Arkansas Razorbacks vs Auburn Tigers: Highlights, Analysis, Videos, and More

Arkansas Razorbacks 54 – Auburn Tigers 46 (4 Overtimes)

I’M TYPING THIS OPENING IN ALL CAPS BECAUSE IF THERE WAS EVER A MOMENT THAT DESERVED ALL CAPS, LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING, THIS WAS IT. WE SAW BRANDON ALLEN MAKE MULTIPLE CLUTCH PLAYS IN THE 4TH QUARTER AND OVERTIME. OUR SECONDARY MADE BIG STOPS IN BIG MOMENTS DESPITE PLAYING BAD IN THE SECOND HALF. WE LOST 2 MORE RUNNING BACKS TO INJURIES AND A CAST-HANDED KODY WALKER COMES IN AND SCORES 2 TOUCHDOWNS AND A 2 POINT CONVERSION CATCH! ARE YOU KIDDING ME? THE RAZORBACKS PERSEVERED THROUGH SO MUCH AND EARNED A HUGE SEC WIN OVER THE AUBURN TIGERS!

Ok, I got the all caps out of my system. Let’s recap this game. The Razorbacks started strong, and probably should have been up 21-0 or even 28-0 in the first half. The Hogs controlled the line of scrimmage and the play clock. Auburn had less than 20 yards offense in the first quarter, and multiple big drops by their receivers.

And yet, the Hogs couldn’t convert big plays into points, and gave up a 97 yards drive to Auburn late in the first half and took a 14-7 lead into the locker room. I, along with most of Hog nation, was upset by this. I was very worried that our poor playcalling on both offense and defense would follow us into the second half.

The Hogs had a chance for a win with a go-ahead Cole Hedlund field goal with 1 minute left, and then the Hogs TOTALLY FORCED A FUMBLE AND THE STUPID SEC REFS OVERTURNED IT and Auburn got into field goal range and tied it up. Overtime was a little intense.

It took 4 OT’s for the Hogs to seal the deal, and there were several times that I was skeptical in our abilities. Especially when Peyton Barber rammed through the Hogs defense on 3 consecutive plays for a score. The Hogs answered with a Drew Morgan TD reception on 4th down, and went to OT #2.

Kody Walker was now in the game for the hobbled Alex Collins, and he went HAM on Auburn in overtime. Walker started the day as the #3 running back and #1 fullback, and depending on the severity of Rawleigh Williams and Alex Collins’ injuries, he might get the start against UT Martin next week. Walker torpedoed himself through the Auburn defense in 3 plays for a score. Cast be damned!

Oct 24, 2015; Fayetteville, AR, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks tight end Jeremy Sprinkle (83) catches a pass from Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback Brandon Allen (not pictured) against the Auburn Tigers during the first half at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Auburn would answer with a 6 play drive for a TD of their own. The Hogs defense was just unable to slow Barber down in the second half, and he scored on the next possession as well with a 1 yard run. The Razorbacks would convert the 2 point conversion on a HUGE clutch pass from Allen into coverage to Jeremy Sprinkle, and the Hogs offense was right back to it on the next play.

On their next play, the Razorbacks would go 25 yards for the score on a beautiful screen to Drew Morgan, who is officially a superstar in the Razorbacks offense now. Morgan caught a great throw to his back shoulder from Allen, broke a tackle, and took it 25 yards, leaping for the score. Allen would roll out and hit Kody Walker (CAST BE DAMNED!) for the 2 point conversion to give the Hogs the lead, and that was that. Auburn wasn’t able to score thanks to a couple great plays by the Hogs defense, and a dropped pass.

Players of the Game:

Brandon Allen: 19/31 for 233 yards, 3 TD’s and 1 INT (that he was hit when he threw it. Probably wouldn’t have been an interception had he not been hit.) Brilliant day for Allen, getting 2 of those touchdowns in overtime. His most clutch game as a Razorback.

Drew Morgan: 2 touchdowns in overtime. He was silenced by Auburn for most of the game, but when the chips were down, Morgan was the guy to bet on.

Alex Collins/Kody Walker: These two guys accounted for 137 yards and 3 scores. Collins had 105 yards and 1 TD, and Walker stepped up late for 35 yards and 2 TDs and a 2 point conversion. Every single running back that Arkansas has is hurt, and the grit these two showed for Arkansas today was huge.

Jeremiah Ledbetter: He recovered what should have been a game winning fumble, made some huge tackles, got a sack and helped force Sean White to throw a bad pass on the last drive of the game. What more can you ask for from a defensive lineman?

AUTHOR’S EDIT: Dre Greenlaw gets added to this list because the true freshman had SIXTEEN TACKLES!

Best Tweets/Videos/Anything else of the Game

It got a little intense on Hogs Twitter…but we persevered.

Congratulations to the Arkansas Razorbacks for getting over the overtime hump, the HUNH hump, the Gus Bus speed bump, and the late game scoring woes. Arkansas was hoping for a decisive win today over Auburn. I don’t know if I’d call this win decisive, but it’s certainly huge. The Razorbacks have 3 wins now, 2 in the SEC, and 5 games left on the schedule. Bowl Hope Status: Alive and well.

Woo Pig!

Next: Bielema Hates Auburn, and So Do We