kernel: College Football kickoff is Kentucky-centric

UK v WKU - Lexington, Ky.
UK takes the field against WKU, Sept. 2010 – Lexington, Ky.

In only a few hours, the 2011 edition of college football will kick off in Louisville’s Papa John’s Stadium. The Louisville Cardinals will host the Murray State Racers at 6:00. Then at 9:15 the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers will host the University of Kentucky Wildcats at Nashville’s LP Field. College football is (thank God) upon us! (picture of Big Red after the jump!)

UK v WKU - Lexington, Ky.
Big Red

Worth noting: three of these schools (Louisville, Murray State and Western) were charter members of the Ohio Valley Conference (I-AA ball); Murray State is the only remaining OVC member of the three. Louisville has been through its share of conferences: OVC, Missouri Valley Conference, 20 years as a football independent, Conference USA, and the Big East. And the Hilltoppers are in their third year of Division I-A ball, having gone through a few conferences on the way.

Then there is Kentucky: a charter member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC), which was established in 1932. Yes; I’m on an SEC lovefest right now with all the conference realignment talk and the likely arrival of Texas A&M in our beloved SEC.

Although I bleed blue, I have a little love for WKU. I think it is their affable mascot: Big Red. Big Red is a lovable, red blob. I always enjoy when Big Red graces us with his presence at Commonweatlh Stadium. Still, tonight he is the enemy. GO CATS!

And tonight the eyes of the nation will be upon our Kentucky home (aka Nashville?) to watch four Kentucky teams kick off the 2011 college football season! Did I mention… GO CATS!

More pics from the 2010 UK-WKU matchup at Commonwealth Stadium can be viewed on flickr.