & Bones Award (Defensive Scout) – Linus Zunk

Rough Riders Award (Special Teams Scout) – Alan “Taco” Wright

Offensive Most Improved – Quincy Skinner Jr.

Defensive Most Improved – Devin Lee

Reaper Award (Strength & Conditioning) – Jaylen Mahoney

Scholar of the Year – Ethan Barr

Special Teams Player of the Year – Cooper Lutz

Specialist of the Year – Matthew Hayball

Courage Award – Daevion Davis

Fighting Spirit Award – Gamarion Carter

Offensive Trench – Jacob Brammer

Defensive Trench – Nate Clifton & Christian James

VUFB Warrior – Ben Bresnahan & Maxwell Worship

Respect & Appreciation Award – Charlie Dallape

Stone Cutter Award – Bradley Ashmore

Lance Brown Impact Award – Julia Baird

Offensive Player of the Year – Will Sheppard

Defensive Player of the Year – CJ Taylor

Team Two Player of the Year – Gavin Schoenwald

Most Valuable Player – Anfernee Orji

Blue Raiders To Celebrate Murphy Center’s 50th Anniversary On Dec. 15

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Murphy Center from 1972. Photo: Courtesy of MTSU Athletics

Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) is celebrating 50 years in the Murphy Center on Thursday, Dec. 15, when the Blue Raiders take on in-state foe Chattanooga at 6 p.m CT.

Fans will be treated to Replica Floor Rally Towels, 50th Anniversary Buttons, and a limited number of commemorative game tickets and souvenir programs, while the Blue Raiders will don throwback uniforms and warmups harking back to styles worn by the 1972-73 Blue Raiders that debuted the Murphy Center. Music throughout the night will focus on the various acts that have performed live in concert in the Glass House.

Members of both the MTSU and Vanderbilt men’s basketball teams that competed in the Murphy Center’s first ever game on Dec. 11, 1972 will be honored, with four of the five starters for the Blue Raiders on that day accompanying that night’s starting five during lineup introductions.

Throughout the first half, individuals essential to the Glass House’s history will be honored, including the late Bubber Murphy the Murphy Center’s namesake; Bill Smotherman, Charlie Pigg, Harold Smith and Jim Simpson, who helped open the doors five decades ago; and the late Monte Hale and Coach Jimmy Earle, who the arena is named after.

Halftime will honor every member of the 1972-1973 MTSU and Vanderbilt men’s basketball teams, as well as their coaches and support staff in attendance. Fans will also see a sneak peak of Inside the Glass House, a documentary on the Murphy Center’s 50th anniversary that will debut after the game’s conclusion later that evening.

The second half will feature highlights of the MTSU track program, including the plethora of athletes who have run on the Murphy Center track over the decades. Sage Glass, the company whose automated tinting glass was installed during the Murphy Center’s Glass Replacement project this summer, will also be recognized, followed by the latest updates on the Build Blue project.

Tickets are still available at a retro throwback price of just $4 in Sections A, J, K, and T.

MTSU Tallies Six Players On All-Conference & All-Freshman Teams

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Six MTSU standouts were named to the Conference USA’s 2022 football all-conference and all-freshman award winners on Tuesday (Dec. 6), as voted on by the league’s head football coaches.

The Blue Raiders had three first team selections, two on the second team, one on the all-freshman team and 10 honorable mention picks.

Defensive end Jordan Ferguson, punter Kyle Ulbrich, and long snapper Brody Butler were the three Blue Raiders on the first unit.

Ferguson, a senior, finished the regular season third on the team in tackles (63) while leading the team in tackles for loss (16.0) and sacks (9.0). The Atlanta, Georgia native also added five pass breakups and five hurries. He enters the bowl game needing one more sack to become the school’s all-time leader.

Ulbrich, a senior, enjoyed his best season as a Blue Raider in 2022. He led Conference USA and was sixth nationally in punting average with an MTSU single-season record of 46.2 yards a punt. Ulbrich also led the league with 26 punts of 50 yards or more.

Butler, an honorable mention selection in 2020, played a key role in the Blue Raiders as the league’s top punter and one of the top field goal kickers in 2022. He was perfect on his 119 opportunities.

The second team is made up of Blue Raiders Teldrick Ross and Jaylin Lane.

Ross, a junior cornerback, turned in a career season for MTSU. The Macon, Georgia native was second on the team with 74 tackles, including 2.0 TFLs and 19 passes defended. His 18 total pass breakups set a new single-season school record.

Lane, a receiver and returner, earned second team honors as a punt returner. A preseason all-american as a punt returner, he led the Blue Raiders with 15 returns and a 6.9-yard return average.

The following players earned Honorable Mention recognition:

  • QB Chase Cunningham, who became the second player in school history to record multiple 400-yard passing games
  • RB Frank Peasant, who led the team in rushing and touchdowns scored
  • WR Jaylin Lane, who led in receiving
  • TE Izaiah Gathings, who led all C-USA tight ends with 53 receptions)
  • OL Jordan Palmer, a three-time lineman of the week
  • DE Zaylin Wood, who was named National Defensive Player of the Week
  • DT Marley Cook, who notched a career year with 9.5 TFLs and 6.5 sacks
  • CB Decorian Patterson, who led the nation with six interceptions
  • CB Tra Fluellen, who led team with 97 tackles
  • PK Zeke Rankin, who made 12 of 14 field goals
  • KR Jaylin Lane, who averaged 23.1 yards a return

Vanderbilt Standouts Ray Davis & Mike Wright Enter Transfer Portal

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Mike Wright & Ray Davis. Photo: Courtesy of Vanderbilt Athletics

Quarterback Mike Wright and running back Ray Davis, two of Vanderbilt’s top scorers, are entering the transfer portal after leading the Commodores to a 5-7 record this season.

