Kentucky’s Marquise Grace-Humphrey and Daveren Rayner helped the defense keep Auburn out of the end zone Saturday night. (UK Athletics Photo)
It was basically the perfect Mark Stoops game, the kind of game the Kentucky coach loves and the kind of game that helped him initially make his mark at Kentucky.
The offense was not sexy, but it didn’t have to be because the defense was rock solid and — with maybe a little unusual help from the football gods — Kentucky won 10-3 at Auburn Saturday night to end a 10-game Southeastern Conference losing streak.
Kentucky’s first season win of 2025 also at least temporarily took some of the heat off Stoops from fans calling for his firing after a 4-8 finish in 2024 and a 2-5 start this season.
After the game, Stoops hugged players on the field and staff members, including Eddie Gran, his former offensive coordinator and current UK football executive assistant.
“It was just a team effort. So happy, so proud,” Stoops told ESPN’s Alyssa Lange. “We have been getting better. We have been up and down and just grateful for these places. They don’t flinch.”
The defense that was shredded for 54 points by Tennessee gave up just 241 yards, and Auburn’s only points were set up by a Cutter Boley interception.
“Really proud of our defense. We didn’t have our best efforts a week ago, and we bounced back,” Stoops said.
Kentucky bounced back with 12 tackles for loss (seven players were credited with tackles for loss), seven quarterback sacks (six players had part of a sack), seven quarterback hits from seven players, and four pass breakups. Kentucky also had a fumble recovery and interception by Jordan Lovett in the end zone to seal the win.
Stoops knew fans were unhappy with him and his team’s performances this season. He knew the national negativity toward him and his name being at the top of “hot seat” coaching warnings.
That’s why his emotions almost got away from him when Lange asked him what the win meant.
“It means an awful lot. I cannot lie,” Stoops told the ESPN sideline reporter. “Let’s be honest, we have been through a lot. It’s emotional. You are trying to get me to cry.”
He walked away before that happened and was greeted by a smiling Mitch Barnhart, and the UK athletics director gave his coach a huge hug as they walked off the field.
ESPN’s Tom Hart said early in the game that he always thought “Mark Stoops was at his best when backed into a corner,” and he’s right.
“Some think he was coaching for his job, and if he is, he made a statement tonight,” Hart said.
Auburn is not a SEC powerhouse. Coach Hugh Freeze got his first SEC win this year at Arkansas, but will likely be fired this week. Still, a win is a win, and Stoops’ players showed they have not given up on the season like many players did last year.
Lovett didn’t want to say the team “quit” last year, but he admitted on the UK Radio Network postgame show that the “intensity level lowered” overall during the second half of the 2024 season.
“This team is all together. We have a no-break mentality,” Lovett said.
7 Responses
A good high school team could have beaten Auburn last night, so let's not get too excited over this win. There are enough competitive games left for Stoops to prove whether or not he deserves to continue being our coach. Decide it between the lines.
The Cats came out the tallest of the migits last night. I guess we'll take a win any way we can get one. Good game Cats.
That said; Cutter Boley might want to start counting defenders lined up against his front line and when they are out numbered get the ball out fast otherwise he won't stay healthy very long. We had enough defense to out last Auburn last night.
A win is a W, but it didn't appear that either team was too concerned with saving their boss's job and neither team really deserved to win but still helps in the W column. The highlight for me was watch the Total Meltdown of Stoops toward end of game. That was worth the price of mental/physical admission. At least Freeze went out with a degree of composure.
Stoops has led to the demise of more SEC coaches than any other single person in SEC history. Go Stoops Troops!
Praying that Florida will return the favor.
Auburn is no where near the level of TN so you can't even put these two games in the same sentence. However, I am glad to see the boys didn't quit and kept fighting, that is where it starts. Hope they can keep improving and win a few more.
I said back earlier in the season I was willing to take some lumps if Boley got his chance to show what he could do. I will stand by that. So glad to have Boley back there.
Just wish the play calling could improve. There were still a lot of "what were you thinking" plays being called last night. I don't Bush has any idea about rhythm or flow of the game.
I agree, OldFan. Play calling is detrimental to Boyer & the entire offense, which means it also impacts the D. It Carrie’s over to the whole team where frustration will set in with too many dumb calls.
Boyer needs a quality OV like Liam Coen. He jumped from OC for Miami pro team to HC & Jacksonville Jaguars in a year after leaving UK, frustrated by constraints on the OC.. One of the first things he did was to work on the footwork of the former Clemson QB. Boyer needs such a QB so he can reach his maximum potential.
A week after TN loses is not when UK wants to face them. They will vent their frustrations with a big offensive game, even if UK fights hard on D.