Auburn isn’t ready to throw in the towel on this season just yet. Left for dead by most, the Tigers jumped out to a two-touchdown lead at the half and hung on for a 30-27 win at Kentucky on Thursday night.

It was Auburn’s first SEC victory of the year.

"I think it’s very significant," Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said after the game. "Now we’ve got some momentum. We’re 2-0 in October. We played better football tonight. We still made some mistakes, but this team is capable of being good. And tonight just confirmed that."

What this win means for Auburn: Isn’t it amazing what Malzahn can do with an extra week to prepare? In its last SEC game, Auburn failed to score a touchdown. On Thursday, the Tigers scored three touchdowns and racked up 407 yards of offense. Quarterback Sean White looked as good as he has all season, finishing 17-of-27 for 255 yards. And the defense, though not perfect, made just enough plays. Auburn will look to build from this as it embarks on a brutal schedule down the stretch.

What this loss means for Kentucky: Disappointment. This could have been a statement win for a Kentucky program looking to get over the hump. Auburn was down. The game was at home in front of a raucous crowd. But the Wildcats came up short, yet again. There are certainly positives to take away, starting with Patrick Towles, Stanley “Boom” Williams and this entire offense. Of note, Garrett Johnson had nine catches for 160 yards and is quickly emerging into a star. But this was a golden opportunity that the Wildcats let slip away.

Player of the game: When Auburn needed a big play, Peyton Barber delivered time and time again. Late in the first half, his run after the catch set up a critical field goal as time expired. In the fourth quarter, he had multiple third-down runs where if not for his second effort, the Tigers would have been stopped. Barber finished with 26 carries for 92 yards and two touchdowns, the second of which proved to be the difference. The sophomore, who was fourth in the SEC in rushing coming in, has seven touchdowns over the last two games.

Unsung hero: Credit Auburn’s defense for making a stand late in the game. It wasn’t their best effort, allowing nearly 500 yards of total offense, but if Jonathan Jones doesn’t knock the ball away from Jeff Badet on the game’s final drive, Kentucky might have won the game. And if Justin Garrett doesn’t tackle Towles on the very next play, we might have at least been looking at overtime. It was plays like that -- freshman cornerback Carlton Davis made another with a key interception in the first half -- that helped Auburn escape with a win.