Auburn spent most of Saturday chasing Arkansas, then flipped the game in the fourth quarter and walked out with a 26-23 win.
The Tigers were stuck in a 10-3 hole at halftime, with their lone first-half points coming on Alex McPherson’s 33-yard field goal as the clock hit 3 seconds left in the second quarter. Auburn had trouble finding any rhythm on offense early, while Arkansas built its lead with a 10-point first half.
Even with the offense sputtering, Auburn’s defense kept the damage from getting worse. Late in the second quarter, AnQuon Fegans picked off Arkansas quarterback KJ Jackson and gave the Tigers a chance to keep hanging around. Arkansas later got into Auburn territory early in the third quarter, but the Razorbacks came away empty after missing a 51-yard field goal.
That miss opened the door, and Auburn finally broke through. The Tigers put together a 67-yard drive that ended with Byrum Brown hitting Chas Nimrod for a 15-yard touchdown pass with 5:01 left in the third quarter. McPherson missed the extra point, though, leaving Auburn down 10-9.
Arkansas answered right back. Max Gilbert drilled a 37-yard field goal after Cam Settles ripped off a 46-yard run to set up the opportunity, and the Razorbacks carried a 13-9 lead into the fourth.
Then Auburn took control.
Brown gave the Tigers their first lead of the day with a 5-yard touchdown run at 12:50 in the fourth quarter, and McPherson’s extra point made it 16-13. Arkansas answered with a 44-yard drive in eight plays, finishing with Gilbert’s 46-yard field goal to tie it at 16.
Auburn wasn’t done. Brown broke free for a 39-yard run to push the Tigers into Arkansas territory, then found Keshaun Singleton for a 28-yard touchdown pass with 3:56 left. McPherson converted the extra point, and Auburn led 23-16.
Arkansas had one more answer, marching 75 yards in five plays to tie the game at 23.
But Auburn got the final possession and made it count. The Tigers moved 49 yards in 10 plays, with Brown connecting with Singleton for 21 yards to help set up McPherson’s 43-yard field goal with 33 seconds left. That kick put Auburn ahead 26-23.
Arkansas still had a shot, but Auburn’s defense finished the job when Eric Winters recovered a fumble at the Razorbacks’ 10-yard line with 2 seconds remaining.
The Tigers scored 17 points in the fourth quarter to erase a 10-point deficit and improve to 5-4. Auburn will host Mississippi State next Saturday at noon.
In Other News...
Auburn Win Suddenly Put One Offensive Decision Under The Microscope
Auburns 26-23 win over Arkansas should have been a clean celebration, but instead it opened a fresh conversation about how the offense is being run. Head coach Alex Golesh did not hide his frustration with the staffs play calling in the first half, even as he singled out quarterback Byrum Brown for the way he battled through the game. Browns performance had enough grit and toughness to help Auburn get the result it needed, but the way the offense got there left plenty of room for scrutiny.
Now the attention shifts to the structure behind the calls, with speculation already building around whether offensive coordinator Joel Gordons role could change. Auburn got the win, but the postgame tone made clear this was not the kind of offensive performance Golesh wants to keep living with. For a team trying to build momentum, the bigger question is whether the staffs answer is a tweak, a reset, or something more significant. [Read more 🡒]
Byrum Brown Covered Up An Auburn Problem Fans Still Can't Ignore
Auburn got out of Arkansas with a 26-23 win, but the way it got there left plenty of familiar concerns hanging around. The Tigers leaned on Byrum Brown to help spark the running game after a rough first half on offense, and the defense did enough to keep the game within reach, including six sacks that put real pressure on the Razorbacks.
Byrum Browns impact helped cover up an offense that still looked uneven up front, and the protection issues were hard to miss even in a victory. The pass rush gave Auburn a lift, but the secondary also had stretches that will keep coaches busy, which is why a win like this can still feel like a reminder of how much work remains. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn Finally Showed A Pulse But One Concern Isn't Going Away
Auburns 26-23 win over Arkansas offered a much-needed jolt, both for a team that had been searching for traction and for an offense that finally found a better rhythm after a slow start. The Tigers are now 5-4 overall and 3-4 in the SEC, and while the early struggles were real, the second half brought enough improvement to suggest there is still something to work with as the season moves deeper into November.
The defense did its part in keeping Auburn afloat, holding Arkansas to 23 points even while giving up 179 rushing yards, and freshman linebacker Shadarius Toodle stood out with a disruptive performance that included 11 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and three sacks. Still, the run defense remains the concern that wont go away, and it is the kind of issue that could keep this team from turning one encouraging result into a real run of momentum. [Read more 🡒]