Another week, another chance for Auburn to turn it around

The Tigers haven't given up on a tough season yet — and their road game at Kentucky might be a decent matchup for them after all.

(Zach Bland/Auburn Tigers)

AUBURN — It would be easy for Auburn to throw in the towel.

Pack it in. Give up. Self-destruct. Point fingers.

Auburn is 2-5 overall and 0-4 in the SEC. Despite having a better roster than they did last season — and a more favorable schedule — the Tigers have gone backwards. The offense has regressed. The defense struggles to finish opportunities as well. The step forward that Auburn wanted to show in Year 2 under Hugh Freeze isn’t happening.

So far, the Tigers haven’t pulled the plug on the 2024 campaign. Even after blown leads and missed opportunities, they’ve remained determined to turn things around.

And, perhaps most importantly, they’ve held themselves accountable.

Robert Lewis texted the team an apology after his dropped touchdown against Missouri.

Jerrin Thompson talked Tuesday about how he lost contain on a third-down blitz that could’ve ended Missouri’s game-winning touchdown drive before it even began.

And freshman Malik Blocton took responsibility for missing a tackle, then getting out of his gap by trying to do too much on the decisive score.

“It shows that the team is not going to be divided,” defensive tackle Keldric Faulk said Tuesday. “So when we go out the rest of the season, we can play for each other and not for ourselves. Whenever we step on the field, it’s fighting for the brother beside you and not for the name on the back. … You’re fighting for the man beside you. Your job is to do your job.

“And when you do your job, you’re helping everybody else on this team. So the self-accountability, man, it's crucial. I’m glad to hear that a lot of guys are taking that. They’re not just pointing fingers at everybody else.”

With that in mind, Auburn keeps trudging forward in what has been a brutal season. Up next is a trip to face a Kentucky program that has had its fair share of tough losses in recent weeks — with Auburn knowing that a road win could be a spark before a stretch of home games in November.

“Just go out there and play our brand of ball,” Faulk said. “Everybody knows we haven’t played our best ball all season, but we definitely want to put our best foot forward this coming Saturday and show progression. That’s our main team goal right now, is to keep progressing throughout the week, everyday, just make each other better.

“And, on Saturdays, go out there and prove what we can do. Go out there and give it 110%.”

How does Auburn match up against Kentucky in a Saturday night showdown that both teams desperately need? Will the Tigers make a change to their starting lineup? And what about the breakout performance of one special true freshman this season?

Here’s more on all of that from our time inside the Football Performance Center on Tuesday afternoon.