3 questions for Auburn football before facing Kentucky

A week after last weekend’s collapse at Missouri, Auburn football looks to get its first conference win on the road against Kentucky.

Auburn is 27-6-1 and 13-4 all-time against Kentucky, and in all games played in Lexington, Ky., the Tigers have won their last nine trips to Kentucky. In the last meeting (2015), Auburn escaped with a 30-27 victory.

Kentucky coach Mark Stoops already calls this a top-tier matchup. For Auburn, ending a four-game losing streak would improve its bowl chances.

Three questions for the Tigers as they travel to Kentucky to face the Wildcats.

Who is Auburn’s leading scorer?

Auburn’s freshman kicker Towns McGough and Alex McPherson, who is now 5-for-10 on field goals this season, could likely see a return to the lineup.

McPherson has yet to play this season due to a gastrointestinal condition. Auburn coach Hugh Freeze said kicks in the 35-yard range could trigger McPherson’s return.

McGough had two misses from 30 yards or less in conference games against Missouri and Oklahoma this season. McPherson was a perfect 13-for-13 on field goals last season.

What’s in the way of Auburn finishing games?

Auburn has recorded a total of 12 turnovers in its five losses this season. They’ve taken double-digit fourth quarter leads twice in SEC play this year, the most recent coming against Missouri.

While the Tigers’ only wins have come against teams from the FCS (Alabama A&M) and the Mountain West (New Mexico), fans are wondering why Auburn can’t finish against Power 4 opponents.

Hugh Freeze is also looking for this answer.

“The last three weeks we played two teams in the top 20 — at least they were that ranking at the time — and we got ahead in the fourth quarter and couldn’t finish it,” Hugh Freeze said. “It is absolutely incredibly disappointing and frustrating.

“In my 32 years of coaching, I’ve never had a season where we didn’t have a single game that went the way we wanted, where we didn’t make enough plays at critical moments to make that happen, and that’s really important. It’s hard to put my finger on it.”

If Auburn loses, will the season be over?

Yes.

After losing four straight league games, the Tigers could only ask to enter the conversation for a bowl bid.

The Wildcats’ conference loss would be the beginning of the end, with Vanderbilt, Texas A&M and Alabama remaining on the schedule.

Auburn travels to Kentucky to face the Wildcats on Saturday at 6:45 p.m. The game will be broadcast on SEC Network.