Auburn clinched a 26-23 victory over Arkansas with a 43-yard field goal by Alex McPherson in the final 33 seconds at Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday. The Razorbacks tied the game late with a touchdown but could not stop Auburn quarterback Byrum Brown in the decisive moments.
Arkansas led early and held a lead into the fourth quarter, thanks largely to strong runs from Cam Settles and Sutton Smith. Settles rushed for 100 yards on 16 carries, including a 46-yard run in the third quarter, while Smith broke a 65-yard run that set up a two-yard touchdown by Braylen Russell. The Razorbacks finished with 172 rushing yards on 44 attempts, just shy of the 4.0 yards per carry efficiency target set before the game.
However, Auburn’s Byrum Brown took control after halftime. Despite a negative rushing total in the first half, Brown gained 125 yards on the ground in the second half, including a 39-yard run and a five-yard touchdown that gave Auburn its first lead. He also completed 10 of 14 passes after halftime, throwing two touchdown passes. Brown’s ability to escape pressure and extend plays became a critical problem for the Razorbacks, who failed to contain him despite clear instructions to limit his rushing and passing impact.
Arkansas’s run defense struggled, allowing Brown to surpass the 60-yard rushing target set before kickoff by a wide margin. The Razorbacks also missed a key opportunity to sack Brown on third-and-12 late in the fourth quarter. Instead, Brown escaped and found Keshaun Singleton for a 28-yard touchdown that put Auburn ahead 23-16 with under four minutes left. Brown later completed another 21-yard pass to Singleton during the game-winning drive.
The Razorbacks’ passing game was uneven. Quarterback KJ Jackson completed 14 of 30 passes for less than the 225-yard target and threw one interception. Protection issues contributed to six sacks for 42 lost yards, including three by Auburn’s Shadarius Toodle in his collegiate debut. Late in the game, Jackson connected with Ty Lockwood for 43 yards and found Antonio Jordan for a 23-yard touchdown to tie the score, but those moments were not enough to overcome earlier struggles.
Discipline and ball control also hurt Arkansas. Jackson’s first-half interception ended a promising drive while the Razorbacks led 10-0. In the final possession, Arkansas committed an intentional grounding penalty that resulted in a 10-second runoff. Their last lateral attempt ended with a fumble recovered by Auburn, sealing the win for the Tigers.
Arkansas falls to 3-6 overall and 1-5 in SEC play. The Razorbacks showed glimpses of potential but could not finish when it mattered most. Auburn improved to 5-4 with the narrow win, largely on the back of Byrum Brown’s second-half surge and clutch plays in the final minutes.
According to Yahoo Sports.
