Auburn rushes for 543 yards, obliterates Arkansas 56-3
AUBURN, Ala. - Eli Stove broke free for a 78-yard touchdown run on Auburn's first play, giving the No. 21 Tigers momentum they never lost in a surprisingly dominant 56-3 victory over No. 17 Arkansas on Saturday night.
Auburn held out starting running back Kerryon Johnson and still ran for 543 yards, a school record for a Southeastern Conference regular-season game. With former Auburn star Bo Jackson watching, Kamryn Pettway had 192 yards rushing with two touchdowns. Johnson ran well in pregame warmups but did not play after hurting his right ankle against Mississippi State on Oct. 8.
Auburn (5-2, 3-1) has won four straight.
The Tigers held Arkansas (5-3, 1-3) to 215 total yards. Rawleigh Williams ran for only 22 yards one week after he set a career high with 180 yards in a 34-30 win over No. 23 Ole Miss.
''We played a complete game,'' Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said. ''... Holding that group to 25 yards rushing was really unbelievable.''
Stanton Truitt had scoring runs of 20 and 31 yards and added a 45-yard touchdown catch.
Arkansas coach Bret Bielema said he and his staff ''have got to take a really serious look at some of the things we're doing. ... Tomorrow's gonna be a long day, and it won't be on that will be a lot of fun but it's got to happen.''
Arkansas quarterback Austin Allen was helped off the field with an apparent right knee injury in the second quarter but returned with a black sleeve on his knee on the next possession.
Bielema said Allen was pulled late in the game after ''it started swelling up on him and getting a little tight.''
Adam McFain kicked a 54-yard field goal for Arkansas to close the first half. It was the senior's career-longest field goal.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
The impressive win could send the Tigers close to the top 15. The Razorbacks could take a sharp fall in the next Top 25 poll.
THE TAKEAWAY
Arkansas: The Razorbacks showed the effects of their eighth straight game, including third in a row against a ranked opponent, without an off week. Adding to the embarrassment for coach Bret Bielema, the Razorbacks were even overwhelmed by Auburn's backups.
Auburn: The Tigers made a case to be Alabama's top competition in the SEC West. The strong defensive performance is especially encouraging to Auburn's hopes of recovering from early season losses to Clemson and Texas A&M.
UP NEXT
Arkansas: The Razorbacks finally have a week off before their fourth straight game against a Top 25 team when they play No. 15 Florida on Nov. 5.
Auburn: The Tigers will visit No. 23 Mississippi on Saturday in another important SEC West game.