Both Auburn and Kentucky limped into Saturday’s late-night contest in Lexington, each looking to get off the mat after consecutive weeks of disappointment.
Auburn started slow, but big carries from Jarquez Hunter and a complete defensive performance powered Auburn to a 24-10 win.
It was a game where Auburn leaned on its strengths, suffocating Kentucky’s offense and punishing the Wildcats with a bruising run game.
Here are three takeaways from Auburn’s first Southeastern Conference win:
Jarquez Hunter needs touches
Auburn‘s offense looked inept to start the game. The Tigers didn‘t gain a single yard on either of their first two drives, and the only rush attempt was a scramble by Payton Thorne that didn’t gain a yard.
Hugh Freeze and the offensive staff hardly attempted to get Jarquez Hunter involved to start the game, and the offensive sputtered. Hunter had just one carry in the first quarter and Auburn was outgained 115-38 and outscored 10-0.
The second quarter was the complete opposite. Hunter carried the ball four times for 64 yards, and Auburn matched Kentucky‘s 10 points, outgaining the Wildcats 158-30.
He and Damari Alston both found success, and with the offense finding a rhythm, Thorne didn’t throw a single incompletion in the second quarter.
When Auburn figured out what was working, it didn’t go back.
There was no bigger example of the tone of the game shifting than a 14-play, 75-yard drive to start the second half, where Auburn took seven minutes and seven seconds off the clock. Hunter touched the ball on 10 of those 14 plays.
Hunter rushed for 278 yards, highlighted by long runs of 50, 46 and 45. The 45-yard run was the backbreaker, and it symbolized how Auburn won this game, leaning on its star.
Kentucky’s offense couldn’t get comfortable
Auburn‘s defense looked out of it to start the game. After giving up 10 early points to a Kentucky offense that had yet to score more than 20 points in conference play, there wasn’t much to be satisfied with early on.
DJ Durkin and the defensive staff dialed up the pressure after the early struggles and Kentucky quarterback Brock Vandagriff struggled.
While it didn’t always result in sacks, Vandagriff was affected by the pressure on almost every throw. He split snaps at time with backup quarterback Gavin Wimsatt, but Wimsatt took over full time to start the second half.
After gaining 115 total yards in the first quarter, Kentucky gained 36 over the next two. With its leading rusher not playing, Kentucky never found much success on the ground. Wimsatt offered a new dynamic compared to Vandagriff, and hurt Auburn with his dual threat ability on a long drive late in the fourth quarter.
The defense still made the stand when it needed to on that drive, though, intercepting Wimsatt near the goal line, slamming the door shut on an impressive performance.
Auburn finished the game
Auburn outgained Kentucky 313-36 over the second and third quarters. It had a 200-yard total yardage example overall going into the fourth, but it only led by seven.
It was a similar story to how many of Auburn’s close losses have gone, seemingly doing everything needed to win, but could never make the plays to pull away.
Then, on a third down near midfield where it felt like the game could turn, Hunter made a play. He took a handoff 45 yards for a touchdown, putting Auburn up 24-10, finally giving the Tigers a comfortable lead.
Kentucky answered, moving the ball better than it had each of the previous two quarters, but after getting all the way to the two-yard line Auburn’s defense made a stand.
A goal line interception by Kayin Lee was the moment of relief Auburn fans longed for since conference play started, witnessing their team finally finish a game.
Auburn’s performance was still far from perfect, but for the first time against a Power 4 opponent this season, it was enough.
Peter Rauterkus covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @peter_rauterkus or email him at [email protected]m
