Auburn Heads to Fayetteville for a Battle of SEC Outsiders

The Auburn Tigers (3-4), coming off yet another frustrating loss, will face off with a team that’s treaded a similar path this season. The Arkansas Razorbacks sit at 2-5, are losers of five straight, and are coming off two losses as redundant as Auburn’s.

Last week, Arkansas’ high-powered offense took fourth-ranked Texas A&M to the brink in a 45-42 loss. The week before that, 13th-ranked Tennessee was lucky to escape them as well, coming away with a 34-31 win. 

The Razorbacks started 2-0, but fired head coach Sam Pittman after a blowout loss to Notre Dame in week 5, dropping them to 2-3.

Since offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino was named interim head coach, his unit has thrived. The defense? Not so much. 

An Opportunity for Arnold

For anyone who has watched an Auburn game this season, it’s no secret that the offense has been a problem. It fits the mold of what this season has been so far for the Tigers: wasted potential. With two-star wide receivers and a solid running back in Jeremiah Cobb, this offense has the firepower. 

Where the issue lies is former five-star recruit Jackson Arnold at quarterback, his lack of protection, and his risk-averse nature. His offensive line took a massive hit this week, too, with the news coming out that a future NFL draft pick, center Connor Lew, had torn his ACL and would miss the remainder of the season. 

The matchup with Arkansas provides Arnold a chance to get this offense some rhythm, should the offensive line hold up. The Razorbacks, through seven games, are 124th in the FBS in total defense and give up over 443 yards per game. Last week, Texas A&M produced just under 500 yards of offense and scored 45 points on them. It marked the fourth week in a row that they had allowed over 30 points on defense. 

Where the Razorbacks’ defense has also struggled is in the ability to force turnovers. Of their four total interceptions on the year, two of them came against Central Arkansas. They also only have two fumble recoveries to their name. While this Auburn defense has struggled to score, they have played mostly clean this season. Arnold’s nature is to avoid risk, but this may be a game where he can and should take shots. 

Petrino’s Offense Poses Threat

Opposite of Auburn, Arkansas’ defense is its weak point, while its offense has been the highlight. Led by 6’-6” quarterback Taylen Green, the Razorbacks have the 4th ranking offense in the country, averaging over 500 yards a contest. Green has his inconsistencies, namely in accuracy, but he is one of the most exciting quarterbacks in college football. He’s thrown for 1900 yards, 17 touchdowns, just five picks, and has added almost 600 yards and five touchdowns on the ground.

In the backfield, New Mexico State transfer Mike Washington Jr. has been a rock-solid lead back for Arkansas. His strength comes in his 6’2” frame, which has powered him to seven yards per carry. So far, he’s rushed for 671 yards and five touchdowns. 

Green’s favorite target on the outside has been O’Mega Blake, also a transfer by way of Charlotte. He’s a shifty receiver with good size for the position at 6’2”, and leads the team with 582 receiving yards and four touchdowns. 

Auburn’s defense remains one of the best in the nation, but its linebacker core faces a big test this week. Petrino’s offense utilizes the underneath game, short pass, and outside run. Xavier Atkins, the rest of Auburn’s linebackers, and the defense as a whole will be facing their largest challenge this season, but the same goes for the Razorback offense. 

After shutting down Missouri’s dynamic rushing attack, defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin has shown his defense can rise to the occasion. 

Freeze in Need of a Win

With the 2025 season past the halfway point and conference title contention out of possibility, Auburn needs a win to stop the spiral. Head coach Hugh Freeze has been candid about the low quality of officiating in deciding games, and he’s right. Most football fans and media would agree that against both Oklahoma and Georgia, Auburn didn’t get a fair shake. 

However, the time comes when, regardless of missed calls on trick plays or phantom timeouts from opposing coaches, a win is needed. The offense needs to find a way to score enough points so that a call or two doesn’t affect the outcome of the game. Whether that comes from a quarterback change or something more significant is yet to be seen.

While Jackson Arnold has shown massive improvement from his time at Oklahoma, his inability to make the most of his receiving core is undeniable. The question is, would Ashton Daniels or even freshman Deuce Knight do any better behind a porous offensive line? No one knows, but recent comments Freeze on the “leash” Arnold is on as starting quarterback suggest if the offense doesn’t improve soon, we could find out.