GAME THREAD: NCAAF: AUBURN (4-2) at ARKANSAS (3-2)

NCAAF: AUBURN at ARKANSAS

<div class="pre">NCAAF FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
AUBURN (22) 3 0 0 6 9
ARKANSAS 0 0 0 7 7 FINAL

SCORING SUMMARY

1ST QUARTER: AUBURN - FG, WES BYRUM 22 YD, 6:12. AUBURN
3-0
2ND QUARTER: NONE
3RD QUARTER: NONE
4TH QUARTER: AUBURN - FG, WES BYRUM 38 YD, 4:49. AUBURN
6-0
ARKANSAS - TD, LUCAS MILLER 13 YD PASS FROM
CASEY DICK (ALEX TEJADA KICK),
13:24. ARKANSAS 7-6
AUBURN - FG, WES BYRUM 20 YD, 14:39. AUBURN
9-7</div>

 

FAYETTEVILLE, Arkansas (Ticker) -- Freshman Wes Byrum's thirdfield goal of the game, a 20-yarder with 25 seconds left in thegame, lifted No. 22 Auburn to a 9-7 triumph over Arkansas in anexciting Southeastern Conference contest Saturday.

The Tigers shut down Heisman Trophy candidate Darren McFaddenall night and were holding a 6-0 lead until the Razorbackscapitalized on Byrum's 46-yard miss in the fourth quarter,marching 56 yards on six plays to take a 7-6 edge with 1:42left.


Casey Dick capped the drive with a 13-yard scoring strike downthe left sideline to Lucas Miller.


Prior to that drive, Arkansas managed just 127 yards in itsfirst 10 possessions.


But Auburn responded after returning a short kickoff to its own47-yard line.


Brandon Cox hit Robert Dunn for 30 yards to set the Tigers up atthe 12. After three straight runs by Ben Tate netted nineyards, Byrum drilled his second game-winner of the season. Hebeat Florida earlier this season.


Tate finished with 23 carries for 91 yards and Brad Lester added21 carries for 89 yards for Auburn (5-2, 3-1 SEC West), whichvisits Louisiana State next week.


McFadden, who entered averaging 156 yards per game, was held to43 yards on 17 carries - just enough to become the school'sall-time leading rusher at 3,581. Ben Cowins held the previousrecord of 3,570 set from 1975-78.


Arkansas (3-3, 0-3 West), which entered second in the country inrushing at 338 yards per game, was held to 24 yards in thefirst half and 67 for the game.

 

NCAAF: AUBURN at ARKANSAS

<div class="pre">NCAAF FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
AUBURN (22) 3 0 0 6 9
ARKANSAS 0 0 0 7 7 FINAL

AUBURN-FG, W Byrum 22 YD 6:12 1st Qtr
4:03 2nd Qtr
15:00 3rd Qtr
AUBURN-FG, W Byrum 38 YD 4:49 4th Qtr
10:41 4th Qtr
ARKANSAS-TD, L Miller 13 YD PASS FROM C Dick (A Tejada
KICK) 13:24 4th Qtr
AUBURN-FG, W Byrum 20 YD 14:39 4th Qtr


AUBURN ARKANSAS
First downs 21 11
Rushed-yards 53-189 25-67
Passing yards 101 126
Sacked-yards lost 1-8 2-18
Return yards 61 2
Passes 13-23-0 13-27-1
Punts 5-38.4 9-40.8
Fumbles-lost 1-1 2-0
Penalties-yards 6-35 10-100
Time of possession 35:53 24:07


Individual Statistics

RUSHING: AUBURN-Ben Tate 23-91, Brad Lester 21-89, Mario Fannin 3-9,
Carl Stewart 1-6, Kodi Burns 1-1, Brandon Cox 4-MINUS 7.
ARKANSAS-Darren McFadden 17-43, Felix Jones 6-42, Casey Dick 2-MINUS
18.

