The Hogs showed they were no pushover, but the Tigers ground out a win at home to start their 2014 season.
The Auburn Tigers and Arkansas Razorbacks slugged it out to a tie through two quarters, but Auburn was able to pull away and earn a 45-21 win in a disjointed, weather-delayed second half.
The much-publicized contrast in styles between these two teams was fully evident from the start. Gus Malzahn's Tigers were frenetic, moving the ball as fast as they could and striking quickly. Starting in place of Nick Marshall, Jeremy Johnson had two touchdown passes in the first 17 minutes, and they were cutting through the Arkansas secondary virtually unopposed.
Bret Bielema's Razorbacks took the opposite approach, but it proved to be just as effective early on. The Hogs used their massive offensive line to bulldoze the Auburn front seven, giving Alex Collins, Jonathan Williams, and Korliss Marshall huge lanes to run through. Those lanes closed up in the second half, though, as the Tigers' defense clamped down and gave up just 46 yards in the final two quarters.
Three things we learned
1. Auburn has the chops to repeat as SEC champions. The Tigers charged their way to an SEC title in 2013, helped in no small part by some incredibly lucky finishes against Georgia and Alabama. Few people would be surprised if they repeated in 2014, but it's just a matter of seeing them do it without needing so many improbable strokes of luck. They showed their quality on Saturday, and considering all the turnover across the SEC this year, they would have to be tabbed as the favorites as of now.
2. You can see the progress at Arkansas. As mentioned above, the defense is still clearly a work in progress, but you can start to see Bret Bielema's plan come together with the offense. The Hogs' offensive line is absolutely massive, and they were able to maul Auburn for pretty significant stretches in the first half. Combine that with a big stable of capable running backs lead by Alex Collins, and things aren't looking so bad. Brandon Allen had an up-and-down day, but it's already evident that the offense has taken a step forward in year two.
3. Auburn is pretty deep at quarterback. Jeremy Johnson and Nick Marshall each played a half under center for Auburn, and they both looked pretty great. Johnson went 13-17 for 243 yards and two touchdowns in the first half, and the offense really hummed. However, when Marshall came into the game in the third quarter, it completely changed the offense. His running ability gives them an added dimension that is just so difficult to stop, and despite Johnson's successful outing, it's clear why Marshall is the starter. Should Marshall be forced to miss extended time due to injury, Auburn fans can rest easy knowing they're in good hands.
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