The Auburn Tigers (6-4, 3-4 SEC) picked up a 48-10 win over the Arkansas Razorbacks (3-7, 1-6 SEC) on the road in Fayetteville to clinch bowl eligibility on Saturday.
It was as dominant of an Auburn win against any conference opponent in quite some time. Auburn got off to a fast start and held a 21-3 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The offensive attack persisted, and Auburn picked up a dominant win.
What are the main takeaways from the game?
Jarquez Hunter continued his successful stretch
Auburn running back Jarquez Hunter has put together some solid performances lately, and that trend continued this week.
Hunter picked up 109 yards off of 16 carries. Hunter gives the Auburn offense a sizable boost when he is at his best. That is a trend that the Tigers would like to see continue.
The Auburn defense showed up
Auburn only allowed one touchdown and 255 yards of total offense.
Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson went 10-16 for 116 yards. Jacolby Criswell led the Razorbacks in rushing with 64 yards.
Auburn did not let up in this game on either side of the ball, but the defense was dominant.
Payton Thorne had a day
Auburn quarterback Payton Thorne has been playing well since securing the starting job for the second time.
He went 12-20 for 163 yards and three touchdowns. He also added 88 yards on the ground.
If Thorne can continue to play this way, Auburn's season will be looked on much more favorably.
Auburn was disciplined
Auburn was only penalized twice for a total of 10 yards.
Avoiding drive-killing penalties and mental errors that would put Arkansas in a good position to score went a long way toward helping Auburn dominate the game as they did.
The pressure of bowl eligibility is gone
Auburn has earned the opportunity to play in a bowl game. This was head coach Hugh Freeze's biggest goal for his first season with the program.
With the bowl objective checked off, the Tigers can focus on what is in front of them.
Auburn will be back in action at home inside Jordan-Hare Stadium next week against the New Mexico State Aggies. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. CT, and the broadcast will be available on SEC Network.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email daniel.locke@1819news.com.
Don't miss out! Subscribe to our newsletter and get our top stories every weekday morning.
