03/29/09
The University of Kentucky 2009 football schedule was finally completed this week, and it will have a drastically different look from the past couple of seasons. First off, the Wildcats will open a season outside the state of Kentucky for the first time since 1982 when they face Miami University at Cincinnati's Paul Brown Stadium. The Cats will take the next week off before hosting Louisville on Sept. 19 and then will play 11 straight weeks to close the season. UK did manage to spread out its non-conference games, as they will play two non-SEC teams during the last half of its schedule. Like last year, much of the non-conference portion of the schedule seems built for success: The combined 2008 record of Miami, Louisville and Louisiana-Monroe was 11-25. The Cats will replace Arkansas with Auburn as its rotating SEC West opponent. Here's a quick look at the 12 teams on the Wildcats' schedule next fall, with the 2008 won-loss record in parenthesis. Miami (Ohio) (2-10): The Red Hawks are breaking in a new coach, former Notre Dame offensive coordinator Mike Haywood . On paper, Haywood appears to have a tough row to hoe to get a program back on track after it lost 27 of 37 games over a three-year period. Miami also has to replace a pair of All-MAC linebackers in Joey Hudson and Clayton Mullins . The quarterback battle should be interesting, as incumbent Daniel Raudabaugh will try to fight off freshman Austin Boucher , who turned down a late offer from Ohio State to sign with Haywood.
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