Here we go again! Has it really been 7 months since Auburn last played football in the National Championship Game? Indeed.
For the first time time since 1995 the Tigers open with a conference game. The Arkansas Razorbacks come calling for a 3 p.m. kickoff on the new SEC Network. The Tigers start the season ranked 5th in the country. The consensus is that Auburn could be better than last year's 12 and 2 team but the schedule is much tougher. Today we shall see the beginning of how it all plays out in 2014.
FIRST QUARTER
Arkansas receives and starts at their 15.
The Hogs are 3 and out.
Bray fair catches at the AU 25.
Jeremy Johnson is our QB.
There's a 3rd down first down pass to Coates.
There's another first down screen pass to CAP to the Arkansas 46.
After a 3 yard loss there's a TD pass to Melvin Ray!!!
A 49-yd. TD toss to Ray. Auburn's first score of the season is in the books.
On this drive Auburn overcomes a 10 yd. holding penalty and convert two third and longs.
Jeremy Johnson made the right read and threw to a wide-open receiver.
8 plays 75 yards. Johnson was 4 for 4 in that drive.
Auburn 7 Arkansas 0
Arkansas begins again on their 25.
On two running plays Arky is out to their 45.
There's another good run to the AU 35.
There's another run right up the middle to the Auburn 14.
Our defensive line is being gashed.
There's a TD pass to their tight end wide open in the right corner of the end zone.
Arkansas answers.
Auburn 7 Arkansas 7
Well, here we go. Where is our defense?
The Tigers march sharply for another 75 yard touchdown drive.
There is a great pass to Uzomah down to the one, and Artis- Payne crashes in on the next play.
With 4:01 left in the first quarter Auburn regains the lead.
Auburn 14 Arkansas 7
Arkansas starts on their 25.
On that last drive Quentin Riggins says our tackles were getting trapped and we have to stop that.
Arkansas runs for a first down but a facemask penalty moves the ball forward 15 yards to midfield.
There's a first down run right up the middle as we can't stop their running.
From the Auburn 35 Arky punts to inside our five with 1:09 left in the quarter.
After one first down there's a long pass to Duke Williams.
The quarter ends with AU facing 2nd and 3 at the Arkansas 15.
Auburn 14 Arkansas 7
SECOND QUARTER
CAP runs for the TD on the first play but there's facemask call against Auburn. Amazing!
That was a tough call against Auburn. You don't often see offensive facemask.
On third down Johnson hits Williams on a slant from the 18.
Forget that silly penalty. Touchdown Auburn!
Jeremy Johnson is red hot. Duke Williams is all he is supposed to be.
This offense is balanced so far!
7 plays. 98 yards.
JJ has passed for 204 yards already.
Auburn 21 Arkansas 7
There is another touchback.
Arkansas moves to the AU 29.
Arkansas goes to the Auburn 18.
There's a touchdown pass to a wide-open receiver in the end zone.
As good as our offense looks our defense looks porous.
Auburn 21 Arkansas 14
Are we going to have to keep scoring to win this game?
Starting from the 25 Auburn goes 3 and out for the first time as we can't convert a 3rd and one.
There is a booming punt from Carlson to inside the Arkansas 5 and the visitors start at their 7.
Arkansas is running again. It looks like we cannot stop their running.
Arkansas is gashing our defensive front.
On 3rd and 7 from midfield there's a complete pass to the AU 35. Yikes!
There's another complete pass to the 18.
Our defense is reeling.
We will have to stuff the box which will result in one on one coverage by our defensive backs.
The clock says 5:13 to go on an Auburn timeout.
There's a run to the six.
There's a toss sweep around the left side and we are tied.
Auburn has no answer for the Arkansas offense. No answer. Arkansas makes it look easy.
10 plays. 93 yards.
Auburn 21 Arkansas 21
Oh, my. 4:28 to go. Can we respond?
AU starts at the 25.
