The Arkansas Game

Here we go again.
Auburn vs. Arkansas at Jordan-Hare.
Auburn is 6 & 0 and Arkansas is 5 & 1.
Auburn is ranked 8th and Arkansas is ranked 12th.
2:30 kickoff on CBS.
There is a lot riding on this game for the Tigers.
There is talk of an offensive shootout.
There is talk of Cam Newton vs. Ryan Mallett: two very good quarterbacks.

FIRST QUARTER
Arkansas receives and we hold them to one first down but the Hogs score first on their next possession after Auburn is denied a first down on a phantom holding call.
Arkansas 7 Auburn 0
After a good kickoff return, the Tigers respond with a smash-mouth drive, Newton bowling over a Razorback defender running the ball in from the 5. I love this smash-mouth football.
Auburn 7 Arkansas 7
The Tigers hold Arkansas to a 3 and out with great open field tackling. So far this is the best Auburn has tackled all year.
The Tigers start backed up but march down the field.
The quarter winds down with Auburn driving after a holding penalty. It's amazing how many penalities Auburn gets called for. We get called for penalities at crucial times. We've already had two holding penalities.
The Tigers will have 3rd down and 16 from the Arkansas 26 as the quarter ends.

Auburn 7 Arkansas 7

SECOND QUARTER
Newton overthrows an open Blake in the end zone.
Wes Byrum makes a 43-yd. FG!
Auburn 10 Arkansas 7
We'll take it.
Arkansas starts a drive.
The Hogs convert a 3rd and 9 on a toss sweep to the AU 23.
A pass takes the possession to the Auburn 7.
To the 2 on another run.
No gain.
3rd and goal from the 2.
Another bad call gives Arkansas a gift TD.
Interference call on Demond Washington that should not have been called. He barely touched the receiver, and the ball was uncatchable anyway. Ridiculous!
Auburn 10 Arkansas 14
The refs give one to Arkansas. You have to say it.
The Tigers drive right down the field. Newton runs for 40 yards to inside the 5.
Mario Fanin runs it in from inside the 5 but fumbles as he goes into the end zone.
The play is reviewed and the call on the field stands. It looked like a fumble to me. Auburn gets a break I think. Can you believe that!!!
If I were the Auburn coach, Mario Fanin would never touch the ball again ever.
Auburn 17 Arkansas 14
There is about 6:28 left in the second quarter.
Arkansas starts at their 24. It seems that on every play I look for a flag against Auburn.
Another QB is in for Arkansas for some reason. On a trick play, Ark is penalized for a block in the back.
T'Sharvin Ball is down on an incomplete pass.
Auburn forces the punt from the Ark 32.
Mallett is out of the game at this point.
AUBURN BLOCKS THE PUNT!
Auburn is on the Ark 25.
McCalebb runs it in from the 13. Touchdown Auburn!
Newton's runs up the middle opens up the outside for McCalebb.
With 4:03 left in the quarter Auburn extends its lead after the blocked punt.
Auburn 24 Arkansas 14
Arkansas runs the kickoff back to their 34.
The Hogs are still with the backup QB.
Ark moves to the Auburn 47.
On third down Ark complets the pass to an open receiver at the Auburn 30.
Ark runs to the 18.
Ark is penalized for unsportsmanlike.
The ball goes back to the 34.
TD pass over Thorpe. Neiko doesn't get his head around as he receives a little shove from the receiver but it's not a callable penalty. 7 plays. 66 yards. This game will go down to the wire. Auburn gives up a very disappointing drive as the first half winds down. Neiko never turned around. We had their QB on his heels but let him loose. This is the kind of game everyone expected.
New score.
Auburn 24 Arkansas 21
The kickoff goes into the end zone with 1:06 left.
What will Auburn do from the 20 with 1:06 left.
Newton runs to the 29 with 59 seconds left.
Fanin runs to the 34.
Newton to Burns to the Razorback 45.
Newton runs to the AU 18.
Timeout Auburn with one left.
From the 18 a complete pass to a measurement for the first down.
About a foot short for the first down around the 8.
But on the play AU is hit with a personal foul and the ball goes back to the 24. Another costly penality.
The play clock started on the play and we're down to one second to go after an interference call. We took too much time on the last play.
With 1:06 left starting on their 20 Auburn marches to the Ark 9 for a FG attempt.
Wes Byrum nails the FG and we go to halftime with Auburn leading.

Auburn 27 Arkansas 21
At the half it is obvious this game could go either way. Will Mallett return? The backup did well. We seem to be able to score but so does Arkansas. This is the game we all expected. Once again Cam Newton looks like Superman.

