Cats headed back to Music City?

The University of Kentucky was hoping for a trip to the Outback Bowl on New Year’s Day, but that scenario likely went out the window with Saturday’s 30-24 overtime loss to Tennessee.

Now a return to the Music City Bowl, UK’s home away from home, is becoming more and more of a possibility.

Music City Bowl executive director Scott Ramsey said on Monday that he is ‘definitely interested’ in bringing the Wildcats back to Nashville for the third time in four seasons. Kentucky is also one of five teams, including Georgia, South Carolina, Arkansas, and Auburn, still in consideration for the Chick-Fil-A Bowl. But if the Chick-Fil-A bypasses Kentucky, the Cats will likely be headed back to Nashville.

The UK players have spoken openly about their desire to get out of Tennessee for bowl season. In addition to winning the Music City Bowl in 2006 and 2007, they beat East Carolina in the Liberty Bowl in Memphis last year.

But Ramsey believes the Music City Bowl would be appealing to Kentucky for several reasons. No. 1, the bowl takes place on Sunday, Dec. 27, which would allow Wildcats fans to head to Nashville for a short trip the day after Christmas, catch the game on Sunday, and then head back for the work week on Monday.

Also, Ramsey said the Music City would offer an attractive opponent, which would likely be either Miami or North Carolina. And the Music City Bowl is the only bowl game being held on Dec. 27 and has a prime-time (8 p.m.) kickoff on ESPN.

“Hopefully a nationally-known program like Miami or North Carolina would bring some excitement,” Ramsey said. “We feel like that’s a pretty good fit that would get the fans interested. And with it being unopposed in prime time, that would be a great platform.”