Kentucky notches 7 sacks in 10-3 victory at Auburn

AUBURN, Ala. (AP) — Kentucky used a seven-sack gem to end a four-game skid.

The Wildcats harassed quarterbacks Ashton Daniels and Jackson Arnold all night, allowing Auburn just one trip to the red zone in a 10-3 victory over the Tigers on Saturday night that raised more questions about coach Hugh Freeze’s future on the Plains.

Auburn (3-5, 1-5 SEC) has lost five of six.

It was Kentucky’s first win against Auburn (4-5, 1-5 since 2009. The Wildcats had lost 19 of their previous 20 in the series.

“I was emotional walking off that field because of the pride that I feel for this team,” Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said. “It’s been hard. I acknowledge that, but these guys have not flinched. I know the results aren’t always there, but I know in my heart that these guys are getting better.”

Both offenses struggled, with the score tied 3-3 at halftime. But the Wildcats opened the second half with a 75-yard drive that ended with a 13-yard touchdown pass from Cutter Boley to Kendrick Law, giving them a cushion they were able to sustain — thanks to a relentless defense.

Boley finished with 161 yards passing, a touchdown and two interceptions. Seth McGowan ran for 53 yards.

Daniels threw for 59 yards and ran for 57 more in his first start for the Tigers and was replaced briefly in the fourth quarter by Arnold, who was 2-of-3 passing for 15 yards. Both of them were under duress all night.

“At the end of the day, I’m frustrated, too,” Freeze said. “We all know that when we sign up for this. We accept it. I love what we’re doing here, but we haven’t gotten the results.”

Freeze now occupies one of the hottest seats in college football following his third consecutive loss at Jordan-Hare Stadium. He hasn’t recorded a winning season at Auburn in three seasons, and the noise surrounding his potential firing keeps getting louder.

“I wish I could ask for patience, but that’s not something that people want to give in this day and time, and I understand that,” Freeze said. “I just think we’re so dang close.”

The takeaway

Kentucky: The Wildcats secured their first conference win of the season despite limited offensive success. The defense for Kentucky was able to shut down Auburn all night. The only points allowed came from an interception to set Auburn up in Wildcat territory.

Auburn: The Tigers have not won back-to-back SEC games since 2023. Auburn’s defense continues to be a bright spot, as the unit is one of only three in college football to hold every opponent to 24 points or fewer. However, offensive production has been almost nonexistent.

Up next

Kentucky: The Wildcats host Florida next Saturday.

Auburn: The Tigers play at No. 9 Vanderbilt next Saturday