Auburn vs. Kentucky: Quarterbacks, Kickers, and a Coaching Job on the Line
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network
Let’s not sugarcoat it—this is the Bottom of the Barrel Bowl. Auburn and Kentucky are a combined 1-9 in SEC play. One fanbase is furious, the other just bored. But buried in the muck is real drama tonight: a quarterback switch, a hot seat boiling over, and two teams fighting for the right to keep pretending their seasons aren’t over.
Let’s start with the spark. Auburn made the switch last week, benching golden-transfer Jackson Arnold after a brutal pick-six against Arkansas. Enter Ashton Daniels, the Stanford transfer with the calm hand and quiet confidence. The dude marched Auburn on five straight scoring drives and flipped a 10-point deficit into a 33-24 win. It was the first time the offense looked like it knew what it was trying to be. Daniels doesn’t wow you with flash, but he doesn’t scare his own sideline either. That’s progress.
The question now is whether Hugh Freeze actually rides with him, or if the leash is short and Arnold is warming up by the second quarter. Daniels has the job—for now. But Freeze has flirted with rotations all year, and it’s hard to believe he’s all-in on any one guy.
Either way, Daniels’ task is clear: don’t lose the game. Because Auburn’s defense is built to win it.
DJ Durkin’s group has been dragging this team’s corpse around all season. Even after playing four straight ranked teams, they’re 28th in the country in scoring defense. They stop the run. They hit. They show up. And tonight, they get a Kentucky offense that’s allergic to consistency and allergic to SEC wins.
Kentucky’s one glimmer of hope is freshman QB Cutter Boley, who lit up Tennessee last week for 330 yards and five touchdowns. That’s real production. But also—Tennessee’s defense might be worse than its band. Auburn will throw pressure at him all night and dare the freshman to make mistakes. If Boley hits a couple big ones early, we’ve got a ballgame. If not, the Tigers cruise.
There’s also some revenge energy floating around Jordan-Hare tonight. Not just from the Arkansas comeback—but from the officials. Auburn’s had the three the worst calls in CFB this season, according to On3, including two vs. Georgia that directly cost them momentum and points. Freeze won’t say it publicly, but you’d be naïve to think that locker room hasn’t internalized it.
Speaking of redemption arcs: how about kicker Alex McPherson? He went 6-for-6 against Arkansas—tying a school record—a week after bricking three in a double-OT loss. He was the offense. It’s hilarious and depressing all at once. Auburn still can’t finish in the red zone, so McPherson’s leg might be the best scoring threat they’ve got. But he’s also the reason they’re not already packing for a 5-win offseason.
Meanwhile, Kentucky’s Mark Stoops is coaching for his job. There’s no spin left. They’re 0-5 in the SEC and circling the drain. The Tennessee blowout was bad. Another one tonight and the noise becomes action. Auburn leads the all-time series 28-6-1 and is 13-2 at home. Stoops might not be around much after No. 29.
The irony? Freeze needs this just as badly. Auburn’s sitting on a roster full of young offensive talent—Jeremiah Cobb, Cam Coleman, Eric Singleton Jr.—and still can’t score touchdowns. You can feel the tension between potential and production. But win tonight, lock in bowl eligibility, and suddenly Freeze buys himself time. Lose, and the Daniels-Arnold carousel starts spinning again with no real answers in sight.
Bottom line: Auburn’s defense is legit. Kentucky’s isn’t. And unless Cutter Boley goes full Air Raid and exposes Auburn’s one true weakness—its secondary—this won’t be close.
Prediction: Auburn 38, Kentucky 10.
It may get so bad they cut the feed again. The difference... this ain't Rupp!
War Eagle!