Both players announced their decisions via social media, thanking Vanderbilt, their teammates and coaches.

Wright led the team in touchdowns with 12 passing TD’s and five rushing TD’s. Though he split starting QB duties with freshman AJ Swann, he finished the season behind center for the Commodores. Wright threw three touchdown passes against Florida to beat the Gators at FirstBank Stadium on Nov. 19, and finished the season with 974 passing yards and 538 rushing yards.

“I want to thank Vanderbilt University for giving me the opportunity to pursue my dreams athletically and academically. I want to thank my coaches, staff, professors, fans who supported me through this journey,” Wright shared on Twitter. “After much prayer and discussion, I have decided that I will be entering the transfer portal in pursuit of my next opportunity.”

Davis led the Commodores in rushing with 232 attempts and 1,081 yards. He scored five touchdowns and averaged 4.5 yards per carry. His impressive ground game led the Commodores to a 5-7 record, which included two SEC wins over Florida and ranked Kentucky.

“I want to thank Vanderbilt for taking a chance on me in 2020 and allowing me to represent this program at the highest level. With that being said, after many conversations with my family and support group, I will be entering into the NCAA transfer portal as a Graduate Transfer,” Davis said on Twitter.

Along with Wright and Davis, fellow Vandy players, running back Rocko Griffin, receiver Devin Boddie Jr., safety Chase Lloyd, linebacker Daniel Martin, tight end Joel DeCoursey and punter Jared Wheatley have entered the transfer portal.

Kentucky To Face Iowa At 2022 Transperfect Music City Bowl

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The NCAA Bowl Committee has announced that Kentucky will take on Iowa at this year’s Transperfect Music City Bowl at Nissan Stadium on New Year’s Eve at 11 a.m. CT. The game between the SEC and Big Ten will be televised nationally on ABC, marking the first time the Bowl has been featured on network television.

Despite being selected in 2020, this will be the first official appearance for the Hawkeyes, following that year’s cancellation due to COVID-19. This will be the second overall and second-straight meeting between the two schools. Kentucky beat Iowa in the 2021 Citrus Bowl.

“On behalf of the TransPerfect Music City Bowl board of directors, our staff and our volunteers, we look forward to hosting Iowa and Kentucky in our game this New Year’s Eve,” says Scott Ramsey, President & CEO of the TransPerfect Music City Bowl. “Both schools bring passionate fanbases and we cannot think of a better way to celebrate our 25th anniversary than with these two programs in our game.”

“It’s been an impressive year of football for the Big Ten and SEC,” adds TransPerfect President and CEO Phil Shawe. “We are proud to host the University of Iowa and University of Kentucky in Nashville on New Year’s Eve, and we look forward to a great game.”

Iowa finished the year 7-5, winning four out of their last five games and posting a 5-4 conference record in the Big Ten. The Hawkeyes finished third in total defense in the conference and one of the top defenses in the country at 5th overall. Defensive back Cooper DeJean ranked fifth in the Big Ten with four interceptions, including two returned for a touchdown. Defensive linemen Deontae Craig (6.5) and Joe Evans (6) ranked fifth and sixth, respectively, in the conference for total sacks.

Iowa is led by Kirk Ferentz, the longest-tenured coach in college football. Ferentz is 185–115 overall in his 24 seasons with the Hawkeyes.

“We are excited to compete in the TransPerfect Music City Bowl,” Ferentz notes. “Our players and staff have worked hard to earn this invitation and we look forward to our visit to Nashville. We understand first-hand the quality of our opponent and look forward to playing on Dec. 31.”

Kentucky returns to the TransPerfect Music City Bowl for the first time since 2017, marking the sixth overall appearance for the Wildcats.

The Wildcats also finished the year 7-5, closing out the season with a win over rival Louisville. The Wildcats are led by dynamic quarterback Will Levis, who posted 19 touchdowns (4th in the SEC) through the air and two on the ground this season. Chris Rodriguez Jr. led the ground attack, leading all Kentucky rushers with 904 yards and six touchdowns.

The Wildcats are led by Mark Stoops, who is in his 10th season in Lexington where he’s amassed a 124-66 overall record.

“On behalf of our team and all of us at the University of Kentucky, we are excited to accept the invitation to play in the TransPerfect Music City Bowl,” Stoops says. “The Big Blue Nation always paints Nashville blue and the hospitality is second to none. We look forward to a great week and our team can’t wait to play one more time this year.”

Established in 1998, the TransPerfect Music City Bowl has transformed the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day into one of the city’s busiest times of the year for tourism and has become Nashville’s holiday tradition. This year marks the Bowl’s 25th anniversary where fans have the opportunity to vote on the 25th anniversary team and relive the Bowl’s top 25 moments.

Since its inception, the Bowl has produced nearly $400 million in direct economic impact to Nashville.