2018 The Arkansas Game

After a tough loss to LSU Auburn faces Arkansas at home for a 6:30 kickoff on the SEC Network.
The Hogs lost big to North Texas last week.  Auburn is a big favorite, but the Tigers have issues.  The offensive line is unsettled.  The run game is unsettled.  How unsettled is the team?  I expect a slow start by Auburn, slopping around, eventually winning the game but by less than the line.

FIRST QUARTER

Auburn wins the toss and defers.
After one first down Arky is punting.
Ryan Davis returns the punt from our 25 to the Arky 27.

First down to the 15.
First down to the 5.
Whitlow untouched into the end zone on first down from the 5.
A red zone touchdown.  We need those all game long.

Auburn 7  Arkansas 0

After two first downs to the Arky 48 there is a long completion to the Auburn 20.
The defense holds and the 40 yard FG attempt is no good.

From the Auburn 22 the Tigers go three and out.
Our offense is not clicking.  Gotta do better than this.
Our offense is so spotty.  No sign of explosive plays.
Arkansas fair catches the punt at their 28.

The Razorbacks are three and out.
The Tigers get a piece of the punt and AU gains possession at our 45.

Pass to Ryan Davis to the Arky 42.
We can't covert on third down. Stidham is off on his passing accuracy.  What else is new?
Anders Carlson misses the long FG attempt.

On Arky's first play Daniel Thomas picks up the fumble off the ground and runs it down to the two.
Whitlow is dropped at the 5.  A three yard loss.
Pass incomplete toward Seth Williams in the end zone.
We go from first and goal from the two to first and goal from the five.
Stidham is flushed out rolling right and steps OOB at the three.
FIRST AND GOAL FROM THE TWO AND WE GO BACKWARDS FROM THERE.
We have to settle for the three.
Our offense is bad, bad, bad.
What is it with our Red Zone offense?  A lack of execution for sure.  Sloppy play for sure.

Auburn 10  Arkansas 0

The quarter ends with Arkansas facing second and 10 from their 25.

SECOND QUARTER

A first down on a third and 15 conversion.
Next play Arky is called for holding.
A loss leading to 2nd and 25.
We move to third and 19 for the Arkansas offense.
Incomplete pass.  Fourth and 19.
Davis fair catches at our 30.

After facing third and 16 we come up a yard short and punt.
Three and out.  Two plays backwards and one play forward but a yard short and and punt from our 39.
Arkansas gets the ball back on the punt.

The Hogs start on their 20.
First down across the 30.
Arkansas is punting short of the 40.
Ryan Davis fair catches at the AU 24.

First down to the 36.
Two straight completions to Schwartz to the Arkansas 17.
We move to fourth and one from the eight.
Timeout Auburn.
Auburn goes for it on fourth and less than a yard and there is NO push by the offensive line.  Our offensive line gets pushed back.  Very bad.  Very, very bad.

It's a good thing we are playing Arkansas.  But we only lead by two scores.
Arkansas is three and out.
Auburn gets a partial block.  The ball is picked up and we run it to the Arkansas 9.

Before the snap we get a delay of game.  Incomprehensible.
We end up with third and goal from the 9.
We get lucky with a facemark penalty on Stidham.
Automatic first down and half the distance.  We get lucky.
On second down from the five Stidham makes the end zone running left.
Great scramble by Stidham for the touchdown made possible by the penalty against Arkansas.
PAT good.  W

Auburn 17  Arkansas 0

Arkansas gets to midfield with 26 seconds remaining in the half.
Another TO Arky at midfield with 18 seconds left.
On the next to the last play of the half Auburn intercepts and the runback goes to the end zone,  but we are called for a block in the back WHICH IS A BAD CALL ON REPLAY.  The penalty is enforced which allows a 50 yard FG attempt which is not good.  Controversy at the end of the first half.  Coach Malzahn is LIVID about the block in the back call.

THIRD QUARTER

Auburn receives to start the half and promptly goes three and out.  No dice on our first possession.  This offense has been awful all night.  I don't understand it.

Arky starts their first possession at their 21.
First play there's a long run of 45 yards to the Auburn 34.
Yikes.
We move to third and six.
Fourth and two.
Arkansas goes for it from the 26.
The quarterback pushes for the first down barely by maybe three inches.
First down at the AU 24.
A run to the 13 for another first down.
There is a tackle for loss by Darrell Williams.
Second and eleven.
Third and eleven after an incompletion to the end zone.
Second timeout by Arkansas.
Short gain leads to fourth down at the Auburn 10.
The 29 yard FG attempt is good.

Auburn 17  Arkansas 3

Okay.  Is our offense going to show up in the second half?  Now would be a good time.
Noah I runs the kickoff back 96 yards to the end zone.  Touchdown Auburn !
We needed that.  At least we've had good special teams play all night.

Auburn 24  Arkansas 3

The Hogs are three and out.
Auburn will start at their 25.

Auburn has only 53 yards rushing so far.  This won't cut it.
The running game simply is not there.
Quickly we are at third and six.
Even quicker it's fourth down.  Our offensive line is woeful.
The punt bounces to the Razorback NINE yard line.
Again we've had good special teams play.

Our defense holds and Arky is punting without a first down.
Auburn gets good field position at their 40.

First down just across the 50 on a completion to Seth Williams.
First down to the Arky 39.
Stidham overthrows a wide-open Slayton which would have been a touchdown.  Stidham is not very accurate at least tonight.
We move to third and ten with our QB not in sync.
Stidham is sacked with a couple of open receivers.  That is on Stidham.  He is awful tonight.
Arkansas will take the punt at their ten.

The quarter ends with Arkansas inside their ten after a loss on first down.

FOURTH DOWN

The Hogs mount a drive with a couple of big plays and move to a 4th and 9 at the Auburn 29.
This has been a lackluster game.  We have been saved so far by defense and special teams.
Their QB is leveled and Andrew Williams at the 31.  Good defense again!
Replay showed no interception but Auburn still has the ball since it was fourth down.

Auburn starts at their 28 after Arkansas loses the ball on downs.
A sustained drive?
Kam Martin runs for a first down to the 39.
Martin for another gain.
We move to a third and three after a no interference call on Schwartz.
First down on a power run by Whitlow.
Auburn moves to the Arky 28.
A pass to Ryan Davis to the 15.
From the 15 Whitlow runs around left to pay dirt!
Now THAT was an offense.  Mixing the pass and run Auburn drives 72 yards for the touchdown.
Where has that been all night?

Auburn 31  Arkansas 3

Arkansas goes three and out punting on 4th and 23.
Ryan Davis returns the punt from midfield to the 15.

Two no gains and a procedure penalty makes it third and 14 from the 19.
Stidham is dropped at the 25.  Stidham holds the ball too long.
The 43 yards is good by Anders Carlson.

Auburn 34  Arkansas 3

Arkansas cannot advance the ball and Auburn takes possession with 31 seconds left and the game ends.

FINAL SCORE

Auburn 34  Arkansas 3

Good defense.  Great special teams play.  Finally in the fourth quarter the offense put together a consistent drive but otherwise the offense was terrible most of the game.  I do not understand how the offense can be so inconsistent except that the offensive line must improve and Stidham is sometimes on and sometimes his mind seems to be somewhere else and we do NOT have a great running back.  Whitlow is the best but that's all I can say.