Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Auburn 52, Arkansas 20
Tigers rush for 345 yards, bury Hogs in 2nd half
The Arkansas defense gangs up to put the stop on Auburn’s Kerryon Johnson during the Razorbacks’ Southeastern Conference game in Fayetteville.
FAYETTEVILLE — Another dismal second half doomed the Arkansas Razorbacks in their attempt to shake a growing skid against top competition.
No. 21 Auburn bounced back from last week’s collapse at LSU and pounded the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville with its up-tempo offense and a high-pressure defense in a 52-20 rout before an announced crowd of
71,961 at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
Arkansas (2-5, 0-4 SEC) lost its seventh consecutive game against a Power 5 opponent dating to November with another lackluster second half.
Auburn (6-2, 4-1 SEC) scored on its first three possessions of the second half, including Ryan Davis’ 62-yard reverse pass to Darius Slayton, to turn its 17-6 halftime lead into a runaway to send much of the big crowd to the exits.
The lopsided victory for
Auburn Coach Gus Malzahn is likely to take a little heat off the Fort Smith native for a couple of weeks as the Tigers have an upcoming open date. The temperature continued to rise for Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema, whose SEC record fell to 10-26, including 1-4 against Malzahn.
The Razorbacks have allowed 41 or more points in each of their four SEC games and have been outscored 19194 in those games.
Auburn increased its lead in the all-time series to 1511-3 and improved to 7-5 in games played at Razorback Stadium. The Tigers racked up 629 total yards while Arkansas managed 334 yards.
Auburn followed its SEC-record 543 rushing yards in last year’s 56-3 rout of the Razorbacks with 345 on the ground Saturday. The Tigers passed for 284 yards.
Arkansas had trouble keeping quarterback Cole Kelley clean against Auburn’s pass rush. The Tigers posted six sacks, two of them strip-sacks by Jeff Holland that were recovered by Auburn. The Tigers converted both into touchdowns in the second half.
The Razorbacks generated more of a running game than in last week’s 41-9 loss at No. 1 Alabama, but Kelley was under constant harassment in the passing game. The 6-7 freshman, making his second consecutive start for injured Austin Allen against the nation’s 13thranked defense, was 15-of-26 passing for 163 yards.
The Razorbacks mustered 171 rushing yards, led by 86 from David Williams. Freshman Chase Hayden had 42 yards on two carries, but his night was over when he limped off the field after a 40-yard run late in the first half. Devwah Whaley ran for 31 yards and a touchdown on nine carries.
Auburn tailback Kamryn Pettway, working almost exclusively in the second half, ran for 90 yards and 3 touchdowns on 11 carries. Kerryon Johnson had 63 yards on 21 carries, including a touchdown, mostly in the first half.
Auburn quarterback Jarrett Stidham, working mostly from a clean pocket, completed 19 of 28 passes for 218 yards.
The Tigers’ up-tempo attack got hot right out of the chute, aided by Darius Slayton’s catch and 50-yard run on a tunnel screen at left end that converted a third and 11 and reached the Arkansas 15.
The Razorbacks were trying to change personnel against Auburn’s hurry-up as Stidham kept for a 15-yard touchdown over the left side to put the Tigers ahead 7-0 at the 11:39 mark.
Arkansas responded with a scoring drive of its own. Jonathan Nance had an 18-yard catch on a crossing route, then Kelley rolled right and found Jordan Jones for a 17-yard gain into Auburn territory. Kelley rambled 13 yards around left end to put the Hogs in field goal range, and Connor Limpert kicked a 34-yarder to make it 7-3.
Auburn converted three consecutive third-and-2 plays on its next possession after former Pulaski Academy standout Will Hastings’ 22-yard catch, and the Tigers drove to the Arkansas 8. Henre Toliver had an 8-yard tackle for loss and the Tigers had to settle for Daniel Carlson’s 21-yard field goal for a 10-3 lead with 1:04 left in the first quarter.
Auburn’s pass rush started affecting Kelley midway through the first half, leading to three offensive holding calls and a sack.
The Razorbacks halted an 87-yard Auburn drive in the shadow of their own goal post with crafty play from linebacker De’Jon Harris, who stopped Kerryon Johnson at the 2-yard line to set up fourth and 1. Then Harris and Jonathan Marshall combined to go high and stop a Johnson leap over the pile to stymie the Tigers.
Arkansas forced Auburn into its first punt late in the second quarter, but Arkansas’ Nate Dalton bumped into return man Toliver, leading to a fumble that Auburn’s Darrell Williams recovered at the Arkansas 41.
Johnson bolted around right end with a pitch seven plays later for a touchdown and a 17-3 Auburn lead at the 3:07 mark.
Chase Hayden broke for 40 yards up the middle to the Auburn 35, and David Williams’ 16-yard run helped the Hogs move the sticks after a holding penalty. The drive stalled at the Auburn 20, and Limpert came on for a 38-yard field goal to make it 17-6 at halftime.