Auburn falls to Arkansas 24-14 in SEC opener, turnovers costly

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by Jeff Shearer
Auburn falls to Arkansas 24-14 in SEC opener, turnovers costlyAuburn falls to Arkansas 24-14 in SEC opener, turnovers costly
Grayson Belanger/Auburn Tigers

AUBURN, Ala. – KeAndre Lambert-Smith made two second-half touchdown receptions but five turnovers cost Auburn in a 24-14 loss to Arkansas Saturday at sold-out Jordan-Hare Stadium in the Tigers’ SEC opener. 

“We can’t turn the football over and we can’t continue to give up third-and-longs,” Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze said. “It really comes down to those two things in this game. You can’t combine the turnovers we’re having with the conversions they’re getting on third-and-long and expect to win a football game.

“We’re being tested right now and how we respond will determine what kind of individuals we’re going to be in life and for this team this year.”

The Razorbacks turned the Tiger miscues into 10 points while Auburn was unable to capitalize on its two takeaways. 

Trailing 7-0 after a first half that saw Auburn commit four turnovers and run 25 plays to Arkansas’ 43, Payton Thorne took over at quarterback.

After Auburn’s fake punt run failed to pick up a first down, the Tigers’ defense delivered its second takeaway courtesy of Kayin Lee’s interception. 

After the teams traded three-and-outs, Auburn drove 77 yards on six plays for a game-tying touchdown drive. 

Jarquez Hunter picked up 6 yards on third-and-3, then Thorne hit Lambert-Smith for 54 yards to the Arkansas 10-yard line. 

Thorne and Lambert-Smith teamed up again one play later for a 10-yard touchdown that tied the score at 7-7 with 5:44 remaining in the third quarter.

Arkansas (3-1, 1-0) answered with a 75-yard touchdown drive, taking a 14-7 lead on Taylen Green’s 58-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Sategna on third-and-19. 

Auburn’s fifth turnover, an interception on a tipped pass, led to a 43-yard field goal that gave Arkansas a 17-7 lead with 12:04 to play in the game. 

On fourth-and-2 from Auburn’s 33, Thorne hit Lambert-Smith on a slant that he took 67 yards to the end zone for a touchdown that trimmed the Razorbacks’ lead to 17-14 at the 9:50 mark. Lambert-Smith caught five passes for 156 yards and two TDs.  

Needing a stop for a chance for a go-ahead score, Auburn forced a quick third-and-10, but a defensive pass interference penalty gave Arkansas a first down.

The Razorbacks drove 75 yards on 12 plays and took a 10-point lead on a 1-yard touchdown with 3:38 to play.

After a scoreless first quarter, Arkansas scored on the first play of the second quarter on a 1-yard touchdown run by Ja’Quinden Jackson that capped a 15-play, 81-yard drive.

Late in the second quarter, Jalen McLeod sacked Green at midfield on fourth-and-1 to give Auburn excellent field position. 

On third-and-5, Hank Brown hit Rivaldo Fairweather for a first down at the Arkansas 36. On the next play, Damari Alston raced to his left and sprinted inside the 10-yard line but a Razorback defender forced a fumble and Arkansas recovered in the end zone for a touchback. 

Auburn forced a three-and-out and regained possession with 57 second remaining in the half, but an interception gave the Razorbacks the ball at Auburn’s 23. 

McLeod delivered another key play, tipping a pass that Sylvester Smith intercepted and returned 33 yards to Auburn’s 48 with 35 seconds left in the half.

Brown and Fairweather connected for 25 yards to the Razorbacks’ 27, but the redshirt freshman threw his third interception of the half on the next play. 

“You can’t do that and play winning football,” Freeze said of the four first-half turnovers.

Dorian Mausi and Jerrin Thompson led Auburn with eight tackles apiece, including a sack for each. McLeod added seven tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack. 

“I thought the defense played well other than third-and-longs,” Freeze said.

The Tigers (2-2, 0-1) conclude their season-opening five-game homestand next Saturday when new SEC member Oklahoma visits Jordan-Hare Stadium at 2:30 p.m. CT on ABC.

“We get ready to play and defend the brand, Auburn,” Freeze said. “We’ve got a chance against a top 20 team. That should excite us.”

Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on X: @jeff_shearer

Postgame Press Conference

GAME NOTES

>> Captains: Eugene Asante, Luke Deal, Jerrin Thompson, Damari Alston
>> Coin Toss: Auburn won the toss and defers; Arkansas to receive
>> Eagle Flight: Independence from section 46 ramp
>> Attendance: 88,043 (11th consecutive sellout at Jordan-Hare Stadium)

TEAM NOTES
>> First-time starters for Auburn: none
>> Auburn has scored in 146 consecutive games, the second-longest streak in school history

INDIVIDUAL NOTES - OFFENSE
>> KeAndre Lambert-Smith now has five TD receptions for the season; his 68-yard score from Payton Thorne was Lambert-Smith’s longest reception this season. He recorded his third career 100-yard receiving game (156). He previously had 124 receiving yards at Utah on Jan. 2, 2023, and 123 receiving yards vs. West Virginia on Sept. 2, 2023, during his time at Penn State. His 156 receiving yards (5 receptions, 2 TDs) is tied with Tim Carter (7 receptions, 1 TD at Arkansas in 2001) for the 14th most in a single game in program history. It was the most since Seth Williams’ 161 receiving yards vs. Mississippi State in 2019
>> Payton Thorne has 7 TD passes this season and 3 at Auburn
>> Jarquez Hunter is 12th among Auburn career rushers with 2,512 yards, passing Kerryon Johnson (2,494 from 2015-17); next is Onterio McCalebb (2,586 from 2009-12)
>> Rivaldo Fairweather ranks eighth among Auburn tight ends in career receptions with 47; next are Robert Johnson (57 from 2000-02) and Fred Baxter (57 from 1990-92)
>> Fairweather ranks ninth in Auburn career tight end receiving yards with 493; next is Andy Fuller (494 from 1993-95), Victor Hall (521 from 1989-91) and Lorenzo Diamond (521 from 1999-2002)
>> Hank Brown ranks 10th in season passing yards by an Auburn freshman with 403 yards; next is Jeremy Johnson (422 in 2013)

INDIVIDUAL NOTES - DEFENSE
>> Sylvester Smith’s interception was the first of his career
>> Kayin Lee records his first career interception, Auburn’s fourth of the season
>> Jalen McLeod’s sack was his second of the season, giving him 7.5 for his Auburn career
>> Dorian Mausi recorded the first sack of his Auburn career
>> Jerrin Thompson’s sack was his first at Auburn

INDIVIDUAL NOTES - SPECIAL TEAMS
>> Auburn has converted 133 consecutive point-after kicks dating back to the second kick of the 2021 season; freshman Towns McGough is now 20-20 on PAT
>> Oscar Chapman is third among Auburn career leaders with 211 career punts; next is Damon Duval (227 from 1999-2002)