PASSING: AUBURN-Brandon Cox 13-23-101- 0. ARKANSAS-Casey Dick
12-26-111- 1. Robert Johnson 1-1-15- 0.

RECEIVING: AUBURN-Montez Billings 5-31, Robert Dunn 1-30, Rodgeriqus
Smith 4-19, Carl Stewart 1-13, Cole Bennett 1-8, Mario Fannin 1-0.
ARKANSAS-Peyton Hillis 5-59, Lucas Miller 2-25, D.J. Williams 1-14,
Reggie Fish 1-9, Felix Jones 2-9, Darren McFadden 1-5, London Crawford
1-5.


Att: 72,463</div>

 

FAYETTEVILLE, Arkansas (Ticker) -- It was ugly but awin.


Freshman Wes Byrum's third field goal of the game, a 20-yarderwith 25 seconds left, lifted No. 22 Auburn to a 9-7 triumph overArkansas in an exciting Southeastern Conference contestSaturday.


"We prevailed. That was about as ugly as it comes, but that isAuburn Football," Auburn coach Tommy Tubberville said. "Theyhave a good football team. We held them to seven points andthey have been averaging 42. "It showed a lot of character."

The Tigers shut down Heisman Trophy candidate Darren McFaddenall night and were holding a 6-0 lead until the Razorbackscapitalized on Byrum's 46-yard miss in the fourth quarter,marching 56 yards on six plays to take a 7-6 edge with 1:42left.


Casey Dick capped the drive with a 13-yard scoring strike downthe left sideline to Lucas Miller.


"That one long drive was a great drive," Houston coach HoustonNutt said. "Lucas Miller made a great catch and I thought thatwould have won it, but it didn't."


Prior to that drive, Arkansas managed just 127 yards in itsfirst 10 possessions.


"It was a very frustrating game because we didn't execute wellat all and couldn't move the ball," Dick said. "The defenseplayed a great game, but we let them down offensively."

But Auburn responded after returning a short kickoff to its own47-yard line.


Brandon Cox hit Robert Dunn for 30 yards to set the Tigers up atthe 12. After three straight runs by Ben Tate netted nineyards, Byrum drilled his second game-winner of the season. Hebeat Florida earlier this season.


"I thought the two-minute drill at the end with Brandon wasexcellent," Tubberville said. "That is how you do it. You haveto score a field goal and you move it down there to the 5-yardline."


"I knew there was enough time," Cox said. "Once our return teamgot it out near the 50 there was no question in my mind. I knewwe would get it done."


Tate finished with 23 carries for 91 yards and Brad Lester added21 carries for 89 yards for Auburn (5-2, 3-1 SEC West), whichvisits Louisiana State next week.


"That was our philosophy coming in to run it and see if we couldwear their defensive front seven down," Tubberville said. "Wedid that. We have to be able to throw it a little bit more butthat was my call. We almost let it get away from us."

McFadden, who entered averaging 156 yards per game, was held to43 yards on 17 carries - just enough to become the school'sall-time leading rusher at 3,581. Ben Cowins held the previousrecord of 3,570 set from 1975-78.


"Darren's a great back and a great player," Nutt said. "Eventhough he broke the record, but didn't play well. I know thisone game doesn't make him any less of a running back. He's stilla special player."


"I wasn't worried about breaking the record," McFadden said. "Ihad it in the back of my mind, but I wasn't thinking about it.I'm glad to be the top rushing leader in the school. It's agreat achievement for me."


Arkansas (3-3, 0-3 West), which entered second in the country inrushing at 338 yards per game, was held to 24 yards in thefirst half and 67 for the game.


Auburn scored the only points of the first half after driving 67yards on 14 plays to the Arkansas 5. But the Tigers couldn'tgain a yard on the next three plays and had to settle for a22-yard field goal by Byrum.


Byrum tacked on another field goal - a 38-yarder - with 10:11left in the game for a 6-0 lead. Tate ran six straight timesfor 23 yards on the seven-play drive.