KSR GAMEDAY: Kentucky and Auburn Battle at the Bottom of the SEC

Auburn is one of two teams that has not won an SEC game. Kentucky is one of three with just one SEC victory. The two desperate teams are meeting tonight at Kroger Field.

Auburn has a knack for clinching defeat from the jaws of victory. The Tigers have turned it over a dozen times in their five losses, including a pair of 5-turnover games. They also had a lead disappear when Payton Thorne threw a pick-six in a home loss to Oklahoma.

Similar to the Tigers, the Kentucky football season is defined by missed opportunities in scoring territory. It’s why the Wildcats couldn’t knock off No. 1 Georgia and stumbled against Vanderbilt. Now Kentucky is reeling, in jeopardy of losing seven straight SEC home games.

We will share analysis of the matchup throughout the day, but much of it boils down to one simple fact. The team that makes the fewest mistakes is going to leave Kroger Field with a win.

Kentucky vs. Auburn: How To Watch, Listen

• Kickoff: 7:45 p.m. ET
• TV: SEC Network (Taylor Zarzour, Matt Stinchcomb, Ashley Stroehlein)
• Watch college football games live – try Fubo for free! Click HERE NOW.
• Local Radio: UK Sports Network (Tom Leach, Jeff Piecoro, Dick Gabriel)
• AM: 840 WHAS, 630 WLAP
• FM: 98.1 WBUL
• Online: iHeart Radio
• Sirius XM: 119 or 190 (UK); 374 (Auburn)
• Live Stats: StatBroadcast

You can also keep up with the game and chat with other fans on our game thread on KSBoard, with Drew Franklin, Nick Roush, and Adam Luckett providing updates from Kroger Field and the rest of us from home.

Significant Kentucky Injury Report

The Kentucky offense has struggled all season. Demie Sumo-Karngbaye has been the one constant, leading the team in rushing yards (419) and touchdowns from scrimmage (4). He has been ruled out, along with the player who we thought would lead the Cats inrushing, Chip Trayanum. Starting right tackle Gerald Mincey and preseason All-SEC cornerback Maxwell Hairston will be sidelined. The Cats are banged up and need the next man up to step up in a major way.

Hype Video

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Saturday Gameday Schedule

11 am — Doors Open at KSBar and Grille
3:30 — KSR Pregame Show at KSBar
4:30 — LexTran Shuttle Begins
5:30 — Cat Walk
7:45 — Kickoff on SEC Network

Kentucky vs. Vanderbilt Gambling Angles and Trends

Kentucky opened as a 2.5-point favorite, but bettors have been backing the Tigers since we learned the Cats will be without starting RB Demie Sumo-Karngbaye. The number has steadily dropped. Kentucky is now just a 1.5-point favorite.

The Wildcats are 0-3 as a favorite in SEC play this season. Auburn has a 3-4 ATS record and is 1-1 ATS as an underdog. Hugh Freeze is 18-9 ATS as a road dog during his coaching career. The under is 4-1 in Kentucky home games.

Saturday Swag

Auburn is wearing its all-white road uniforms Saturday night in Lexington. On the home sideline, Kentucky is rocking the chrome domes for the first time in 2024. They’ll have on blue jerseys and pants with the shiny helmets. Kentucky is 19-10 in the Stoops era with all-blue uniforms but lost earlier this season to South Carolina in the all-blues.

If you’re debating what to wear to the game, it’ll be a brisk night at Kroger Field. The tailgate will be sunny and 60 degrees, but temps are dipping into the low-50s once the sun goes down. That feels like football.

Big Recruiting Weekend

Kentucky is bringing in some of its top targets for the final home SEC game of the season. Former Purdue cornerback commit Dawayne Galloway, a Top 200 talent, is returning to Lexington for the first time since the summer. Christian Ingram, a defensive lineman drawing attention from a ton of SEC schools, is taking an official visit to Kentucky.

Jacob Polacheck will have a complete rundown of visitors later today on KSR+. Not a member? Sign up today and get one week of access for only $1. After that, it’s 50% off an annual subscription. What are you waiting for? Sign up now!

College Football on TV

Charlotte at Memphis	Noon ET	ESPNU
Tulane at North Texas	Noon ET	ESPN2
No. 12 Notre Dame vs. No. 24 Navy (MetLife Stadium)	Noon ET	ABC
Nebraska at No. 4 Ohio State	Noon ET	FOX
Oklahoma at No. 18 Ole Miss	Noon ET	ESPN
Washington at No. 13 Indiana	Noon ET	Big Ten Network
Georgia Tech at Virginia Tech	Noon ET	ACC Network
North Carolina at Virginia	Noon ET	The CW
Arkansas at Mississippi State	12:45pm ET	SEC Network
No. 11 BYU at UCF	3:30pm ET	ESPN
No. 21 Missouri at No. 15 Alabama	3:30pm ET	ABC
No. 20 Illinois at No. 1 Oregon	3:30pm ET	CBS
Texas Tech at TCU	3:30pm ET	FOX
Wake Forest at Stanford	3:30pm ET	ACC Network
Northwestern at Iowa	3:30pm ET	Big Ten Network
Maryland at Minnesota	3:30pm ET	FS1
Oregon State at California	4:00pm ET	ESPN2
No. 5 Texas at No. 25 Vanderbilt	4:15pm ET	SEC Network
Florida State at No. 6 Miami	7:00pm ET	ESPN
West Virginia at Arizona	7:00pm ET	FS1
Utah State at Wyoming	7:00pm ET	CBS Sports Network
Michigan State at Michigan	7:30pm ET	Big Ten Network
No. 3 Penn State at Wisconsin	7:30pm ET	NBC
No. 8 LSU at No. 14 Texas A&M	7:30pm ET	ABC
Auburn at Kentucky	7:45pm ET	SEC Network
No. 22 SMU at Duke	8:00pm ET	ACC Network
Kansas at No. 16 Kansas State	8:00pm ET	ESPN2
Cincinnati at Colorado	10:15pm ET	ESPN
Washington State at San Diego State	10:30pm ET	CBS Sports Network