Auburn @ Kentucky preview
Kroger Field
Last Meeting ( Oct 17, 2009 ) Kentucky 21, Auburn 14
Auburn quarterback Cam Newton has been able to choose how he picks apart opposing defenses all season. He ran all over Arkansas State and South Carolina, and he passed the Tigers past Mississippi State, Clemson and Louisiana-Monroe.
Newton is likely to need his legs more than his arm when the eighth-ranked Tigers (5-0, 2-0 Southeastern Conference) hit the road to take on Kentucky on Saturday.
Kentucky (3-2, 0-2 SEC) leads the conference in passing defense (141.8 yards per game) but ranks 11th in the league in rushing defense (166.2 yards per game).
That juxtaposition could mean a big day for Auburn's dangerous running game. Led by Newton (94.8 yards per game), the Tigers rank eighth nationally with 269 rushing yards per game. Newton, sophomore Onterio McCalebb (67.2 yards per game) and freshman Michael Dyer (66.8 yards per game) all rank in the top 10 in the SEC in rushing.
Perhaps Newton was saving his legs for this week when he did all his damage through the air in last week's 52-3 win against Louisiana-Monroe, passing for 245 yards and three touchdowns, including a school-record 94-yard touchdown pass to Emory Blake.
Newton's passer rating of 191.44 ranks second in the nation. He has completed 65.5 percent of his passes for 928 yards with 12 touchdowns and four interceptions, and his touchdown passes have gone to six different receivers.
The Wildcats have their share of offensive weapons as well. Kentucky ranks second in the SEC in passing offense (263.8 yards per game) and fourth in total offense (453.6 yards per game).
Senior quarterback Mike Hartline leads the passing game, ranking second in the conference at 244.4 yards per game. Hartline threw for a season-high 300 yards and two touchdowns in last week's 42-35 loss at Mississippi.
Versatile weapon Randall Cobb, who also takes some snaps in the Wildcat formation, had six catches for a career-high 108 yards and a touchdown last week. Cobb hurt the Tigers in Kentucky's 21-14 win at Auburn last year, rushing for 109 yards and a score.
Running back Derrick Locke also burned the Tigers a year ago, running for 126 yards. Locke ranks second in the SEC in rushing (108.6 yards per game) and leads the conference in all-purpose yards (181.4 yards per game). He has scored seven rushing touchdowns and has surpassed 100 yards in rushing or receiving in all five games this season.
Kentucky's win last year at Auburn snapped a 15-game losing streak in the series, which the Tigers lead 24-6-1. Auburn has won seven straight in Lexington dating to 1966.
Auburn has won 59 consecutive games when scoring 30 or more points, a streak that dates back to 1996. The Tigers have scored 30 or more in 10 of the last 16 meetings with Kentucky.