THIRD QUARTER
The Tigers get the ball first to start the second half. We can't have a meltdown like we did at Kentucky last week.
Starting from the 20, the Tigers drive for a FG running the football, trying to wear Arkansas down. We have a first down on the 9 but have to settle for the 3.
Auburn 30 Arkansas 21
Ryan Mallett is out of the game with some kind of concussion.
Ark starts from their 13 after good kickoff coverage.
We hold Ark on 3rd and 2 but we get called for ruffing the passer: another costly, costly, penalty against Auburn.
The Arkansas drive continues thanks to that penalty.
We get a team into 3rd and long and get a penalty so many times it seems.
Arkansas moves to another 3rd down---third and 15.
The pass is complete to the Auburn 43 and on 4th and 6 Ark will go for it.
Big play here.
4th and 6 but a complete pass and Ark gets the first down by an inch.
The play is reviewed and stands. We give up a 4th and 6.
It's a game of inches like they say.
There's a TD pass to an open receiver who runs right by Craig Stevens on a wheel route. Oh, boy. 37 yards.
Auburn 30 Arkansas 28
Oh, boy. Oh, boy. Oh, boy.
This is what we expected. Somehow our defense is going to have to get a turnover. Somebody on our defense is going to have to make a play before this game is over.
On the kickoff McCalebb returns 99 yards to the Ark 1.
After a foolish delay penalty, Newton dives into the end zone from the 1.
Wow, wow.
Auburn 37 Arkansas 28
Now it's time for the defense to step up. Now is the time for a turnover or a big defensive play.
On the first play Ark gets a long pass from the 20 to the Auburn 26. Oh, my. We can't stop those guys.
After a 2 yard run, Ark gets the TD pass. That was too easy. Our defense has to do some soul searching. A backup QB is drilling our defense. Where is our defense. With a little over 3 minutes left in the third, the Tigers cling to a 2-point lead. Stan White says this is just poor defense leaving receivers wide open. Auburn is getting eaten alive by a backup QB. We just can't allow this.
Auburn 37 Arkansas 35.
Auburn goes to a 3rd and 7 at our 30.
Newton is sacked at the 29.
The Tigers go 3 and out.
This is a dangerous time in this game.
Arkansas has all the momentum as we are punting from our 29.
Fair catch at the Ark 36.
With 1:11 to go in the third it's gut-check time for our defense.
Something good needs to happen for this defense.
First and 10.
Second and 12.
First down pass to the Hog 47.
A run to the Auburn 28. Our defense if folding right now as the third quarter ends. Arkansas is driving with ALL the momentum.

Auburn 37 Arkansas 35

FOURTH QUARTER

There is a 5 yard gain. Arkansas runs the ball just enough to keep our defense honest. Incomplete pass after an all-out blitz. Third and 5. TD pass on a slant pass. Bad defense. A simple slant route and Thorpe can't cover. Their receivers are getting off the line of scrimmage without any hindrance from Auburn. Poor, poor defense. That's all there is to it. We knew Ark would score points but this is ridiculous. It's too easy. And from a backup QB!
The 2-point pass is good and we have a new score.
This will have to a bigtime rally for Auburn now to win this football game. Our offense went three and out last time and our defense has folded. Our defense has been whipped in every way.
Auburn 37 Arkansas 43
Auburn starts on the 32 down by 6.
Pass complete for 12 yards.
Fanin is stopped for a yard gain.
Complete pass to Burns to the Ark 43.
Complete pass to Blake to the Ark 30.
Fanin runs to the Arkansas 16 for 14 yards holding on to the ball with both hands.
2nd and 8.
TD pass to Blake for 15 yards on a fake to McCalebb on the speed sweep.
PAT good with over 11 minutes to go. The last team with the ball may win this thing.
Auburn 44 Arkansas 43
Arkansas fumbles and Zac Etheridge runs it in from 47 yards out.
Here is the big play the defense needed!
The play is reviewed AND THE CALL STANDS! Touchdown Auburn!!! A defensive TD.
Point after good.
Auburn 51 Arkansas 43.
What a football game. I knew there would be some scoring, but not like this with so many close plays.
The defense not only makes a big stop, but scores on the play.
But this ballgame is far from over with 9:44 to play.
It will still go down to the last play.
First play AUBURN INTERCEPTS. Bynes runs it down to the Ark 7. The pass went right to an "open" Bynes.
Newton to the 3. Newton runs it in. After the Bynes interception Auburn cashes in and extends its lead.
Auburn 58 Arkansas 43.
But still with over 8 minutes left this game is not over.
Quentin Riggins says Auburn was in the Tampa 2 defense and their backup QB Wilson held the ball too long. Auburn now has 2 straight turnovers.
Aaron Saviage is out with an injury.
Our defense still has to hold up with 8 minutes left.
Ark starts at the 18.
8:21 left.
First down just past the 28.
BYNES PICKS ANOTHER ONE!!! Their backup QB has imploded.
That's 3 turnovers in a row. Unbelievable.
Dyer for 9.
DYER RUNS FOR THE TOUCHDOWN right up the middle!!! 37 yards.
What a turnaround.
Auburn has EXPLODED. Our defense looked like it was finished and now we get 3 turnovers in a row.
Auburn 65 Arkansas 43
The last time Auburn scored over 60 was 63 against Florida in 1970.
The Hogs drive to the Auburn 30 before running out of downs.
What a football game.
Auburn scores 65 points.
Our defense looked it was dead.
Then boom! Three straight turnovers and this game turned quickly.
Auburn scores 28 underanswered points in the 4th quarter.

FINAL SCORE
Auburn 65 Arkansas 43

What a game. What a 4th quarter.
566 yards of offense. Three turnovers in the final quarter that turned the game around. When it seemed that our defense was toast, they rose up and turned this game around.
We'll remember this one for a long time.