The Big Ten and SEC will compete in multiple bowl games, including the 2019 VRBO Citrus Bowl. Penn State will play Kentucky on Jan 1. in a game featuring two top 15 teams. Here is the 2019 VRBBO Citrus Bowl preview.
Mark Stoops has completed the program turnaround at Kentucky, finishing with nine wins for one of Kentucky’s best seasons ever. The Wildcats defeated six bowl-eligible teams this season, including their win over Florida. Kentucky did lose to one team that was below .500 in Tennessee.
The Wildcats score 26.6 points per game, tying them for 86th in the country. They rush for 201.3 yards (ranked 37th) and pass for 164.8 yards (ranked 115th) per game.
Josh Allen (photo by courier-journal.com)
JUCO transfer Terry Wilson has operated the offense, but has been inconsistent this season. He has thrown for `1,768 yards, 11 touchdown and eight interceptions on 67.6% completion. Their leading receiver by far is Lynn Bowden, who has 62 receptions for 661 receiving yards and five touchdowns.
Kentucky has a star at running back in Benny Snell. The junior is leaving for the pros, but will play in this game. He has rushed for 1,305 yards and 14 touchdowns this season. Wilson has rushed for over 500 yards, while backup running back Asim Rose has 433 rushing yards.
The defense allows 16.3 points per game, ranking them eighth in the country. They give up 150.8 yards on the ground (ranked 50th) and 181.3 yards through the air (ranked 17th) per game. Kentucky has the best defensive player in college football in linebacker Josh Allen, who won many Defensive Player of the Year awards. Allen has 14 sacks on the season.
The Nittany Lions had another solid season under James Franklin, winning nine games. Five of their wins came over bowl-eligible teams, with wins over Iowa and Wisconsin. Their three losses came to teams that went above .500 in Ohio State, Michigan State and Michigan.
Penn State scores 34.6 points per game, which ties them for 30th in points per game. They rush for 208.6 yards (ranked 29th) and pass for 215.8 yards (ranked 77th) per game.
Trace McSorley (photo by pennlive.com)
Trace McSorley has been a program changer for Penn State at quarterback. He has 2,284 passing yards, 16 touchdowns and six interceptions on 53.4% completion for the season. Three receivers have over 300 receiving yards, but K.J. Hamler leads them all. Hamler has 41 receptions for 713 yards and five touchdowns.
Running back Miles Sanders has done a solid job of filling in after Saquon Barkley left for the NFL. He has 1,223 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. McSorley is the second leading rusher on the team with 723 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns.
They have the 20th ranked scoring defense, allowing 20 points per game. The Nittany Lions allow 168.4 rushing yards (ranked 70th) and 186.5 passing yards (ranked 22nd) per game. Yetur Gross-Matos leads the team with eight sacks on the season.
Trace McSorley will not want to go down in his last collegiate game. Kentucky’s defense will keep the game close, but they won’t have the fire-power to keep up with the Nittany Lions.
Penn State Nittany Lions 28 Kentucky Wildcats 22
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