After five long weeks and four consecutive losses, Auburn Football fought hard and found themselves in the win column. The Tigers travelled to Fayetteville, Ark. on Saturday, where they faced the Arkansas Razorbacks in their fifth SEC showdown of the year. After going up early, the game got out of control for the Tigers, but late-game defense would bring them back into the it and help them regain the lead to win 33-24.
Auburn opened the game really strongly, putting up seven points on the board in the opening drive. The Tigers would move the football 67 yards in nine plays and cap it off with a touchdown to Cam Coleman. This would be the only points put up in the first quarter by either team.
Auburn started the game off in good shape, but Arkansas answered with a dominant second quarter. The Razorbacks scored 21 points to Auburn's three and reclaimed the lead at the half. The Razorbacks' scoring started with receiver Raylen Sharpe, who hauled in a 58-yard reception to cut the Tiger lead down to three points. Then, on the next drive, running back Braylen Russell punched the ball into the endzone from the three-yard line to give the Razorbacks a 14-10 lead.
Auburn tried to reclaim its lead before the half and quickly drove down to the Arkansas 11-yard line. However, the drive was snuffed out by Arkansas defensive back Kani Walker intercepted Jackson Arnold's pass and takes it to the opposite end zone to give the Razorbacks a 21-10 lead. When the Auburn offense returned to the field, Stanford transfer quarterback Ashton Daniels took the field for the first time this season to replace Jackson Arnold.
The Tigers went into halftime down 21-10, and Arnold's game would end at the half, putting up 73 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. In the second half, it was all about the Auburn Tigers, who outscored the Razorbacks 23-3. The third quarter was the calmer of the two, with no touchdowns being scored, but it was redemption time for Auburn kicker Alex McPherson.
In the third quarter, he kicked a 23 and 43-yard field goal to give the Tigers six points, while Arkansas could only come up with three. After going 1-4 last game against Missouri, he began finding his footing on the road and regaining his confidence, a pleasant sight after his struggles with illness in recent years.
The fourth quarter was the most chaotic, with Auburn coming up with 17 points and keeping the Razorbacks away from scoring. The defense showed why it's ranked near the top of the country for most of the season, forcing four turnovers in the fourth quarter and snuffing out an Arkansas offense that entered the day ranked No. 4 in the nation in total offense.
The defense was everywhere, stifling Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green and stopping any progress by the Razorbacks' offense. Rayshawn Pleasant intercepted a pass by Green and took it back 49 yards for a pick-six on his first interception of the year. After that play, Auburn would attempt a two-point conversion, and Daniels would use his legs to punch it in.
McPherson kicked in three more field goals in the quarter, bringing him to 6/6 in field goal attempts in the game. The feel good story and bounce back game had many happy for the young kicker, including his head coach.
"Alex was in tears after his performance against Missouri and my heart broke for him," Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze said. "He's never missed so many kicks under 40 yards in his career. I'm so proud of him and his performance tonight."
Pleasant secured another interception later on Arkansas's penultimate drive of the game, and Auburn's Kensley Louidor-Faustin would snag the game-ending interception, bringing Green's interception total up to three for the game.
The Tigers walked out of Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium victorious for the first time in an SEC matchup this year, and hope to win a second matchup at home next week in Jordan-Hare Stadium as they host the Kentucky Wildcats on Nov. 1st at 6:30 p.m. CDT.
