(Editor's Note: KySportsStyle.com Magazine didn't have a photographer on the field for the 2017 Music City Bowl in Nashville since Joe Cox and Jamie Vaught both covered the bizarre matchup from the press box at Nissan Stadium. But we managed to have some photos -- mostly postgame -- by Vaught, including the one on UK senior quarterback Stephen Johnson walking to the locker room for the final time as a collegiate player.)
UK postgame notes are also available below.
Kentucky vs. Northwestern
Nissan Stadium, Nashville, Tenn.
Dec. 29, 2017
FINAL SCORE: No. 20 Northwestern 24, Kentucky 23
Team Records and Series Information
Kentucky finishes the season 7-6.
UK is one of two schools in the nation that has tied or improved its win total in each of the past five seasons.
Northwestern is 10-3, ending the season with an eight-game win streak.
Northwestern leads the series 2-0. The previous game was a 7-0 win by Northwestern in Evanston during the 1928 season.
Team Notes
Making its 17th bowl appearance, Kentucky is now 8-9 in postseason action.
Kentucky made its fifth appearance in the Music City Bowl, more than any other school in the 20-year history of the event, also in 1999, 2006, 2007 and 2009. UK is now 2-3 in the Music City Bowl.
Kentucky went 4-3 this season in games decided by seven points or less.
Kentucky scored on the game’s first possession, a 67-yard drive in five plays, capped with a Benny Snell three-yard touchdown run.
Kentucky also scored on its first possession of the second half, a 74-yard drive in six plays, finished by a three-yard TD run by Stephen Johnson.
Trailing by 10 points with 7:49 to play, Kentucky rallied and had a chance to win in the last minute, missing a two-point conversion with 37 seconds remaining.
The Kentucky defense made some magnificent stands, stopping Northwestern on downs four times during the game, including twice in the fourth quarter.
Player Notes
UK’s game captains were WR Charles Walker, QB Stephen Johnson, LB Courtney Love and S Mike Edwards.
Senior quarterback Stephen Johnson completed 19 of 36 passes for 257 yards.
Johnson also rushed six times for 19 yards and two touchdowns.
Despite playing only two years, Johnson finished ninth in school history with 4,342 passing yards.
Sophomore running back Benny Snell rushed six times for 15 yards and one touchdown.
Snell finished the season with 1,333 rushing yards, most by a sophomore in school history.
Snell has 2,424 rushing yards in his career, currently eighth in school history.
Snell finished the year with school records for most rushing touchdowns in a season (19) and career (32).
Snell also finished the season with a school record 116 points.
Snell has 194 points in his career, moving past Craig Yeast (192 points) for seventh place on the UK career scoring list.
Sophomore wide receiver Tavin Richardson had his best game as a Wildcat, setting career highs with five receptions for 89 yards.
Senior wide receiver Garrett “Juice” Johnson caught two passes for 39 yards.
Johnson finished his career with 2,089 receiving yards, fourth best in school history.
Johnson has 155 career catches, fifth in school history.
Senior kicker Austin MacGinnis made his only field goal of the game, a clutch 48-yarder in the fourth quarter.
MacGinnis made 22 of 28 field goals for the season.
MacGinnis broke his own school record for most field goals in a season. He made 21 as a freshman in 2014.
He improved his UK career scoring record to 359 total points, including a season record 72 field goals.
