Auburn has best offensive showing of the year in 30-27 win against Kentucky

Oh what a difference a bye week makes.

For the first time this season, Auburn put on the offensive display many expected to see from the beginning of the season in a pivotal 30-27 win against Kentucky.

The Tigers rolled up 407 yards of total offense, which was more than any game this season, and 255 yards passing, which also was a season high.

Quarterback Sean White found receiver Ricardo Louis early and often and Louis finished the game with 154 yards.While running back Peyton Barber finished with 26 carries for 92 yards, but also had the first and the last touchdowns for the Tigers.

It was the kind of performance Auburn needed to stave off an 0-3 conference start and get some sort of positive momentum. It finally looked like a Gus Malzahn offense.

Unfortunately for the Tigers, it’s too late to reverse their fortunes in the SEC West, but the victory does get them one win closer to bowl eligibility. If the Tigers keep playing well, they could be playing for one of the SEC’s better bowl games.

Kentucky, which had a chance to at least tie the game late, but squandered the final minute of the game with poor playcalling, was attempting to stay in the race for the SEC East against Florida, which is undefeated, and Georgia.

The Wildcats already had impressive East Division wins against South Carolina and Missouri, but a win against Auburn would have been validation that Mark Stoops had finally turned Kentucky into a program that could compete with the rest of the conference.