Arkansas looked to have found a turnaround moment after a 21-point second quarter, but four fourth-quarter turnovers led the Razorbacks to a 33-24 loss to the Auburn Tigers Saturday afternoon in Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in what could have been a morale-boosting victory. The Hogs are now on a six-game losing streak after the late-game collapse.
The Good
Arkansas was trailing, 10-0, with 12:05 left in the second quarter and was heading in the wrong direction after a slow first quarter. Rodney Hill returned the kickoff at the go line to the Razorback 17-yard line. QB Taylen Green opened up the drive by running for a gain of six. RB Mike Washington Jr. ran for a gain of six of his own to start lighting a spark for the offense. Green then dotted up WR O’Mega Blake on a nine-yard pass, and Washington picked up another first down on a four-yard carry to the Hogs’ 42-yard line. One play later, Green hit WR Raylen Sharpe down the sidelines for a 58-yard touchdown to put Arkansas on the board, 10-7, with 8:36 left in the first half.
The Razorbacks looked rejuvenated on defense after the big score. After Arnold threw back-to-back incompletions to set up 3rd & 10 at Auburn’s own 25, DL Quincy Rhodes Jr. sacked the gunslinger for a loss of nine. After going three-and-out, Hudson Kaak’s punt only went 32 yards to put the Arkansas offense on the Auburn 48-yard line.
On the first play, Green threw a 36-yard pass to TE Rohan Jones to put the Hogs on the 12-yard line. Green ran to the right side for a gain of nine yards and TE Maddox Lassiter ran the ball for a game of one to pick up the first down at the two. RB Braylen Russell took the handoff and plowed his way into the end zone for a touchdown to put Arkansas on top, 14-10, with 5:24 left in the first half.
The Tigers were looking to respond after giving up the lead in less than nine minutes. Cobb opened up the drive by breaking off a 19-yard run to the Auburn 44. He ran the ball four more times for a gain of five, 10, two, and 10 to put the Tigers on the Razorback 29-yard line. Arnold ran the ball himself for a gain of six to head into the two-minute timeout. Cobb picked up the first down on a six-yard run up the middle to the 17. Arnold ran the ball again for a gain of two to put Auburn in striking distance of taking the lead back. Arnold’s pass was intercepted by DB Kani Walker, who took it back 89 yards for a pick-six to extend the Arkansas lead to 11, 21-10, with 48 seconds left in the half.
The Tigers decided to put in backup QB Ashton Daniels to finish out the half. Daniels ran the ball for a gain of 9 yards and hit Simmons with an eight-yard strike to put Auburn on its own 38-yard line. Daniels ran the ball again for seven yards, but a holding penalty pushed the Tigers back 10 yards. Auburn decided to play conservatively by having Mabson run the ball for a gain of six to end the half.
The Tigers cut the lead to five with 5:05 left in the third quarter after kicking a field goal on the opening drive of the third quarter, making the Razorbacks go three-and-out and kicking another field goal to make it a 21-16 deficit.
Washington opened up the drive with a five-yard run to the Arkansas 30-yard line, and Green picked up two yards of his own on the run. The Hogs converted on third down with Green completing an 11-yard pass to Washington. Green was sacked on the next play for a loss of two to make it 2nd & 12 on the Arkansas 39. Green did not let the sack affect him by throwing a 50-yard pass to Jones to put the Razorbacks on the Tigers’ 18-yard line. The Hogs were not able to do much, gaining just two yards on three plays. Scott Starzyk kicked an easy 27-yard field goal to put Arkansas back up by eight, 24-16, with 57 seconds left in the third quarter.
The Bad
Arkansas received the opening kickoff and started out with a promising drive. QB Taylen Green first hit WR O’Mega Blake with a 10-yard strike to the Razorback 35-yard line. RB Mike Washington Jr. was at first dropped for a loss on the next play, but a face mask penalty on Auburn put the Hogs on the 50. Washington then ran up the middle for an 11-yard gain to put Arkansas in enemy territory. Green hit Blake again for nine yards to the 30. Green threw an incomplete pass, and RB Braylen Russell ran the ball for no gain to set up 4th & 1. Arkansas elected to go for i,t and Washington was dropped for a three-yard loss to turn the ball over on downs with 12:34 left in the first quarter.
The Ugly
After the Auburn defense forced Arkansas to turnover the ball on downs in the first drive of the game, QB Jackson Arnold ran the ball twice for a combined gain of three yards to set up 3rd & 7 on the Tigers’ 36-yard line. Arnold threw an incomplete pass on the next play, but a flag was thrown on the Hog defense for jumping offside. RB Jeremiah Cobb ran for a yard to bring up 4th & 1. Auburn went for it on fourth down with Cobb running for a 14-yard gain to the Arkansas 44. Cobb ran again for five yards, and Arnold hit WR Cam Coleman for a four-yard gain. Cobb picked up a first down on a two-yard run on the next play. Arnold completed a 10-yard pass to RB Omar Mabson II to pick up another first down. On the next play. Arnold then threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to Coleman to put the Tigers up, 7-0, with 7:52 left in the first quarter.
Arkansas could not respond on the next drive despite Green completing a 41-yard pass to TE Rohan Jones. The Razorbacks were stopped at the Tigers’ 35-yard line and punted the ball to the six. WR Eric Singleton Jr. ran to the left side for a gain of six yards. He ran the ball again on the next play, but was dropped for a three-yard loss. On 3rd & 7 at their own nine, Auburn converted with Arnold throwing a nine-yard pass to Malcolm Simmons to pick up a first down. Cobb picked up nine yards on the run, and Arnold ran for seven yards for another first down. Arnold connected with Cobb on an 11-yard pass to the Tigers’ 45-yard line. Arnold then completed an eight-yard pass to WR Brandon Frazie,r and Singleton ran for a 16-yard gain to the Arkansas 31 to end the first quarter. Cobb ran the ball twice for a combination of six yards, and Arnold connected with Singleton for a gain of eight to the 17 to keep the drive going. Singleton was dropped back for a loss of one, and Arnold threw back-to-back incompletions to set up 4th & 11. Alex McPherson kicked a 36-yard field goal to extend Auburn’s lead, 10-0, with 12:05 remaining in the second quarter.
