FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — On Saturday, #17 Arkansas returned to Razorback Stadium for the first time in 28 days and fell to Auburn 38-23. The Hogs fall to 4-3 on the season and 1-3 in conference play.
Despite arguably being the better team, costly mistakes and referees both came back to bite the Hogs. Arkansas has lost its last six games to the Tigers.
Auburn started with the football and the Arkansas defense picked up where it left off in Oxford. A six-play, 75 yard drive from the Tigers ended with a 39 yard touchdown pass from Bo Nix to Ja’Varrius Johnson.
The Hogs would answer with a drive in Auburn territory, but they would have to settle for a 44 yard field goal from Cam Little.
Arkansas trailed 7-3 at the end of the first quarter. Little would miss a 53-yard attempt on the Razorbacks' first drive of the second quarter.
Tigers running back Tank Bigsby would then get the run game going with a 17 yard run, followed by a one yard touchdown. Auburn took a 14-3 lead with ten minutes to go in the half.
On the ensuing drive, Arkansas would once again get in Auburn territory and fail to score. The Hogs had three drives past the 50 and just three points to show for it.
With Auburn near midfield, Montaric Brown would grab his team-leading third interception of the season. It was only Nix's second thrown interception this season.
Arkansas would drive down the field before halftime and KJ Jefferson hit Treylon Burks for an eleven yard touchdown catch. A twelve play 84 yard drive had the Razorbacks only down 14-10 at halftime.
Arkansas would go six plays, 75 yards on the first drive of the second half. Jefferson and Burks would connect for a touchdown for the second time on the day and the Hogs led, 17-14.
With Arkansas backed up near its own endzone, Jefferson would fumble on a sack by Derrick Hall and the Tigers would recover for a touchdown. A huge momentum shift gave Auburn a 21-17 lead.
On the following drive Arkansas would be stopped on 4th and 3 deep in Auburn territory. Nix would hit Demetris Robertson on the next play for a 71 yard touchdown pass. The Hogs trailed 28-17 with 4:16 to play in the third quarter.
The Hogs had an answer. On the last play of the third quarter, Dominque Johnson would get into the endzone and Arkansas trailed 28-23 after a failed two-point conversion attempt.
Later in the fourth the refs would gift Auburn a field goal on a phantom pass interference call that set the Tigers up in the redzone.
Arkansas was unable to overcome its own mistakes as well as the referees. Nix would run for a touchdown with 2:30 left to seal the deal.
Next Saturday, the Razorbacks will host UAPB at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.