Auburn’s night started sluggishly and looked like it might stay that way, but the Tigers found their footing after halftime and walked out of Jordan-Hare Stadium with a 26-23 win over Arkansas on Saturday.
The comeback snapped Auburn’s two-game losing streak and pushed Alex Golesh’s team to 5-4, putting the Tigers one victory away from bowl eligibility. Alex McPherson supplied the difference with the game-winning field goal, capping a second-half surge that flipped a 10-3 halftime deficit.
Byrum Brown was the engine once Auburn woke up. The quarterback handled 23 carries for 122 yards and a touchdown, while also going 23-for-34 through the air for 180 yards and two passing scores. He connected with Keshaun Singleton and Chaz Nimrod for touchdowns as Auburn picked up its third SEC win of the season.
The first half, though, was a grind. Auburn ran seven drives before intermission and punted on five of them, struggling to generate anything consistent early.
Arkansas made the Tigers pay when Sutton Smith broke loose for a 63-yard touchdown, the only score of the first half. Auburn did manage to close the gap a bit before the break, putting together a 50-yard drive that ended with a McPherson field goal.
The Tigers also won the hidden battle that mattered. Auburn finished without a turnover and came out plus-two in turnover margin after forcing Arkansas into two giveaways, a fumble and an interception by AnQuon Fagans.
One of the biggest reasons the second half tilted Auburn’s way was the play of the younger defenders Golesh had been talking about earlier in the week. True freshman linebacker Shadarius Toodle delivered a breakout performance in his first collegiate game, piling up 11 tackles, three sacks and four tackles for loss.
Auburn now turns to a road trip to Starkville, where the Tigers will face Mississippi State. Kickoff is set for 11 am Central.
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 🡒]