Bo Nix showed growth symptoms, Auburn’s defense seized the opportunity and Gus Malzahn pulled a new one out of his large device play bag.
And a first game in 2020 that looked like it happened here came to Jordan-Hare Stadium, with the No. 8 Tigers defeating Kentucky 29-13.
Nix’s expansion as a pin came here with a common sense technique: throwing the ball near Seth Williams in case of doubt. The quarterback and the reference receiver connected two of Nix’s three touchdowns.
On defense, he used the mistakes made by a Kentucky veteran.
When Wildcats quarterback Terry Wilson dropped the ball in search of a first attempt in the last quarter, Jamien Sherwood retrieved it and returned it seven yards at 23 of the Wildcats.
Nix finished from 23 to 233 yards and 3 touchdowns.
The final score of the time of year that ended the game is not the only substitute for the momentum.
At the end of the first half, Roger McCreary passed a Wilson pass on the line of purpose and headed a hundred yards to the other side. Pick six flipped through a one-block target call on the return, but ended a wild last minute of the first half.
Just a hit earlier, an obvious Kentucky landing rattled through a supposed knee at 1, a call shown to SEC headquarters in Birmingham, preserving Auburn’s 8-7 lead at the time.
Expect multiple phone calls from court cases on Monday.
And then there’s Malzahn’s turn game, which is perhaps the right maximum call of 2020 of the day. After matching Kentucky’s first touchdown, Auburn threw a knock-door game, the guy who rarely works at school, for a two-point conversion.
It’s an impressive victory for Auburn, although Auburn’s list is arguably deeper, Kentucky’s is being tested for the seasons. The clashes, the loss of spring practice and a reconstructed Auburn offensive line made a foiled offer viable.
But Auburn, with Nix’s double risk and a Kevin Steele defense, shattered this perception with a dominant punchline.