MARK STOOPS

After years of debate over cost and liability, college football finally has helmet communications between coach and player.

There is already a much different feel around Texas A&M with new coach Mike Elko.

Joe Labas threw for 139 yards and a touchdown in his first start and Iowa posted the first shutout in the Music City Bowl’s 24-year history by beating Kentucky 21-0.

Mike Wright completed an 8-yard touchdown pass to Will Sheppard with 32 seconds left for a 24-21 win over Kentucky and snap a 26-game Southeastern Conference losing streak.

John Calipari’s push for upgraded practice facilities for his Kentucky basketball team drew a sharp jab from Wildcats football coach Mark Stoops on Twitter after the Hall of Fame coach referred to the university as a “basketball school” in an interview.

Life at the top of the Southeastern Conference can be difficult, especially when anything short of a national championship in football is considered unsatisfactory.

Georgia and Alabama could be heading for another showdown in the Southeastern Conference championship game.

Georgia finds itself in a most unusual position.

The rich got even richer in the Southeastern Conference when the transfer floodgates opened wide.

24 North Carolina State 23-21 on Saturday in a chippy TaxSlayer Gator Bowl. “John was definitely looking down on us; Coach Schlarman definitely inspired us all,” said Rose, who was named Kentucky's bowl game MVP. “Those are four really good run defenders against a really good rushing offense,” NC State coach Dave Doeren said. Kentucky: The Wildcats won their third bowl game in as many seasons for the second time in school history. UP NEXTNorth Carolina State: Opens the 2021 season at home against USF on Sept. 2.

(AP Photo/Richard Shiro, File)Kentucky offensive lineman Kenneth Horsey is one of three winners announced Saturday of the Mayo Clinic Comeback Player of the Year Award, along with Colorado running back Jarek Broussard and Coastal Carolina linebacker Silas Kelly. Horsey overcame a heart condition that required surgery and threatened his career to become a starter on Kentucky's offensive line. Last year Kentucky linebacker Josh Paschal was the Bowl Subdivision winner of the Comeback Player of the Year award. Usually winners are selected from lower divisions of college football, too, but since the pandemic postponed those seasons three winners were selected in major college football. Horsey said he found inspiration in Kentucky offensive line coach John Schlarman, who continued working while being treated for cancer.

24 North Carolina State (8-3) is a 2 ½-point underdog against Kentucky (4-6) in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl, a number the Wolfpack consider a slight heading into Saturday's game in Jacksonville. Kentucky was so bad offensively that coach Mark Stoops fired two assistants less than 24 hours after the regular-season finale. “They can put us down all they want, but we know what we have in the locker room, and that’s it,” NC State quarterback Bailey Hockman said. FAMILY AFFAIRHockman has an uncle who played at Kentucky, and the Gator Bowl matchup has prompted some trash talk. It’s family before everything,” said Bailey, who landed at NC State after transferring from Florida State.