Jan 2, 2009 - 9:22 AM
0 shoutsEast Carolina (9-4) vs. Kentucky (6-6), 5:00 pm EST
MEMPHIS, Tennessee (Ticker) -- East Carolina would love to close a season that started with upsets of Virginia Tech and West Virginia by posting a 10th victory.
The Pirates will get that opportunity when they face Kentucky on Friday in the 50th Liberty Bowl, being played after New Year's Day for the first time in its history.
East Carolina (9-4) earned the berth in the Liberty Bowl after defeating Tulsa, 27-24, to win its first Conference USA title. It was the school's first conference championship since 1976.
A victory will give the Pirates their second-winningest season in school history. East Carolina recorded an 11-1 record in 1991 under Bill Lewis.
The Pirates' success is predicated on an opportunistic defense that has forced 32 turnovers, the fourth-best mark in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
"This is what we talked about beginning with the first day of practice - the road to Memphis and what we've got to do to get there," East Carolina coach Skip Holtz said.
The Pirates are making their third appearance in the Liberty Bowl. They lost to Illinois, 34-0, in 1994 and defeated Stanford, 19-13, the following year.
Kentucky coach Rich Brooks returns to the Liberty Bowl for the first time since 1962, when he played in the game while attending Oregon State.
The Wildcats received a bowl berth despite finishing 2-6 in the Southeastern Conference and losing their last three regular-season games. Still, Kentucky is appearing in a third straight bowl game for only the third time in school history.
The Wildcats posted a 6-3 victory over East Carolina in 1993 in the only previous game between the schools. The teams combined for just 70 yards passing in a contest played in a driving rainstorm.
From the Bleachers
-
KENTUCKY: 25
EAST CAROLINA: 19
Final
Jan 2 8:30 PM -
Kentucky 25, East Carolina 19 4th Quarter - 2:27
RUWTbot
Added 22 roots (Close Finish)
Jan 2 8:25 PM -
LIBERTY BOWL
AT MEMPHIS TN
NCAAF LIBERTY BOWL
TD KENTUCKY
VENTRELL JENKINS 56 YD FUMBLE RETURN
(PAT BLOCKED)
KENTUCKY 25
EAST CAROLINA 19 3:02 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Jan 2 8:15 PM -
Kentucky 19, East Carolina 19 4th Quarter - 5:22
RUWTbot
Added 33 roots (Close Finish)
Jan 2 8:05 PM -
Kentucky 19, East Carolina 19 4th Quarter - 8:32
RUWTbot
Added 15 roots (Close Finish)
Jan 2 7:58 PM -
LIBERTY BOWL
AT MEMPHIS TN
NCAAF LIBERTY BOWL
FG KENTUCKY
LONES SEIBER 34 YD
KENTUCKY 19
EAST CAROLINA 19 14:07 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Jan 2 7:34 PM -
KENTUCKY: 16
EAST CAROLINA: 19
End of 3rd
Jan 2 7:27 PM -
LIBERTY BOWL
AT MEMPHIS TN
NCAAF LIBERTY BOWL
FG EAST CAROLINA
BEN HARTMAN 43 YD
KENTUCKY 16
EAST CAROLINA 19 0:06 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Jan 2 7:25 PM -
LIBERTY BOWL
AT MEMPHIS TN
NCAAF LIBERTY BOWL
TD KENTUCKY
KYRUS LANXTER 19 YD PASS FROM MIKE HARTLINE
(LONES SEIBER KICK)
KENTUCKY 16
EAST CAROLINA 16 8:13 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Jan 2 7:07 PM -
LIBERTY BOWL
AT MEMPHIS TN
NCAAF LIBERTY BOWL
TD KENTUCKY
DAVID JONES 99 YD KICKOFF RETURN
(PAT BLOCKED)
KENTUCKY 9
EAST CAROLINA 16 14:48 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Jan 2 6:48 PM -
KENTUCKY: 3
EAST CAROLINA: 16
Halftime
Jan 2 6:23 PM -
LIBERTY BOWL
AT MEMPHIS TN
NCAAF LIBERTY BOWL
TD EAST CAROLINA
DARRYL FREENEY 80 YD PASS FROM PATRICK PINKNEY
(PAT BLOCKED)
KENTUCKY 3
EAST CAROLINA 16 8:47 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Jan 2 5:57 PM -
LIBERTY BOWL
AT MEMPHIS TN
NCAAF LIBERTY BOWL
FG KENTUCKY
LONES SEIBER 21 YD
KENTUCKY 3
EAST CAROLINA 10 8:59 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Jan 2 5:52 PM -
LIBERTY BOWL
AT MEMPHIS TN
NCAAF LIBERTY BOWL
TD EAST CAROLINA
BRANDON SIMMONS 28 YD RUN
(BEN HARTMAN KICK)
KENTUCKY 0
EAST CAROLINA 10 14:14 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Jan 2 5:41 PM -
KENTUCKY: 0
EAST CAROLINA: 3
End of 1st
Jan 2 5:35 PM -
LIBERTY BOWL
AT MEMPHIS TN
NCAAF LIBERTY BOWL
FG EAST CAROLINA
BEN HARTMAN 22 YD
KENTUCKY 0
EAST CAROLINA 3 5:24 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Jan 2 5:21 PM
