Cats get reality check in loss to Auburn

By Lance Williams
Editor in Chief

UK defensive end Chris Ward sat motionless in his chair, eyes focused straight ahead. His words about the game he had just played were slow and deliberate. Occasionally he would glance up, but for the most part, he was a stone. It was the perfect picture of reality setting in on a player on a team that has been a little unreal the past few weeks.

The reality -- a 42-21 loss for the Wildcats against the No. 6 Auburn Tigers in Commonwealth Stadium on Saturday.

"We thought we could just show up -- just show up, instead of showing up and playing," Ward said.

After all, the Cats had won two straight road games and were facing an opponent that lost to LSU two weeks ago. LSU was tied earlier on Saturday by South Carolina, who UK had beaten the week before.

UK had been playing better than they had in over a year, so it should have been close. Right?

"When we look back at our two wins, we realized we made a lot of mistakes," senior guard Andy Britt said.

Neither victory was easy, and there were question marks after both wins, but the fact that they were wins seemed to quiet those remarks. Even the fans were buzzing with newfound confidence in the Wildcats.

Was the afterglow from the two previous wins a little too bright, making UK a little too confident?

"It could have happened," said sophomore wide receiver Kio Sanford. "I guess we went out too confident."

Now with reality back in sight and an extra week for prepare for Homecoming foe LSU, the Cats can get down to the business of trying to improve on their 2-3 record.

"We've got a chance to be a real football team right now, but it's going to take a lot more concentration," UK coach Billy Curry said.

The lack of concentration in Saturday's game from number of UK miscues.

The Wildcats had the chances on both sides of the ball, but little things got in the way.

On UK's first drive, they were moving the ball effectively behind the running of tailback Moe Williams, who would finish with 164 yards rushing, but a holding penalty stopped the momentum of a possible scoring opportunity.

Later in the first quarter on Auburn's second scoring drive, junior safety Leman . dropped a wide open interception in the endzone. With a second chance, Auburn scored on a run by sophomore fullback Fred Beasley four plays later and the extra point gave the Tigers a 14-0 lead.

Auburn would score another touchdown before UK would put a score on the board.

UK's score would come off its first drive of the second quarter. Using Williams in the backfield and being helped by an Auburn pass interference call in the endzone, Kentucky was able to get in scoring position. It would score on a two-yard run by Williams.

Auburn followed that score up with one of its own on a 44-yard sideline pass to freshman wide receiver Robert Baker.

It would also get a gift late in the first half from a Sanford fumbled punt on the UK 20. It would take several plays and a strong run on a fourth and one play, but Auburn would stretch its lead to 35-7.

"We made mental mistakes as the game went on and we have to eliminate these. We got penalties tonight that stopped every drive," UK quarterback Billy Jack Haskins said.

UK would improve somewhat in the second half, but the mistakes in the first half were too much of a roadblock to overcome.

Now the test is to learn from the loss and improve.

"I am bitterly disappointed in our performance," Curry said. "That is not the football team that we have been the last couple of weeks. It's a shame we never game ourselves a chance."