Both teams have 266 yards of total offense.
On third and one Artis-Payne is stopped at the line of scrimmage.
On 4th and one we get called for a false start and we have to punt.
Arkansas will have a chance to grab the lead with about 2:27 to go.
Arkansas has stopped our offense the last two possessions. This is not good in this type of game.
From their 24 we stop them on first down.
There's an incomplete pass.
3rd and 9 from their 25.
Incomplete pass.
Arkansas will have to punt. 1:34 left. Auburn will get the ball back.
Bray returns just across the Auburn 40.
There's a pass to Williams to the Arkansas 40.
First down to the Arky 28.
3rd and 10 with 26 seconds left.
On the last play of the first half Daniel Carlson misses a 42-yd. FG attempt and we are tied at the half.
We certainly have ourselves a ballgame here. Arkansas is certainly much better than last year. Our offense is about what I expected except with JJ we are passing rather than running and we have only 68 yards rushing at intermission. Our defense is getting beaten up. What is the deal here? Can Ellis Johnson make the right adjustments???
Auburn 21 Arkansas 21 at the half.
THIRD QUARTER
Auburn gets the ball to start the half. I'd say it's already crunch time in this game.
At the half Coach Malzahn tells Quentin we had two third and shorts and didn't make them and if we had made them it might have led to two scores. And we have to slow down their running.
Corey Grant gets a big return but it's called back on a bogus block in the back call against Auburn.
AU starts on their 22. Nick Marshall is in the game!
First down to the 32.
On 3rd down Marshall hits Ray to the Arkansas 32.
CAP runs for 12 yards.
From the 19 Nick Marshall keeps right up the middle on the read option and Auburn regains the lead.
Welcome back, Nick Marshall!
Auburn 28 Arkansas 21
Arkansas start on the 25. What will our defense show?
The Hogs go 3 and out and Auburn will get the ball back if we can handle the punt.
Bray fields the punt and makes it to midfield with a 19 yard return.
CAP fumbles on the first play and after a review Arkansas gets the ball.
First down for Arky at their 46. Tough break for the Tigers. A pass takes the Hogs to the Auburn 34.
From the 34 Arkansas punts to the Auburn 10 with about 5 and a half minutes to go.
After one first down Auburn is punting on their 41.
The Carlson punt rolls to the Arkansas 15.
Jermaine Whitehead gets the pick and runs it into the end zone!
Great pressure on their QB forced the errant throw.
A 33 yd. return for a touchdown.
Auburn 35 Arkansas 21
Arkansas faces a third down at their 37 as the third quarter ends.
Auburn 35 Arkansas 21
FOURTH QUARTER
The Tigers hold and Arky punts to the Auburn 10.
The Tigers march impressively behind the running of CAP and Marshall for a first down at the Arkansas 35.
The Tigers end up getting a 45-yd. FG from Carlson. We'll take it.
Auburn 38 Arkansas 21
And now with 9:55 left there is a lightning delay that will last 1 hour and 25 minutes.
Play finally resumes at 7:22 p.m.
Auburn kicks off after the field goal.
After one first down Arkansas punts to the AU 15. So far so good after the break.
The Tigers march down the field 85 yards in 8 plays on the ground and put this game on ice.
CAP makes some good runs and Grant drives in from the 3 for the score.
Auburn has come out in the second half and completely dominated this game.
Auburn 45 Arkansas 21
The Hogs move to 4th and 5 from their 30. The fourth down pass in the rain is complete.
It is raining hard as this game winds down.
The game ends with Auburn on the Arkansas 11 with the rain pouring down.
The Tigers turn a 21-21 halftime tie into a dominating second half and win going away after a long weather delay.
As a Tiger fan you have to be impressed with this opening win especially with the second half.
The 2014 season is off to a great start.
AUBURN 45 ARKANSAS 21
How long will quareterback Nick Marshall sit?
Gus Malzahn will open his second Auburn season today.