Oct. 17, 2009
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AUBURN, Ala. - Ben Tate had his fifth 100-yard rushing game of the season for Auburn but Kentucky scored 14 fourth-quarter points as Auburn lost to the Wildcats, 21-14, at Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday night.
Tate had 31 carries for 132 yards, his third straight game with over 100 yards on the ground, but Kentucky's duo of Derrick Locke (19 carries, 126 yards) and Randall Cobb (12 carries, 109 yards) combined for 235 yards and one touchdown on the ground, helping Kentucky to its first win over Auburn since 1966.
Neiko Thorpe's 69-yard return of a blocked field goal gave Auburn a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter. It was Auburn's first blocked field goal returned for a score since 1981 when Chris Martin returned one 77 yards against Georgia Tech.
Kentucky (3-3, 1-3 SEC) tied the game at 7-7 with a six-play, two-and-a-half minute scoring drive early in the second quarter. Morgan Newton capped the drive with a four-yard touchdown run.
Tate's fourth touchdown in his last three games recaptured the lead for Auburn (5-2, 2-2 SEC) with just six seconds remaining in the first half, putting Auburn up 14-7. Tate, who now has 19 rushing touchdowns in his career, carried it six times on the 14-play, 48-yard drive to give him 38 yards on the ground at the half.
After neither team could put together a scoring drive in the third quarter, Kentucky tied the game at 14-14 with 6:29 left in the game as Will Fidler took a quarterback draw back up the middle for a two-yard touchdown run, capping a 12-play, 75-yard drive.
Cobb's touchdown run with 3:17 remaining put Kentucky ahead for good at 21-14. Cobb accounted for all of Kentucky's yards on the five-play, 68-yard drive, which included a 61-yard rush on second and six from the Kentucky 32.
Tate's became the first Auburn running back go for 100-plus yards in three consecutive games since Kenny Irons did it in 2005.