At long last, the Auburn Tigers have won an SEC football game with a 24-10 victory on the road over the Kentucky Wildcats in Lexington.
The first quarter got started in ugly fashion for the Tigers who fell behind 10-0 after the Wildcats opened the game with a field goal before a three and out for Auburn led to a Kentucky touchdown. From there, Payton Thorne threw an atrocious interception leading it to look like it could be a very long day:
.@Jhardaway_24 said GIMME THAT 🏈 pic.twitter.com/wJRdDF5XXv
— Kentucky Football (@UKFootball) October 27, 2024
From there, Auburn was able to settle down and get a couple of stops before Thorne eventually capped off a drive with a touchdown to KeAndre Lambert-Smith:
🗣️ Big Play DREEEE
7️⃣ touchdown grabs this season by @drelambertt pic.twitter.com/UNazUkK1oe
— Auburn Football (@AuburnFootball) October 27, 2024
Alex McPherson, who was kicking for the first time this season for Auburn, tied the game at 10 with a 27-yard field goal that brought the game to halftime all square.
Auburn’s first drive of the second half was one of the most impressive and most clutch of the season, going 75 yards in 14 plays and putting it all together with a short Jarquez Hunter carry into the end zone to give the Tigers a lead they would not give up:
Feed @JArquez27 😤 https://t.co/jDI79znSol pic.twitter.com/TS5qNZiVMM
— Auburn Football (@AuburnFootball) October 27, 2024
Hunter put the cherry on top of a huge performance for him early in the fourth quarter when he eluded defenders on the way to a 45-yard touchdown:
HAVE A NIGHT, @JArquez27 😱 pic.twitter.com/3CgCUNe85O
— Auburn Football (@AuburnFootball) October 27, 2024
Kentucky did get down to the goal line with a good bit of time left on the clock, but with just below five minutes left in the ball game and on fourth and goal, Kayin Lee came down with an interception to officially put the nail in the coffin:
Lock it DOWN, @_kayinlee 😤 pic.twitter.com/K30n0STA7e
— Auburn Football (@AuburnFootball) October 27, 2024
Hunter finished the night with a ridiculous 278 yards on 23 carries with the two touchdowns and was the best player on the field in what felt like a ‘finally!’ game for Tiger fans who have been clamoring for him to get more carries all season long.
While it’s unlikely this will turn the season around, it’s a huge win for an Auburn team that was desperate for a performance like this. Next week, the Tigers will welcome the surprise of the SEC to Jordan-Hare with Vanderbilt coming to town for Auburn’s first home game in a month.
Michael Brauner is a Senior Sports Analyst and Contributing Writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @MBraunerWNSP and hear him every weekday morning from 6 to 9 a.m. on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5, available free online.
