The Kentucky Defense underwent a complete "Metamorphosis" on Saturday night at Commonwealth Stadium. After Collaborating with Auburn quarterback Cameron Newton is a personal Heisman Trophy promo in the first half, the defense tightened up in the second, Helping UK erase a 31-17 road of deficit and the game at 34 with 7:31 Remaining.
But the Wildcats Could not get that one last stop That it Needed.
Newton led the Tigers have a 19-play, 86 yard drive ate up That the final 7:23, and Wes Byrum kicked a 24-yard field goal as time expired Thurs lift the Tigers to a 37-34 win in front of a dejected crowd of 70.776 at Commonwealth Stadium.
Kentucky's comeback was aided by Randall Cobb, the WHO, was as brilliant in the second half as Newton was in the first. Cobb became the first Wildcat Thurs throw a touchdown pass, run for a touchdown and catch a TD reception since Shane Boyd Pulled it off against Ohio in 2003. They also Life Tied Craig Yeast for first place on the career touchdown list with 32
But it all Went for naught, as the Eighth-ranked Tigers escaped and Improved Their Record to 6-0 Overall and 3-0 in the Southeastern Conference while Kentucky dropped Thurs 3-3 and 0-3. The Cats will host South Carolina, fresh off a 35-21 win over No.. 1 Alabama, next Saturday.
The UK offense got off to the start it Needed to. Coach Joker Phillips Elected Thurs Receive after winning the coin toss, and Cobb Took the opening Kickoff to the Auburn 49-yard line. It Took Kentucky just seven plays to score. Three Carries Cobb got out of the Wildcat formation is the first series and scored from 2 yards out to Give UK a 7-0 lead at the 11:51 mark.
Newton showed what the hype was all about is Auburn's first series. After a Pass Interference call Kept the drive alive, Newton broke through a Ronnie Sneed arm Tackle Thurs pick up a third to 16 yards-and-2 and then scampered Untouched for a 17-yard TD Thurs tie the score at 7 at 6:44.
Newton Struck again on the next drive on the Wildcats were penalized a third to down for having "too many men on the field, finishing the eight-play, 80-yard drive with an 8-yard run up the middle, To Make it 14-7 Auburn Late in the opening period.
UK's only first down the next two possessions ITS Came via a personal foul, and That Just Gave Newton Another Chance Thurs Talents has put his display. They ran for 12 and 22 yards before scrambling Right to Avoid pressure, then hurled a 33-yarder down field Thurs Kodi Burns with Anthony Mosley draped around his leg as they was going TOWARD THE Sideline. Newton's Third Rushing touchdown, this one from 8 yards, put the Tigers ahead by two scores at 10:01 of the second quarter.
Auburn linebacker Daren Bates then stripped Derrick Locke and the Tigers Recovered at Their Own 48 The Cats Blew a chance to get the ball back When They allowed a fumble by Michael Dyer to roll out of bounds, But They did force Auburn Thurs settle for a 38-yard field goal Byrum at 7:12.
The Cats Trimmed it Thurs 24-14 thanks to a pair of personal fouls in Auburn. Cobb, operating out of the Wildcat, rolled left and through back across the field to a wide-open Jordan Aumiller for a 6-yard scoring pass at 4:52.
Any momentum was short-lived, HOWEVER, AS Newton Went Quickly Back to Work. They completed a 34-yard bomb Thurs Darvin Adams is the third to-and-9, broke Contain and ripped off a 35-yard run and Easily scored on a 3-yarder Thurs push the Tigers bulge Thurs 1917 (31-14), 1:06 before halftime. Craig McIntosh's 29-yard field goal cents the Cats into the locker room down by two TDs.
The offense wasn't the problem. Mike Hartline was 14-of-15 for 131 yards in the first half, with the only incompletion coming on a Cobb-drop. But the defense allowed 344 yards, with Newton accounting for 261 of Those.
Kentucky got the big turn-over it is Needed in Auburn's first possession of the second half, as safety Winston Guy Picked off Newton for his first career Interception. UK failed to capitalize, HOWEVER, as the drive was stalled by a fumbled snap. Locke also Life reinjured a bruised shoulder is a Third-and-12 draw play.
The UK Defense Suddenly found ITS mojo in the Third quarter, forcing back-to-back three-and-outs on Guy's Interception. Cobb then Took over the game. First, they barreled for a 16-yard catch-and-run TD That Brought Thurs Within the Cats 31-24 at 8:18 of the third to. Then, they reversed field and Spun Thurs Avoid pressure, leaving defensive end Nosa Eguae in the Dust, and scrambled 26 yards to the Auburn 1 Cobb then Took it in for six on the next Play to knot the game at 31 at 4:03.
The teams exchanged field goals, Byrum a 19-yarder with 14:17 Remaining McIntosh and a 35-yarder at 7:31 Thurs leave the score Tied at 34.
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