Ira D. Combs Syndicated Columnist
Tri State Sports Media Service Inc.

Memo to our college football friends in Georgia: Don't blame it on "UGA VII".

He was laid to rest earlier in the day with official burial rights taking place at Sanford Stadium several hours before kickoff. The famous Georgia Bulldog mascot died Thursday, according to athletic department sources, of an apparent heart attack brought on by an enlarged heart 48 hours before the UK-Georgia kickoff.

Or did he? Dare we say, UGA simply saw what was coming Saturday and took his own life by overdosing on laced doggy biscuits so the streak wouldn't end on his watch or, and I hate to even think of this, did "Scratch" sneak on campus Thursday and lace the doggy biscuits himself then lay low and meet the team bus as they rolled into Athens Saturday afternoon?

"UGA Vll" was just four years old and that's only about 28 in human years.

No pun intended to the animal lovers of the world, but one must wonder today what really hurt the most down between the hedges in Bulldog country last Saturday, losing "UGA Vll" or losing to the Cats for the first time since 197?

Mark Richt, along with his four and five-star Georgia Bulldog roster simply gift wrapped and handed UK the opportunity for an early Christmas present Saturday night while "UGA Vll" rests in peace just a few yards away in his doggy tomb. With several decades worth of football games behind them where UK won the battle in the stats department but lost the game due to turnovers and late game fatigue, UK was more than obliged to accept the gift and capitalize on the second half turnovers to finish off the Dogs 34-27 in another exciting second half Wildcat comeback and turn the bowl scenario picture into a much warmer and New Year's Day type celebration for Big Blue Nation.

Forget about Shreveport, Louisiana and cold weather, think either Tampa, Florida and sun or the bright lights of Catlanta and the comfort of the Georgia Dome.

UK is now 7-4 on the season and 5-1 with Morgan Newton as its starting QB along with three consecutive SEC road wins (all three being second half come from behind wins) on their resume for bowl scouts to critique this week while they prepare for the annual season finale and Senior Day festivities this Saturday against Tennessee.

Once again the dynamic duo of RB Derrick Locke and all-purpose back Randall Cobb led the come back with some help from the defense and special teams as well. Georgia natives Sam Maxwell, a senior linebacker, and Shane McCord, a junior defensive tackle, both had big interceptions in the fourth quarter that led to two touchdowns while Moncell Allen started the comeback with a bone chilling tackle that forced a fumble on the second half kickoff.

Cat Notes of Interest:

# 1 - UK is 15 - 9 in the last 24 games decided by 10 points or less.
# 2 - UK was 3 for 3 in the red zone against Georgia.
# 3 - UK has now won at least 7 games for the 4th consecutive season.
# 4 - DT Corey Peters had a career high 10 tackles.
# 5 - LB Micah Johnson had 10 tackles which is the ninth time in his career for double figure stops.


UT Up Next (First Time Without Phil Fulmer)

The Vols and their new "Boy Wonder" Lane Kiffin come to Commonwealth Stadium Saturday night for a 7:00 p.m. kickoff televised by ESPNU and it should be another down to the wire SEC battle with late game heroics sure to be exercised by someone. UT comes to Lexington with a 6-5 worksheet with its fair share of highs and lows this fall but I'm quite sure a loss in Lexington would be the ultimate low to Rocky Top.

I'm not going to over analyze this game, matter of fact I'm not going to critique it at all or even offer up a final score. Sometimes you get a gut feeling and late Saturday night I got the ultimate gut feeling. UK will beat the hated Vols this Saturday, I don't know who will be responsible or how it will be done but it will happen.

As a matter of fact I'm going to suggest to our friends over at the Lexington Herald-Leader a front page headline that will be sure to sell a few more copies. It's only been used one time to my knowledge as a sports headline and that was in the New York Times in the fall of 2004 when the most famous curse in American sports history ended. The Boston Red Sox finally ended the Babe Ruth curse and beat the Yankees.

The headlines read in gigantic black print on the front page:

"Hell Finally Freezes Over, Red Sox Beat Yanks"

So here is my holiday gift to Gene Abell and his sports department over on Midland Avenue in Lexington:

"Hell Finally Freezes Over, UK Beats UT in Football"

We all know the two schools' history in hoops.

My advice to our longtime friends down in Knacksville, better keep a keen eye on "Smokey" this week, word around town is that he has taken on a new religion and has been attending those Rev. Jim Jones services lately on Sunday mornings.

Losing to UK on the gridiron may be just too much to take for "Smokey", better hide the Kool-Aid this week.

Sure hate to see ole "Smokey" laid to rest at season's end down by the Tennessee River.

Kentucky will end the losing streak or curse this Saturday, I just hope it's not Rich Brooks' last game in Commonwealth Stadium because I sincerely believe next year (as I predicted before this year) could be that special year we've all been waiting for.

Go to www.combsbrothersonkysports.com for more coverage of the Kentucky Wildcats and KHSAA sports.