There is not a football coach in America who would say the turnover department is not a priority for his team. So often games are won or lost based on which team more effectively forces its opponent into fumbles and interceptions.

Coming off of a three-game losing streak in which Kentucky has managed just two interceptions and no fumble recoveries, the importance of turnovers has never been more apparent, and last week's second half against Auburn was the perfect illustration.

Kentucky played one of its better halves of defense, allowing just six points and 177 yards against the NCAA's 10th-ranked offense after giving up 31 points and 344 yards in the first half. Unfortunately for the Wildcats, turnovers were the difference between a good defensive half and a great one and also between a loss and a win.

There is no magic formula for getting turnovers, but forcing one frequently requires a combination of playmaking, technique and sometimes just a lucky bounce. Against Auburn, playmaking was not the problem. 

With the clock ticking down under five minutes in the fourth quarter and Auburn driving at its own 30-yard line, linebacker Danny Trevathan made a play, forcing a Terrell Zachary fumble. The ball squirted toward the sideline and cornerback Randall Burden pounced on the ball just before it went out of bounds.

However, it was ruled on the field that Burden did not gain complete control of the football before going out of bounds. The play was extremely close and the game was stopped to further review the call on the field. Ultimately, there was not enough video evidence to overturn the call and it was determined that Auburn would hold on to the football.

"I thought I had it secure when I landed on top of it," Burden said.  "I guess they said I didn't have possession of it when I landed out of bounds."

As it turns out, Auburn would drive all the way down the field for a game-winning field goal as the clock expired, leaving the UK players and coaches left wondering what could have been had they gained possession. 

Burden's would-be fumble recovery wasn't the only bounce that didn't quite go Kentucky's way. Auburn committed four fumbles in the game, including a near lost fumble on the kickoff of the final drive, but the Wildcats were unable to recover a single one.

"They try a reverse and we tipped the ball -- actually tipped, get a fingernail on the ball -- and it kicks right back to them," UK head coach Joker Phillips said of Auburn's fumble on the kickoff. "If we get just a pinky on it, it probably kicks away from them. We got just a fingernail on it (and) it kicks right back to them."

In spite of the missed opportunities, UK has cause for optimism based on its performance last week. Turnovers, fumbles in particular, progress naturally from sound tackling in Kentucky's defensive scheme. It is no coincidence that UK showed improvement in their tackling the same week Auburn put the ball on the ground four times.

"Being physical, being aggressive and having guys get to the ball (are the keys to forcing turnovers)," defensive coordinator Steve Brown said.  "The first (tackler) wraps up and the second and third try to strip the ball out. We did a pretty good job of that last week; we just didn't get the bounces."

For a team that has struggled badly to create turnovers after causing four in the first two games of the season (Kentucky is tied for last in the league with six turnovers forced), allowing opportunities in the form of unrecovered fumbles to pass by is particularly painful.

"It's very frustrating because you take all the effort just to force (the fumbles)," Burden said.  "Then there were the two we got on top of but we didn't quite get them."

While it will be essential for the Wildcats to continue to try to make plays that result in turnovers, UK must not let the frustration of missed turnovers opportunities turn into the kind of aggressiveness that leads to missed assignments.

"You don't want to go in there too aggressive because you can miss tackles," Burden said.  "You want the first person to always go in there and wrap up, then the second can go for the strip."

UK heads into a matchup this weekend against a South Carolina team that is similarly experienced in the importance of turnovers. In fact, the Gamecocks, like the Wildcats, can lament an opportunity missed against Auburn because of turnovers. South Carolina entered the fourth quarter of their game against the Tigers with a 27-21 lead. In that quarter, South Carolina threw two interceptions and fumbled twice en route to a 35-27 defeat, the team's only loss of the season.

"South Carolina is probably undefeated in the league if they don't turn the ball over four times in the fourth quarter against Auburn," Phillips said.

In South Carolina's next game against top-ranked Alabama, the Gamecocks focused on taking care of the ball and committed only one turnover, paving the way for a major upset. 

Kentucky's task will be to force mistakes like the ones South Carolina made against Alabama and limit its own. The Cats will need some of the defensive playmaking they had against Auburn that resulted in four fumbles, and if the bounces go the Wildcats' way this time around, UK could be the team pulling the upset.

"That's what wins, especially the big games -- creating turnovers and not turning it over," Phillips said. "I think that's the common denominator of the teams that win and lose."