Spiller leads Clemson to Music City win
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP)—C.J. Spiller scored a touchdown and had 172 all-purposeyards in his final college game, leading Clemson to a 21-13 victory Sunday nightin the Music City Bowl.
The Tigers (9-5) hadn’t won a bowl since the 2005 Champs Sports Bowl.
Kentucky (7-6) was trying to make program history by winning a fourthstraight bowl game. The Wildcats certainly had the home-field advantage withblue filling nearly two-thirds of the lower bowl at LP Field.
Spiller, the Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year, scored his 51stcareer touchdown—a Clemson record—on an 8-yard run with 10:14 left in thefourth quarter to make it 21-13.
Clemson head coach Dabo Swinne… AP – Dec 27, 10:33 pm EST ![]()
Clemson running back C.J. Spil… AP – Dec 27, 10:32 pm EST ![]()
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney sla… AP – Dec 27, 10:19 pm EST ![]()
Clemson linebacker Kavell Conn… AP – Dec 27, 10:18 pm EST ![]()
Clemson wide receiver Jacoby F… AP – Dec 27, 9:45 pm EST ![]()
Kentucky quarterback Morgan Ne… AP – Dec 27, 9:43 pm EST ![]()
Kentucky quarterback Morgan Ne… AP – Dec 27, 9:36 pm EST ![]()
Clemson quarterback Kyle Parke… AP – Dec 27, 9:35 pm EST YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_last_index = 7; YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_lazy_images = [http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091228/capt.424f0045b71f4bdf9aa3ed48b739b3b6.music_city_bowl_football_tnmh107.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=44&yc=1&wc=322&hc=358&q=70&sig=youKpu8wP2hMFj6J3DYVug--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091228/capt.967f4879e6194ec1a418a3e6c8afa35d.music_city_bowl_football_tnmh106.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=42&yc=1&wc=329&hc=365&q=70&sig=VuWdeGhozM.Uj9ELxq9GzA--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091228/capt.89c7e84f80f246c1b5c840fde1afec9c.music_city_bowl_football_tnmh105.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=78&yc=1&wc=256&hc=284&q=70&sig=BMIwmgtOypjns3ma37wYiQ--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091228/capt.85d3efc81679454faeb217b49721d688.music_city_bowl_football_tnmh104.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=1&yc=1&wc=304&hc=338&q=70&sig=UloExzAn8qgS1XvXn3Ujuw--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091228/capt.fb1c4e69ec19482ba27a8849cef37ad6.music_city_bowl_football_tnmh103.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=73&yc=1&wc=266&hc=295&q=70&sig=pRjWcSdWg3m_X109PkSJVg--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091228/capt.4a26afb5b7ea417cbf3af39f8b71898e.music_city_bowl_football_tnmh102.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=1&yc=1&wc=326&hc=362&q=70&sig=5bmhAjZqqKpQkLjv9LSSxA--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091228/capt.31958b57486c477bb0e7bc81c18dea64.music_city_bowl_football_tnmh101.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=1&yc=1&wc=337&hc=374&q=70&sig=vbjKTA.moFUYJ8AFflVA_A--]; YAHOO.util.Event.addListener(window,load,YAHOO.Sports.articleLazyLoadCarousel.init); 1 of 8 UK-Clem Gallery function prev_photo() { if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index > 0) { goto_photo(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index – 1); } else { goto_photo(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_last_index); }}function next_photo() { if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index 0) { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_prev, prev); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_prev, prev_disabled); } else { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_prev, prev_disabled); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_prev, prev); } if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index < YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_last_index) { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_next, next); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_next, next_disabled); } else { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_next, next_disabled); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_next, next); }*/}function goto_photo(p) { if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos) { for(i = 0; i < YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos.length; i++) { if (i == p) { YAHOO.util.Dom.setStyle(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos[i], display, ); } else { YAHOO.util.Dom.setStyle(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos[i], display, none); } } if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_page) { YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_page.innerHTML =(p + 1); YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index = p; } } update_buttons();}YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_init = function () { YAHOO.util.Event.addListener(article_carousel_prev, click, prev_photo); YAHOO.util.Event.addListener(article_carousel_next, click, next_photo); YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index = 0; YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_page = YAHOO.util.Dom.get(carousel_page); YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos = YAHOO.util.Dom.getElementsByClassName(item, div, leadphoto); if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos) { goto_photo(0); }}YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_init();
Spiller scored three plays after Clemson linebacker Kavell Conner strippedGene McCaskill after a short catch and Jarvis Jenkins recovered the ball at theKentucky 19 for the game’s only turnover.
Kentucky tried to answer.
Punter Ryan Tydlacka ran for 9 yards on fourth-and-3, then coach Rich Brooksused his last time-out with 5:38 left before going for it again on fourth-and-8at the Clemson 32. The Cats couldn’t convert. Freshman quarterback Morgan Newtonscrambled only to be tackled by Ricky Sapp a yard short.
Spiller helped the Tigers run out the clock and start the celebration. Hefinished with 68 yards on 15 carries and 57 yards on three catches to earn gameMVP honors.
But the Wildcats did a decent job of slowing down one of the country’s mostdynamic players. He became the first ACC player to rush for at least 1,000 yardsand have at least 500 yards receiving in the same history at the end of thethird quarter when he took a shovel pass 3 yards.
He didn’t return a kick longer than 30 yards. Kentucky kicker Lones Seiberperfectly placed one kickoff into the right edge of the end zone near the pylonfor a touchback, and Spiller caught another near the same spot for anothertouchback.
Kentucky held onto the ball for more than 34 minutes and ran 22 more plays.Clemson still outgained the Wildcats 321-277 and the Tigers held on to the ballfor the final 5:27.
Winds gusting to 22 mph affected both teams on a cold night.
Richard Jackson’s 44-yard field goal for Clemson into the wind came up justshort with 4:32 left in the third. Kentucky called a timeout with 2 seconds leftin the third, and Dawson Zimmerman’s punt went just 24 yards before bouncingback for the Wildcats.
The Tigers forced Kentucky three-and-out, and Tydlacka had to deal with thatwind himself. His punt went only 14 yards.
Clemson led 14-10 at halftime as Kyle Parker found Jacoby Ford all alone inthe end zone for a 32-yard TD pass to cap a four-play, 90-yard drive Spillerjumpstarted with a 42-yard catch-and-run.
Seiber put Kentucky up 10-7 in the second with a 39-yard field goal, thenSpiller had a 30-yard kickoff return. Tailback Jamie Harper handled all the workon a five-play drive as he picked up 60 yards and capped it with a 1-yard plungeto put the Tigers ahead 14-10 in the second quarter.
The Wildcats’ only TD came on their opening drive when Newton found ChrisMatthews in the end zone for a 17-yard TD pass and a 7-0 lead.
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