Rapid takeaways: Razorbacks give away chances to get first SEC win

Offensive meltdown in the second half keeps Arkansas as one of three confernce teams still looking for first win

Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback Taylen Green (10) drops back to pass during the first quarter against the Auburn Tigers at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

Both Arkansas and Auburn arrived in Fayetteville desperate to find their first SEC win and taste victory for the first time in over a month.

After carrying the team throughout the losing streak, the offense managed just three points in the second half to lose its sixth straight game, 33-24 to Auburn.

The Hogs must now win out to make a bowl for the second straight season.

Offense falters as defense finally shows signs of life:

Arkansas' defense held a struggling Auburn offense to just 26 points. It adjusted well enough to a mid-game quarterback change. Jackson Arnold started every game for the Tigers this year, but Ashton Daniels played the final 40 seconds of the first half before taking all the snaps in after halftime.

" He's a very good athlete [and a] good runner," Petrino said. Had a couple guys on our staff that are very familiar with him because he was at Stanford. We got three coaches that were at Stanford, so they were very aware of his abilities."

Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze finally had enough after Arnold threw a pick six at the end of the first half.

The Arkansas offense turned its over on final four possessions of the fourth quarter to seal its fate. The Razorbacks came into the game with a -5 turnover margin, while Auburn came into the game +2.

"I’m disappointed in the offense in the entire game really," Petrino said. "Because even in the first half we weren’t able to establish and and drive the ball and run the football the way that we could. We made some errors in protections that didn’t allow us to convert a few third downs early in the game."

With the wheels completely off, the coup de grace came when Kensley Louidor-Faustin picked off quarterback Taylen Green for the third straight time before a last gasp drive even started.

ANOTHER INTERCEPTION! 🤯@FaustinKensley joins the party to seal the win!

📺: @SECNetwork pic.twitter.com/JhBYryH95p

— Auburn Football (@AuburnFootball) October 25, 2025

Petrino's prayers answered

Petrino was longing for something good to happen on defense or special teams. For most of the first half, it looked like the football gods did not heed his request.

Green took another detrimental sack on third down to force Arkansas to punt from the Tiger 35-yard line instead of attempting a 52-yard field goal in cold and nasty conditions.

Arkansas once again took the ball first and Auburn poised to finally execute the double-dip to perfection by managing the clock and scoring at the end of the first half and getting the ball first when the teams returned from the locker room.

The Tigers had the ball at the ball at the Arkansas 18-yard, relying on their run game.

Cornerback Kani Walker spoke with the media later about the increased energy that interim defensive coordinator Chris Wilson brought to the team following the firing of former coordinator Travis Williams.

He provided the defense with a much needed jolt by jumping a pass intended for wide receiver Perry Thompson and sprinting down the sideline 89 yards for a house call.

WALKER GOT WHEELS 💨 pic.twitter.com/O4VG9GSqPU

— Arkansas Razorback Football (@RazorbackFB) October 25, 2025

"Just like absorbing all the energy to be real," Walker said about the emotion of the pick-six. "Throughout my life, I guess these couple of weeks, just been kind of facing a little mental adversity. So, like me knowing that I was just as dialed in as I needed to be, or at least to my best potential at that moment."

Walker's touchdown gave the Hogs its first two score lead since Week 3 against Memphis.

McPherson kicks Hogs into submission

Arkansas found the end zone three times to Auburn's two, but Auburn kicker Alex McPherson finally looked like his old self.

The junior kicker has a career-long of 53 yards but has seen his range diminish with an extended battle with ulcerative colitis that required surgery.

His season-long had been 34 yards coming into the game and had missed both his attempts this year from beyond 40.

Alex McPherson knocks through his sixth kick of the game, and this one probably ices it

What a story pic.twitter.com/CCa16Sn3NF

— Peter Rauterkus (@peter_rauterkus) October 25, 2025

McPherson made all eight of his kicks, including all six of his field goals from 36, 23, 43, 26, 47, and 37.

And then there were three. Arkansas is now just one of three SEC teams still winless in the conference. Mississippi State and Kentucky are the only others still searching for its first win.

"We’re going to play our best ball," defensive end Quincy Rhodes said about next week. "They’re going to play their best ball, of course, may the best man win. So hopefully we win, but if we don’t, we don’t. So we’re going to come in there and continuously work."

Kickoff against Mississippi State is scheduled for 3 p.m. Saturday to cap off a three-game homestand. The game will be broadcast on SEC Network.