Auburn continued its climb in production by defeating Western Kentucky on Saturday, 41-17.
According to Pro Football Focus, Auburn was given an overall grade of 85.1 for its efforts in the win over the Hilltoppers, which was its highest grade since the season opener, when the Tigers graded 90.5 overall in its 42-16 win over Mercer on Sept. 3 at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
The Tigers saw drastic improvements offensively in passing and pass blocking, as Auburn received a 77.6 and 82.7 respectively, which is a season-best in both categories. Defensively, Auburn received season-high grades in overall defense (84.5), tackling (82.6), and pass coverage (91.1).
Because of Auburn’s strong defensive performance, this week’s top 10 performers list is overwhelmingly filled with defensive players. However, despite the list being dominated by defensive stars, the top overall performing player plays on offense.
Running back [autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag] had a stellar game for the Tigers, rushing for 109 yards and a touchdown in the win. Hunter played 20 snaps for Auburn on Saturday, receiving 13 carries and rushing for an average of 8.4 yards per carry. He was also effective in earning extra yards. Out of his 109 yards, he recorded 85 of those after contact.
Hunter also threw a touchdown pass in the game. He connected with wide receiver [autotag]Koy Moore[/autotag] on a halfback pass in the 2nd quarter to push Auburn’s lead to 17-3.