Football is Back: Kentucky Travels to Auburn in 2020 Opener
Kentucky embarks on the most unusual of seasons on Saturday when it travels to Auburn for the 2020 opener, the first of a 10-game schedule featuring all Southeastern Conference opponents. Game time is set for noon ET and it will air on the SEC Network.
The Sept. 26 start date is the latest season-opener since 1941 and was necessitated by the ongoing measures to create a safe environment in which to play during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Wildcats also have seen Alabama and Ole Miss added to their schedule to replace two of the non-league games that were canceled.
The Cats return a deep and veteran squad highlighted by one of the nation’s top offensive lines and secondaries, as well as a healthy Terry Wilson at quarterback. The running game is expected to once again be a strength with a stable of backs that goes a minimum of three deep, while one of the program’s most heralded recruiting classes ever could also make an immediate impact all over the field.
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| Kentucky at Auburn | ||
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| Sat., Sept. 26 – 12 p.m. ET Jordan-Hare Stadium Auburn, Ala. Game Notes: UK | AU Digital Gameday Program Gameday App |
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TV: SEC Network |
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| UK | 2019 Team Stats | AU |
| 8-5 | Record | 9-4 |
| 3-5 | Conference Record | 5-3 |
| 27.2 | Scoring/game | 33.2 |
| 392.5 | Total offense/game | 406.5 |
| 278.8 | Rushing yards/game | 199.1 |
| 113.7 | Passing yards/game | 213.8 |
| 20.8 | Kickoff returns (avg) | 20.5 |
| 7.5 | Punt returns (avg) | 12.8 |
| 48.1 | Punting (avg) | 43.5 |
| 32:09 | Time of possession/game | 29:38 |
| 38.9% | Third down conversion | 40.5% |
| 51.9% | Fourth down conversion | 46.7% |
| 19.3 | Points allowed/game | 19.5 |
| 322.2 | Total yards allowed/game | 337.0 |
| 154.3 | Rush yards allowed/game | 123.2 |
| 167.8 | Pass yards allowed/game | 213.8 |
A year ago, the Cats rallied to win six of their final eight games after an onslaught of injuries at the quarterback position led to a 2-3 start to season and re-vamping of the offense with Lynn Bowden Jr. as QB1. Three straight games of at least 400 yards rushing culminated in a school-record 517-yard rushing performance against Louisville in the regular season finale before a thrilling Belk Bowl victory over Virginia Tech.
Cat Scratches: Stoops, Cats Ready for Challenge of Facing No. 8 Auburn
It’s finally game week for the Kentucky football team, and head coach Mark Stoops and his squad have certainly put in their time in the preseason. And it’s been a fall camp unlike any other.
“For us, it’s been a long preseason,” Stoops said. “A couple of weeks longer than usual, so it seems like it’s been a long time. But we will need that preparation.”
Stoops and the Cats are excited to have the chance to play someone else, beginning this week. Even if that means traveling to eighth-ranked Auburn for the Saturday season opener (Noon ET, SEC Network).
Kentucky faces a formidable challenge against Auburn. The Cats are 2-12 all-time on the Plains. However, the last time UK played at Jordan-Hare Stadium, the Cats came away with a 21-14 win, in 2009…Read More
SERIES VS. AUBURN
• Auburn leads the all-time series 26-6-1, including 12-2 in Auburn.
• This will be the first meeting with Auburn since 2015.
• This will be only the fourth time the two teams have played each other in September.
• The teams first met in 1934, a 9-0 Kentucky victory.
• In 2009, former UK coach Rich Brooks led the Cats into Jordan-Hare Stadium and delivered a 21- 14 victory, the first for UK against the Tigers since 1966, a span of 15 games and 23 years.
• In 2010, the Cats nearly derailed the Tigers’ national championship season before Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton delivered a drive that culminated in a game-winning field goal at the gun for a 37-34 escape.
• The Tigers also got out of Lexington with a three-point win in 2015, claiming a 30-27 victory.
KENTUCKY-AUBURN CONNECTIONS
• Kentucky has two players from state of Alabama: WR Allen Dailey Jr. (Pinson) and RB Kavosiey Smoke (Wetumpka).
• Smoke and Auburn QB Bo Nix were high school teammates.
• Auburn does not have a player on its roster from Kentucky.
• UK quarterback Joey Gatewood transferred from Auburn and enrolled in January. In 2018, he appeared in eight games for the Tigers.
• UK assistant head coach for offense/running backs Eddie Gran had his longest coaching stop at Auburn, residing on staff from 1999-2008 and delivering some of the top running backs the program has seen.
• Auburn defensive backs coach Wesley McGriff earned his first SEC coaching opportunity at UK where he served as the running backs coach in 2001 and cornerbacks coach in 2002.
KENTUCKY VS. THE RANKED
• Kentucky has played 251 ranked teams in the Associated Press Poll in its history. The Cats are 44-202-5 in those games.
• Since 2015, the Cats are 5-6 against ranked teams. The wins were over No. 12 Penn State, No. 14 Mississippi State and No. 25 Florida (2018), No. 11 Louisville (2016) and No. 25 Missouri (2015).
• The wins vs. UF and MSU in 2018 gave UK consecutive wins over ranked foes for the first time since 1976-77.
• UK is 1-14-1 vs. a ranked Auburn team. UK’s lone win over a ranked Auburn team was in 1964 on Oct. 3 in Lexington, Ky. The Cats defeated the seventh-ranked Tigers, 20-0.
• The Cats have never beaten a ranked Auburn team on the road.
• The Cats’ last win over ranked SEC team was in 2018 vs. No. 14 Mississippi State in Lexington, 28-7.
• The Cats’ last win over a ranked SEC team on the road was in 1998 vs. No. 21 LSU, 39-36.
• The Cats’ last win over a top-10 team was No. 10 South Carolina in 2010.
• The Cats’ last win over a top-10 team on the road was No. 4 Penn State in 1977.
• The Cats’ last win over a top-10 SEC team on the road was No. 1 Ole Miss in 1964.
A UK WIN WOULD…
• Give the Wildcats their first win over Auburn since 2010 and just the second over the Tigers since 1966 (1-17 during that time).
• Be the third at Auburn in 15 tries.
• Be the first win over a top-10 team since knocking off No. 10 South Carolina, 31-28, in 2010.
• Be the first road win over a top-10 team since winning 24-20 at No. 4 Penn State in 1977.
• Be only the fourth road win over a top-10 team in program history.
• Give UK a five-game winning streak overall and six wins in last seven games.
• Give head coach Mark Stoops 45 career victories at UK, putting him just two shy of tying Fran Curci (1973-81) for second on the school’s all-time list.
• Give Stoops his 11th road victory as head coach.
• Improve Terry Wilson to 13-3 as UK’s starting quarterback.
