The Word Of The Day Is "Demoralized"

Auburn just finished up a dismal home game performance against Kentucky, losing 21-14. The Tigers had 311 yards of offense, but the sieve that is out defense let Kentucky streak us for 367 yards, 292 of which were rushing. God help our depleted defense when we have to face Alabama and Mark Ingram in the Iron Bowl.

With today's loss to the third worst team in the SEC, Auburn now takes a significant step towards challenging Georgia as the most demoralized team in the SEC. Ted Roof's defense looked pathetic against Arkansas, and possibly even worse against Kentucky (I would assume, since it was on ESPNU and I don't get that channel).

Frankly, I can't blame Roof and Chizik for all of the problems, as our defense is thinner than the Filo dough that my mom uses to make Baclava. Due to all kinds of fun reasons (mostly Tubberville recruits not being able to get into school) our defense is so thin that our head coach and DC are afraid to blitz. Anyone. Apparently even Kentucky.

The offense had another game filled with miscues, poor performance, and key penalties to help the other team at just the right time. Chris Todd had no success, going 10/24 with 82 yards and one interception. The one bright spot of the game was Ben Tate's 131 rushing yards with 1 TD, but overall the stagnant offense couldn't make anything happen.

So welcome to the second half of the season, Auburn fans. We have a lot of positives, especially the new coaching staff, but our lack of depth and talent is starting to show in a bad way, and the last 5 games are going to be rough. Give this coaching staff a few more recruiting classes, pray that we can recruit a top notch QB, O-Line, D-Line, and all the other positions that we're hurting at, and we'll be back competing for the SEC West in a few years. I would say "at least we're not Mississippi State", but we lost to frickin Kentucky, and it's going to take a hell of an effort from my Tigers for the rest of the season to erase the sting of that loss.

The Cristal Baller: Kentucky

Welcome to the Cristal Baller, where we make wholly unsubstantiated predictions on how all of the SEC teams will be performing in the 2009 season. Just like in Hollywood casting, couch time is rewarded with preferential treatment.

Kentucky has the hottest coach on the market and pulled maybe the best recruiting class of all time . . . in basketball. With Calipari probably bringing Kentucky B-ball back to the forefront it will be up to Rich Brooks to keep some spotlight on a very decent Kentucky football team. Brooks has built up Kentucky football into a respectable program and shouldn’t surrender all the limelight.

Kentucky had a decent year last year that ended in a Liberty Bowl victory, but they will be hard pressed to keep that up this year. In their first six games Kentucky has a chance to go 1-5 and a slim chance to go 0-6. This schedule gets moderately better in the second half of the year. But I wouldn’t count on a bowl this year unless returning QB Mike Hartline can really move the offense.

Season Predictions: 4-8

Kentucky 28 Miami (OH) 17
This is an away game for the Wildcats and the Redhawks might not be terrible but I don’t see Rich Brooks having too much trouble with this sub-par MAC team.

Kentucky 31 Louisville 24
While most rivalry games are at the end of year this heated one is right at the beginning. Louisville coach Steve Kragthorpe is literally hanging by a thread at Louisville, and beating their rival would help his cause. It won’t happen as Kentucky outscores Louisville and plays better D.

Florida 41 Kentucky 17
Unless Tebow, Spikes, and the rest of the Gators gets struck by lightning look for this to be a blowout of epic proportion, as Kentucky does not match up in any way to the mighty Gators.

Alabama 21 Kentucky 10
I don’t foresee Kentucky keeping it close last year. Bama should effectively stop the big blue offense and score a few points of their own.

South Carolina 17 Kentucky 3
This game has the feel of an almost shutout game. Maybe Kentucky squeaks a field goal by a very good South Carolina defense, but don’t bet on it.

Auburn 28 Kentucky 9
You’ll have to see my Auburn review for this to make sense, but Auburn will be reeling after two losses and will take out their aggression on a worn out Kentucky offense. Tough three weeks playing Alabama, Auburn, and South Carolina’s D. I feel bad for Hartline.

Kentucky 27 La-Monroe 7
After the Alabama fiasco, don’t expect La-Monroe to be beating anymore SEC teams in the near future. Kentucky should have no problem running all over the Warhawks.

Mississippi State 14 Kentucky 10
I’m sorry Kentucky fans but I foresee the worst. You will be beaten by Mississippi State. I think by now new coach Dan Mullen will have Mississippi State’s offense working and the D should have no trouble with Kentucky’s offense.

Kentucky 34 Eastern Kentucky 13
The odds on Eastern Kentucky winning are 300 to 0 meaning a bet of $0 pays $300. Still there are very few takers.

Vanderbilt 21 Kentucky 17
This game might very well decide who wins the SEC East, if Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, and South Carolina all contract leprosy. I like Vandy’s D over Kentucky’s offense.

Georgia 34 Kentucky 20
In keeping with Kentucky’s punching bag status, Georgia fresh of their loss to Florida, gets revenge the only way they know how. Beat up a very average Kentucky team at Sanford stadium. Beware the black-out Wildcat fans.

Tennessee 20 Kentucky 13
Nothing would make me happier than seeing Tennessee and Lane Kiffin humiliated by the Wildcats. Sadly for Kentucky fans what I want usually doesn’t happen at the end of the season.