Auburn Tigers vs. Arkansas Razorbacks Preview and Prediction

Auburn is in desperate need of a win after falling to 3-4, and head coach Hugh Freeze is desperate for a win with his back against the wall.

The Auburn Tigers are searching for its first SEC win of the season. | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

When the Auburn Tigers line up against the Arkansas Razorbacks, their season may hang in the balance.

A loss would bring the Tigers' record to 3-5, making bowl eligibility almost impossible. Plus, it would effectively signal the end of Hugh Freeze's tenure on the Plains after this season.

With everything to lose and gain simultaneously, Auburn should take the field with a renewed purpose.

Perception vs. Reality

Hogs quarterback Taylen Green is what Hugh Freeze told everyone Jackson Arnold would be.

Green is a legitimate dual-threat quarterback who can make any throw on the field with velocity. Additionally, if the play breaks down, he flashes the ability to break contain and head downfield. His presence makes Auburn's defensive front play critically important. If the line can generate pressure, the linebackers must clean it up to avoid broken plays.

Taylen Green lol. Man can scramble pic.twitter.com/reuC7cRD6o

— Billy M (@BillyM_91) October 11, 2025

On the other hand, Arnold continues to play a rather uninspired brand of football that irritates the fanbase. In the last six quarters of play, including overtime against Missouri, Auburn has scored 17 points. Whether Arnold's failings are solely his own or Freeze's inability to call better plays remains to be seen.

Pathway to Success

As challenging as the season looked for Auburn's offense, Arkansas' defense cannot stop a nosebleed. The unit allows 443.9 yards a game, last in the SEC and 126th in the FBS. Of note, they have one player that should concern Auburn in edge rusher Quincy Rhodes Jr.

Otherwise, if the Tigers do not start fast and continue the pace during the game's balance, the coaching staff needs to be replaced. Everything in this game shows Auburn running away and hiding with a big lead. However, Freeze regularly finds a way to pull defeat out of the jaws of victory. Despite possessing the superior roster, this game could come down to three or four plays.

Prediction

Typically, a potent offense like Arkansas would have its way with many teams. Yet, Auburn's defensive line is considered one of the nation's best. Pro Football Sports Network rated them the second-best defensive line in the SEC.

The metric, relayed by their insights department to Auburn Tigers on SI:

"Our grades are based on stability from week to week/season to season, so a player who grades well in our overall grades should continue to do so."

Our @PFSNcollege SEC defensive line grades:

1) Oklahoma: 96.9
2) Auburn: 88.3
3) Kentucky: 87.1
4) Vanderbilt: 86.6
5) Texas A&M: 85.9
5) SC: 85.9
7) Missouri: 85.1
8) Alabama: 84.7
9) Tennessee: 83.7
10) Texas: 83.5
11) Ole Miss: 80.3
12) Florida: 80.0
13) Arkansas: 79.3
13)… pic.twitter.com/H3PETGtuEv

— Cam Mellor (@CamMellor) October 23, 2025

There is no nebulous metric. Instead, performance matters. Auburn’s front should dominate Green and the Razorbacks' offense, holding them to fewer than 30 points.

On the other side of the field, the offense scored at least 30 points when it should have scored 45. However, a win is a win.

Final Score: Auburn 37, Arkansas 20