Kentucky football (3-5, 1-5 SEC) dominated on defense to defeat Auburn (4-5, 1-5 SEC) by a score of 10-3 for its first conference win in 2025.

The Wildcats came into the game reeling and desperately seeking their first conference win and captured just that in this one.

Kentucky won the toss and elected to defer to the second half, which meant its defense would hit the field first on the road.

They delivered a three-and-out to give Cutter Boley and Co. a chance to get on the board early.

However, they followed it up with a three-and-out of their own to start off the game.

In fact, both teams matched each other yet again on their second drives by picking up a first down before the drive ending in another punt.

Kentucky broke the matching stalemate by stringing multiple first downs and getting into the Auburn territory.

Jacob Kauwe hit a 48-yard field goal that opened the scoring and gave Kentucky a 3-0 lead.

The Kentucky defense continued strong by forcing another three-and-out, but some penalties on its next offensive drive forced another punt by Aidan Laros.

Auburn finally got some offense of its own going and found itself on Kentucky’s 41 facing a fourth-and-6 when Kahlil Saunders sacked Ashton Daniels to force the turnover with under two minutes left in the first half.

With the timing and advantageous field position, Kentucky had a huge chance to get a score before half and start the second half with the ball.

The potential opportunity was negated in four plays as Boley fired a pass intended for Willie Rodreguez that was intercepted and returned for 27 yards to sway the momentum back in Auburn’s favor.

Kentucky’s defense stiffened up yet again and did not allow Auburn to score a touchdown, but Alex McPherson hit a 27 yarder to tie the game 3-3 heading to halftime.

Out of the locker room, Boley and the offense came out firing and two key connections to Fred Farrier II set up a 13-yard touchdown for Kendrick Law that gave Kentucky a 10-3 lead.

Saunders delivered again in a huge sack as Auburn was threatening to tie and forced a punt to give the ball back to the offense.

The Wildcats strung together a drive that took the game into the fourth quarter, but a loss on a run followed by a sack stalled the drive.

Laros sent the ball away again and Auburn made a quarterback change as Jackson Arnold took over for Daniels after being benched in the teams win over Arkansas in week eight.

Arnold picked up a couple of quick first downs, but a huge sack by Alex Afari Jr. stunned that momentum instantly and forced a punt.

However, the offense picked up two first downs as they looked to ice the game, but a third-down sack forced another punt to give the Tigers a chance with a little over five minutes left.

The defense delivered yet again as another punt gave the offense a chance to continue to chip away the clock.

Boley threw an interception that looked like a huge swing in the game, but Cameron Miller forced a fumble on the return that gave the ball back to the Wildcats.

However, that drive ended in a punt that gave the Tigers a shot with a little over two minutes remaining in the game.

The Tigers turned back to Daniels in the biggest drive of the game and on a fourth-and-6 Daniels kept the game alive with a conversion.

A last second hail mary from Daniels landed in the hands of Jordan Lovett for an interception that sealed the ballgame and Kentucky’s first SEC win in over a year.

Following the win, Kentucky will return home for a clash with the Florida Gators on Saturday, Nov. 8, with kickoff set for 7:45.