The Hogs had a huge turnaround in the second quarter to take the lead, 21-10. However, the Tigers received the second-half kickoff and were poised to get back in the game. Rayshawn Pleasant returned the ball from the go line to the Auburn 49 to start the second half. Cobb broke off a 20-yard run. He ran the ball again three consecutive times for a gain of seven, six, and two to set up 2nd & 8 at the Arkansas 16. Daniels completed a nine-yard pass to WR Perry Thompson to set up 1st & Goal on the seven. After an incompletion and a three-yard run by Cobb, Daniels was sacked for a loss of one by Rhodes. McPherson was brought out and kicked a 23-yard field goal to cut the lead to eight, 21-13, with 10:21 left in the third quarter.
Arkansas received the ensuing kickoff and started at its own 25. Green connected with Sharpe for five yards and Blake for one, but threw an incompletion to make the Hogs go three-and-out. A false start penalty pushed the Razorbacks five yards back to their own 26. Devin Bale’s punt was partially blocked and only went 17 yards to the Arkansas 43-yard line.
Cobb was fed the ball and ran for a six-yard gain. Daniels picked up a first down on a 15-yard run to the 22. Two plays later, Auburn was facing a 3rd & 5 and was backed up five yards on a full start penalty. Daniels was sacked by LB Xavian Sorey for a loss of three to prevent the Tigers from potentially tying the game. McPherson was brought out again and booted a 43-yard field goal through the uprights to cut the deficit to five, 21-16, with 5:05 left in the third quarter.
After Arkansas built its lead back up to eight, 24-16, with 52 seconds left in the third quarter, Auburn had to start its drive at its own 18 after nearly fumbling the football away on the ensuing kickoff. Cobb ran for a gain of nine, and Daniel threw a huge 48-yard pass to Singleton to put the Tigers on the Razorbacks’ 27-yard line. A huge play closed out the third quarter. Daniels ran the ball for a gain of seven to open up the fourth quarter, and Cobb picked up nine on the run to set up 1st & Goal at the nine. One play later, Cobb ran for a gain of three and took another carry for a gain of two to make it 4th & Goal on the four. Auburn was originally going to go for it on fourth down, but a false start penalty backed the offense up to the nine-yard line. McPherson was brought out once again and kicked an easy 26-yard field goal to cut the lead back to five, 21-16, with 12:03 left in the fourth quarter.
Arkansas was facing a 3rd & 6 at its own 29, but Green completed a nine-yard pass to WR CJ Brown to keep the drive alive. Washington ran the ball for a gain of four and again for a gain of one to set up 3rd & 5 at the Razorbacks’ 43. Green dropped back for a pass and threw an interception to Pleasant, who returned it 49 yards for a touchdown to give the Tigers the lead. A personal foul penalty on Arkansas during the play moved the PAT to the one-yard line. Auburn went for two to extend the lead to three with Daniels powering his way through the left side to make it a 27-24 Tigers lead with 9:15 left in the game.
The Hogs were in need of a big response after the pick-six. Green completed a 16-yard strike to Blake to the Arkansas 41. Green hit Blake again for 16 yards, but Blake fumbled the ball after LB Xavier Atkins stripped it out. S Sylvester Smith recovered the ball and returned it 23 yards to the Razorback 34-yard line.
Auburn’s offense only gained five yards on three plays after the defense forced the turnover. McPherson knocked through a 47-yard field goal attempt to put the Tigers ahead by six, 30-24, with 6:23 left in the game.
Again, Arkansas needed some sort of response after back-to-back turnovers. Green completed a pass to Brown but lost three yards on the play. Green ran up the middle for a gain of 10 to set up 3rd & 3 at the Arkansas 32-yard line. Washington picked up the first down with a four-yard run up the middle. Green was picked off yet again by Pleasant, who returned it 17 yards to the Razorback 38 with 4:20 left in regulation.
After Cobb was stopped for no gain on the first play of the drive, Daniels completed an eight-yard pass to Cobb. Cobb ran the ball for a game of one to set up 4th & 1 at the 29. Auburn elected to go for it on fourth down and succeeded with Cobb running up the middle for two yards. Cobb ran the ball again for a gain of two to take the fourth quarter to the two-minute timeout. He ran for two yards again to make Arkansas burn its last time out of the second half. Daniels ran the ball to the left side for a gain of four to bring up 4th & 2 at the 19. McPherson kicked his sixth field goal of the game on a 37-yard attempt to make it a two-possession, nine-point lead for the Tigers with 1:06 left in the game.
Looking to pull off a miracle, the Razorbacks started their drive on their own 29-yard line after Rodney Hill returned the kickoff for 28 yards. But the miracle was not going to happen as Green threw his third interception of the fourth quarter to end the game. The pass was picked off by S Kensley Louidor-Faustin, who returned it 11 yards to the Arkansas 46-yard line. Daniels ended the game by taking two Neil downs.
Conclusion
This was a game that Arkansas could have won. This win could have gave the Razorback fans a sense of hope and optimism. The Hogs are still not disciplined taking care of the ball. Arkansas will stay home in Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium next Saturday against the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on the SEC Network.