FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Marlon Davidson and Derrick Brown set the tone on the opening series while the Tigers' quick-strike offense scored seven touchdowns in No. 11 Auburn's 51-10 SEC West victory at Arkansas.
"Extremely happy for our players," Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said. "Our guys came out ready to play right off the bat. Our defense played outstanding. Offensively, got off to a good start."
Arkansas won the toss and elected to receive, hoping to gain early momentum. Instead, it was Auburn's defense making a statement from the get-go.
On the second play, the 320-pound Brown ran down Razorbacks running back Rakeem Boyd for no gain. On the next play, Davidson sacked quarterback Ben Hicks, forcing and recovering a fumble at the Arkansas 22-yard line.
"That was the most fun game I've had in a long time," Davidson said. "I felt good about that game."
"We just bounce off each other," Brown said. "We want to see everybody makes plays."
Two Bo Nix passes to Anthony Schwartz gained 18 yards, then Nix kept for a 4-yard touchdown run and a 7-0 Auburn lead with 12:38 left in the first quarter.
After Auburn's defense forced a three-and-out, Kam Martin began another three-play touchdown drive by racing down the right sideline 52 yards to the Razorbacks' 11-yard-line.
Shaun Shivers' 6-yard TD run put Auburn ahead 14-0 fewer than five minutes into the game.
Gallery: (10/19/2019) Auburn at Arkansas
Auburn made it 17-0 with 51 seconds left in the first quarter on Anders Carlson's 44-yard field goal, capping a 13-play, 55-yard drive.
Davidson recorded his second sack on third-and-8 early in the second quarter. On the next play, Chandler Wooten made his first career interception on Arkansas' fake punt pass.
The Razorbacks kicked a 27-yard field goal after a 16-play, 77-yard drive that consumed half of the third quarter to make it 17-3.
Auburn answered quickly, scoring 14 points in 22 seconds, with Nix hitting Seth Williams for a 48-yard touchdown pass at the 4:10 mark of the third quarter.
Carlson's extra point was Auburn's 303rd consecutive PAT, an NCAA record streak that started in 2013.
"It's the biggest blessing to be a small part of a big thing," Carlson said. "Going back to Cody [Parkey] and then Daniel [Carlson], all of their long snappers, all their holders. Auburn prides itself on consistency. We specialists do the same. We're going to enjoy that."
Javaris Davis' diving interception immediately regained possession for Auburn, then after Schwartz gained 28 yards on a reverse, Nix and Schwartz combined for a 28-yard touchdown pass and 31-3 Auburn lead.
Arkansas scored its only touchdown on a 45-yard pass after recovering a fumble, trimming Auburn's lead to 31-10 after three quarters.
Nix and Williams hooked up for their second touchdown of the game and seventh TD of the season to put Auburn on top 37-10. After 304 consecutive PATS, Auburn missed the extra-point try.
"They open up both side of the field," said Nix of Williams and Schwartz, who combined for 193 yards of total offense and three touchdowns. "You can't double both of them, so you're going to get a one-on-one between the two. You've just got to find it and hit them."
Joey Gatewood relieved Nix and completed a 17-yard touchdown pass to Jay Jay Wilson, the graduate transfer's first Auburn TD.
Harold Joiner capped the scoring with a 32-yard touchdown run.
"Our guys were hungry and they put the game away in the second half," Malzahn said.
Back on track. 😤#WarEagle x #RidefortheBrand pic.twitter.com/XDGgl4pJmc
— Auburn Football (@AuburnFootball) October 19, 2019
Davidson, Brown, Roger McCreary and Jamien Sherwood each tallied five tackles to lead Auburn's defense. Michael Harris recovered a fumble for Auburn's fourth takeaway.
Auburn improved to 9-0 after open dates under Malzahn.
The Tigers (6-1, 3-1) play their final road game of the regular season next Saturday at LSU at 2:30 p.m. CT.
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer
GAME NOTES
- Captains: Derrick Brown, Marlon Davidson, Jeremiah Dinson, Daniel Thomas
- Coin Toss: Arkansas wins the toss and will receive
- Attendance: 54,619
TEAM NOTES
- First-time starters for Auburn: none
- Auburn has scored in 87 consecutive games, the second-longest streak in school history
- Today's win gives Auburn its fourth straight victory in the series, the longest winning streak by either team in series history. Auburn owned the only two three-game winning streaks in the series, from 2003-05 and 2016-present
- Auburn held Arkansas to 35 total yards in the first quarter, the fewest by an opponent in the first quarter since Georgia gained 28 yards in the first quarter of the 2017 SEC Championship game
- Auburn hasn't allowed an offensive touchdown in the first half of any of the last four matchups with Arkansas
- Auburn's six first-half TFL were the most by the Tigers in the first half this season; the three first-half sacks tied three vs. Kent State for the most in the first half this season
- The Auburn defense recorded two interceptions in a game for the first time since last season's Music City Bowl
INDIVIDUAL NOTES/OFFENSE
- Bo Nix' 4-yard TD run in the first quarter was his third rushing score of the season
- Nix' 48-yard touchdown pass to Seth Williams in the third quarter was the sixth completion this season from Nix to Williams of 30 yards or longer
- Nix' 15-yard TD pass to Seth Williams in the fourth quarter was Nix' 11th TD pass of the season; it was Williams' seventh TD of the season and 12th of his career
- Nix' TD pass to Anthony Schwartz was Schwartz' first TD reception this year (third career)
- Three TD passes in a game for Nix is a career best; this is Seth Williams' third career game with multiple TD receptions
- Shaun Shivers scored his first rushing touchdown of the season and fourth of his career
- Kam Martin now has 1,489 career rushing yards, moving him to 31st on the Auburn career rushing list, passing Monk Gafford (1,414 from 1940-42), Cam Newton (1,473 in 2010) and Tommy Lorino (1,486 from 1956-58)
- Kam Martin's 52-yard rush in the first quarter was his longest run of the season
- Joey Gatewood's 17-yard TD pass to Jay Jay Wilson was Gatewood's second TD pass this season and Wilson's first touchdown at Auburn
- Harold Joiner's 32-yard touchdown run was his first score of the season and second of his career; the run was a career long for Joiner
INDIVIDUAL NOTES/DEFENSE
- Marlon Davidson's forced fumble was his second of the season and fourth of his career. He now has four career fumble recoveries (first this season)
- Chandler Wooten's interception in the second quarter was the first of his career
- Javaris Davis' third-quarter interception was his first of the season and seventh of his career
- Michael Harris recorded his first career forced fumble and fumble recovery
- Jamien Sherwood tied a career best with five tackles
INDIVIDUAL NOTES/SPECIAL TEAMS
- Auburn set the NCAA record for consecutive PAT with 304; previous record was 302 by Florida State from 2012-16. Auburn's previous last missed PAT came in the 2013 Tennessee game. Kickers during the streak are Cody Parkey, Daniel Carlson, Ian Shannon, Anders Carlson and Sage Ledbetter.
- Anders Carlson is now 73-74 on PAT for his career