By Robbie Neiswanger
Arkansas News Bureau • rneiswanger@arkansasnews.com
AUBURN, Ala. — Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino touted Saturday’s game at Auburn as a “15-round title fight.”
If that’s the case, the Razorbacks were staggered early with their defense struggling and quarterback Ryan Mallett sidelined by a concussion. Arkansas recovered, but only to absorb a knockout blow in another dismal fourth quarter.
Auburn collected three turnovers in the fourth quarter, converted each into touchdowns and pulled away from a team playing without its leader during a 65-43 win in front of 87,451 in Jordan-Hare Stadium. The Tigers (7-0, 4-0 in Southeastern Conference) got another impressive performance from Cam Newton and, despite struggling to slow Arkansas’ offense and backup quarterback Tyler Wilson, made the plays that mattered most down the stretch in a wild game.
“We refuse to lose,” Newton said. “The closer the game gets, the closer the team gets.”
The teams set a Southeastern Conference record for points scored in a non-overtime game (108), eclipsing South Carolina’s 56-39 win against Mississippi State in 1995.
Auburn’s point total was the most it has scored in an SEC game. It also was the most Arkansas (4-2, 1-2) had allowed since the 70-17 loss to Southern Cal in 2005.
“We knew it was going to be a battle,” Petrino said. “We just didn’t find a way to win it in the fourth quarter.”
Arkansas can’t pin Saturday’s loss on an offense that put together a season-best in points and total yards (566), doing so without Mallett’s help much of the day.
Mallett left the field after leading Arkansas to a touchdown in the second quarter, which gave the Razorbacks a 14-10 lead. When the injury occurred wasn’t revealed, but Mallett did absorb a blow from Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley on the play before Broderick Green’s touchdown run.
Mallett went into the locker room shortly after the drive and did not return to the sideline until the second half.
Without him, Arkansas turned to Wilson. He struggled on his first possession, in which Arkansas went three-plays-and-out. But the sophomore eventually settled in and got plenty of help from the rest of the offense.
“I just felt like they had my back when I came in the game,” Wilson said. “I saw belief in their eyes in me.”
Arkansas was behind 24-14 when Wilson led the Hogs on a 66-yard scoring drive at the end of the half. His 34-yard touchdown pass to receiver Greg Childs helped the Hogs pull closer in a game in which they trailed 27-21 at the break.
Wilson did even better in the second half, leading the Razorbacks to three more touchdowns throwing strikes to Ronnie Wingo (37 yards), Joe Adams (24) and Childs (23). The latter gave Arkansas a 43-37 lead less than a minute into the fourth quarter. It was Arkansas’ only lead of the half.
“He gave us a chance to win,” Arkansas offensive coordinator Garrick McGee said of Wilson, who threw for 332 yards and four touchdowns. “I’m proud of him because he didn’t flinch. … He understood what we were doing.”
But every time Arkansas scored, Auburn answered against a defense with no solution for Newton.
The Razorbacks quickly lost momentum — and the lead — when Auburn marched downfield behind Newton. The quarterback threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Emory Blake to cap a 7-play, 68-yard drive, giving Auburn a 44-43 advantage
Then Arkansas unraveled. Running back Broderick Green had the game’s first turnover, losing a fumble after a short gain. The ball was scooped up by defensive back Zac Etheridge and returned 47 yards for a touchdown. Arkansas believed Green’s knee was down before the fumble, but the ruling stood after being reviewed in the replay booth.
Wilson threw interceptions on the next two drives, turnovers Auburn quickly converted to scores. Newton had a three-yard rushing touchdown — his third of the game — to make it 58-43. And Arkansas native Mike Dyer busted off a 38-yard touchdown run to make it 65-43 with 6:36 remaining.
“The thing that stands out to me the most is that at the end of the game we were able to get three turnovers to change the game,” Auburn coach Gene Chizik said. “What that said in my opinion is that our football team is just resilient. Our defense is resilient.
“When it was the fourth quarter and when we had to make plays and when we had to get turnovers, we got three.”
Arkansas defense, which had allowed nine touchdowns in five games, surrendered eight Saturday. The Tigers scored points on 11 of their 14 possessions. Newton ran for 188 yards, threw for 140 more and was part of a Gus Malzahn offense that put together 470 yards (330 rushing).
Special teams woes and misfortune on video replays also played a big in Arkansas’ loss.
Dylan Breeding had a punt blocked in the first half, which Auburn quickly turned into a touchdown for a 24-14 lead. The Razorbacks also surrendered a 99-yard kickoff return, which set up an easy touchdown in the second half. And Arkansas’ kick return team was woeful once again, leaving Petrino to say Auburn had a “huge advantage” in special teams.
In addition to Green’s fumble, another reviewed call led to an Auburn touchdown in the second quarter. Running back Mario Fannin lost the ball near the goal line when safety Tramain Thomas punched it out of his hands. The play was ruled a touchdown on the field and, after a lengthy review, the call stood to make it 17-14.
“I can’t,” Petrino said when asked how the call impacted the game. “Do you want my pockets to be lighter? They don’t allow us to do that. That’s just the rules. Sorry.”
In the end, it all culminated in another frustrating — and costly — loss for Arkansas.
One that does more damage to Arkansas’ preseason goal of winning the SEC West. The Razorbacks fell two games behind Auburn and LSU in the standings. Arkansas also trails Alabama, which beat the Razorbacks last month, by one game.
“We’ve just got to go back to work,” Petrino said. “We have to learn from it and go back to work.”
