Arkansas didn’t need much to flip the game at Auburn - just one burst from Sutton Smith and one finish from Braylen Russell.
The Razorbacks were nursing a 3-0 lead early in the second quarter Saturday afternoon when Smith took a handoff from quarterback KJ Jackson on first-and-10 from Arkansas’ own 34. He bounced it around left end, found daylight along the left sideline and kept rolling until Auburn finally dragged him down just short of the end zone. The run covered 65 yards and instantly put Arkansas in scoring position.
Three plays later, Russell finished the job. On third-and-goal from the Tigers’ 2, the junior powered straight up the middle for a 2-yard touchdown that pushed Arkansas ahead 10-0 with 11:21 left in the first half.
For a pair of SEC teams trying to find something to build on, it was Arkansas that landed the first real punch. The Razorbacks, now 3-5 and 1-4 in SEC play, got their early edge from a running game that suddenly looked dangerous. Auburn, at 4-4 and 2-4 in the league, was left chasing after the Hogs’ backfield took over the opening stretch.
Arkansas’ ground game had already done the damage by halftime, helping the Razorbacks carry a 10-3 lead into the break. But the job wasn’t finished yet, with plenty still to sort out in the second half as Arkansas tried to be the team that got off the canvas on the first Saturday in November.
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 🡒]