Auburn Defeats Hogs With Late Field Goal 9-7

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Freshman Wes Byrum accounted for all nine points for No. 22 Auburn and his field goal with 21 seconds left in the game sealed the victory for the Tigers over Arkansas, 9-7. Casey Dick’s desperation pass on the last play of the game was intercepted by Jerraud Powers.

Tailback Darren McFadden was held to 43 rushing yards on the night, but became Arkansas’ leading career rusher, passing Ben Cowins on the all-time list. The junior from Little Rock sits atop the list with 3,582 rushing yards after the game. The record fell when McFadden picked up 13 yards on a keep out of the WildHog formation.

Casey Dick’s 13-yard touchdown pass to sophomore Lucas Miller with 1:36 remaining in the game gave Arkansas its first points of the game and Alex Tejada’s extra point gave the Razorback their first lead of the night, 7-6. The score capped a six-play, 71-yard series, the Hogs’ longest drive of the game against the Auburn defense.

Auburn started the game with the ball. A seven-yard rush by tailback Brad Lester gave the Tigers first and goal from the five-yard line, but the Razorback defense did not allow any further gain and held Auburn to a 22-yard field goal by Byrum.

On the ensuing kickoff, McFadden returned the ball 29 yards to the 46-yard line. After converting a third-and-seven play, the Arkansas offense stalled and a sack of quarterback Casey Dick ended the drive.

The teams then traded three-and-out possessions and at the end of the first quarter, Auburn held a 3-0 lead.

On the second play of the Hogs’ second possession of the game, McFadden rushed left for four yards and became UA’s career leader in all-purpose yards, surpassing the previous record 4,535 held by Gary Anderson who played at Arkansas from 1979-82. McFadden finished the game 77 all-purpose yards and now has 4,576 for his career.

The Tigers started the second quarter with the ball, but a Rashaad Johnson tackle of Rodgeriqus Smith left Auburn short of the first down and they punted away to Arkansas.

On the opening play of the Hogs’ next offensive drive, Dick connected with Peyton Hillis on a 29-yard completion into Auburn territory to the 43-yard line. The Razorbacks picked up another first down before Alex Tejada was brought on to try a 41-yard field goal. The kick missed right and the Tigers maintained their three-point advantage.

On a fourth-and-one gamble from their own 31-yard line, Auburn gained a first down with a sneak by quarterback Kodi Burns. Again, the Razorback defense held strong and on a third-and-11 incompletion, the Arkansas offense got the ball back with 3:30 remaining in the first half.

After a holding penalty on the kickoff, the Hogs started their drive from the 19-yard line. A 12-yard completion to Miller kept the Arkansas series alive on a third-down conversion, but the strong defensive play continued as the drive ended with a Jeremy Davis punt.

The first half featured just 209 yards of total offense and eight punts between the two teams. Auburn went into halftime with a 3-0 lead.

The beginning of the second half played out much like the first half as both defenses continued to hold the opposing offensive units. Arkansas opened the half with the ball on the 35-yard line after the Auburn kickoff went out of bounds.

Two personal-foul calls on back-to-back plays by the Arkansas defense put the ball on the 14-yard line for Auburn. After a seven-yard gain by Brad Lester, linebacker Weston Dacus reached in and caused a fumble that was recovered by Matt Hewitt on the six-yard line.

The Razorback offense could not capitalize on the turnover and punted the ball away after a three-and-out possession.

With the Tigers driving later in the third quarter, a pass-interference call on Freddie Fairchild put the ball on the Arkansas 27-yard line. The Razorback defense responded and prevented Auburn from gaining a first down. The third quarter ended with a missed 36-yard field goal by Byrum.

A nine-yard sack by Auburn’s Antonio Coleman put the Arkansas offense back to the 11-yard line. Dick’s pass intended for Reggie Fish on third down was high and the Hogs were forced to punt the ball.

With the lead, Auburn put the ball in the hands of tailback Ben Tate, who carried the ball six consecutive times for 23 yards. With the ball on the 21-yard line, Byrum tacked on his second field goal of the night to give the Tigers a 6-0 advantage.

A near interception by Auburn safety Zac Etheridge ended the Hogs’ next drive.

Auburn looked to ice the game by keeping the ball on the ground and the clock ticking, but a 46-yard missed field goal attempt by Byrum kept the Hogs in the game.

The Hogs will face Ole Miss next Saturday in Oxford, Miss., with kickoff scheduled for 1 p.m.