Auburn didn’t exactly light up the scoreboard Saturday, but it did enough to leave with a 26-23 win over Arkansas - the kind of game Alex Golesh has made a habit of surviving in his first nine games as Tigers head coach.
For Auburn, it was SEC win No. 3, and it pushed the Tigers to 5-4 overall and 3-4 in conference play heading into next week’s trip to Mississippi State in Starkville. It wasn’t clean.
It wasn’t pretty. But it was the kind of result Auburn badly needed.
The Tigers spent much of the afternoon digging out of an offensive hole, then finally found some rhythm when it mattered most. After a rough first half, Auburn’s offense settled in after the break and leaned on the run game to get moving. The Tigers rushed for 165 yards in the second half, and that spark helped fuel the first touchdown drive of the game.
Byrum Brown wasn’t flashy through the air, but he was sharp once Auburn found its footing. He went 6-for-6 on the drive that produced the breakthrough touchdown and finished the final 30 minutes 10-for-14 for 89 yards. Brown also made his presence felt on the ground, using designed runs and scrambles to create chunk plays when the passing game needed a lift.
The early numbers were ugly. Against an Arkansas defense that entered the game last in the SEC in rushing defense and second to last in total defense against conference opponents, Auburn still looked stuck for nearly 28 minutes. Before the Tigers’ nine-play, 57-yard drive that ended in a field goal at the end of the first half, they were averaging only 2.1 yards per play.
The defense, meanwhile, had to hold the line while the offense searched for answers. Arkansas ran for 179 yards, so this was hardly a dominant showing from Auburn’s front. But the Tigers kept the Razorbacks to 23 points, which was enough to stay alive long enough for the offense to catch up.
AnQuon Fegans helped swing the game with an interception, giving Auburn the edge in turnovers. And true freshman linebacker Shadarius Toodle turned in the kind of outing that changes how people talk about a player. With Bryce Deas and De’Marcus Riddick out, Toodle stepped in and looked like the best player on the field, finishing with 11 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and three sacks.
That late surge mattered because Auburn had already seen what happens when a game slips away in the second half. Against Ole Miss, Golesh was frustrated by the Tigers’ “lack of finish” after they gave up 28 unanswered points in a 45-15 loss.
This time, Auburn flipped the script.
The Tigers were shaky early, managing only three points and just over 100 yards of total offense in a first half that went about as poorly as possible. But the field goal before halftime gave Auburn a foothold, and the offense came out with more life after the break. Brown’s go-ahead touchdown pass to Keshaun Singleton stood out as one of the best moments of his season, because it was Auburn creating the decisive play instead of surrendering one.
Arkansas tied the game in the final two minutes, but Auburn answered again. The Tigers drove into position for Alex McPherson’s game-winning field goal with 33 seconds left, then finished the job.
It wasn’t a masterpiece. It didn’t need to be. For Auburn, just getting the finish was enough.
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 Faces One Costly Problem In Must Win Against Arkansas
Auburn heads into its matchup with Arkansas needing to make the most of a familiar SEC rivalry while dealing with a thin defense. The Tigers will be without several defensive starters because of injuries, which puts even more pressure on the rest of the roster as they prepare for the 35th consecutive meeting between the programs since 1992. With so much at stake, the margin for error is already small.
The bigger concern is whether Auburn can balance that defensive uncertainty with enough production on offense to stay in control. The staff has been focused on improving the running game and turning takeaways into points, and head coach Golesh has stressed how important roster depth is in a game like this. If Auburn cant cash in on turnover chances, a matchup that already carries plenty of weight could become even harder to manage. [Read more 🡒]