Instant Replay

UA shifts 3 starters on O-line

Arkansas offensive linemen Johnny Gibson (62), Ty Clary (66) and Hjalte Froholdt (51) fall into pass protection while Auburn defensive lineman Nick Coe (91) applies pressure during a game Saturday, Sept. 22, 2018, in Auburn, Ala. Froholdt and Clary swapped positions for the game, a move that is expected to continue in future weeks.
Arkansas offensive linemen Johnny Gibson (62), Ty Clary (66) and Hjalte Froholdt (51) fall into pass protection while Auburn defensive lineman Nick Coe (91) applies pressure during a game Saturday, Sept. 22, 2018, in Auburn, Ala. Froholdt and Clary swapped positions for the game, a move that is expected to continue in future weeks.

AUBURN, Ala. -- The University of Arkansas had its third different starting combination on the offensive line in four games this season when the Razorbacks played at Auburn on Saturday night.

Junior Colton Jackson made his first start of the season at left tackle, with senior Hjalte Froholdt returning to his old left guard spot and sophomore Ty Clary making his first career start at center.

The only constants on the offensive line have been seniors Johnny Gibson and Brian Wallace starting every game at right guard and right tackle, respectively.

Jackson replaced true freshman Noah Gatlin as the starting left tackle after playing off the bench against North Texas last week.

It was the 14th career start for Jackson, who was projected to be the No. 1 left tackle to open the season but missed the first two games while recovering from back surgery.

Froholdt started the first four games at center before moving back to left guard, where he started all 25 games the previous two seasons.

Clary started the previous two games at left guard before moving to center. Last season he started the first four games as right guard.

Gatlin started the previous two games at left tackle after redshirt freshman Shane Clenin suffered an ankle injury after starting the opener.

Redshirt freshman Kirby Adcock started the opener at left guard.

Unhappy returns

Noah Igbinoghene returned a kickoff 96 yards to give Auburn a 24-3 lead in the third quarter.

It was the first kickoff return for a touchdown by an Arkansas opponent since Christian Kirk's 100-yarder last season in the Aggies' 50-43 overtime victory.

Auburn hadn't returned a kickoff for a touchdown since 2013, when Corey Grant had a 90-yarder in a 55-23 victory at Tennessee.

Arkansas allowed touchdowns on a punt return and interception return in a 44-17 loss to North Texas last week.

Sack for Pulley

Arkansas junior cornerback Ryan Pulley got his first career sack in his 28th game.

Pulley blitzed and sacked Auburn quarterback Jarrett Stidham for a 5-yard loss in the second quarter. The sack on first down helped force an Auburn punt.

First fumble

The Razorbacks lost their first fumble of the season.

It happened late in the first quarter when Auburn cornerback Noah Igbinoghene stripped the ball from running back Chase Hayden after he made a 6-yard gain.

Strong safety Daniel Thomas recovered the fumble and returned it 40 yards to the Arkansas 2.

The defense then forced Auburn to settle for an 18-yard field goal by Anders Carlson for a 10-0 lead.

Greenlaw back

Arkansas senior linebacker Dre Greenlaw was back in the starting lineup at Auburn after missing the previous two games because of an ankle injury.

True freshman Bumper Pool started in Greenlaw's place against Colorado State and North Texas.

Another starter at CB

Ryan Pulley has started all four games at one cornerback spot for Arkansas, but it's been a revolving door on the other side.

Redshirt freshman cornerback Jarques McClellion made his first career start against Auburn.

Sophomore Chevin Calloway -- who missed his second game Saturday night for what Coach Chad Morris said are personal reasons -- started the first two games at cornerback. Junior Britto Tutt started last week, but he suffered an undisclosed injury and didn't dress out for Saturday night's game.

Hammonds out

Arkansas junior running back T.J. Hammonds didn't make the trip because of a thigh contusion.

Old friends

The defensive coordinators in Saturday night's game -- Arkansas' John Chavis and Auburn's Kevin Steele for Auburn -- were high school and college teammates.

Both played at Dillion (S.C.) High School and at Tennessee.

Steele joined Chavis at Tennessee after transferring from Furman.

Steele replaced Chavis as LSU's defensive coordinator in 2015 when Chavis went to Texas A&M.

Captains

Arkansas' team captains for the pregame coin toss were receiver Jared Cornelius, offensive lineman Hjalte Froholdt, defensive end Randy Ramsey and safety Santos Ramirez. All four are seniors.

Rankled

Arkansas lost to a nationally-ranked team -- Auburn is No. 9 in The Associated Press poll -- for the first time this season and eighth consecutive time going back to a 38-10 loss at No. 24 LSU in 2016.

The Razorbacks closed the 2016 season with a 35-24 loss to No. 22 Virginia Tech in the Belk Bowl.

Last season, Arkansas went 0-5 against ranked teams, losing to No. 23 TCU 28-7, No. 1 Alabama 41-9, No. 21 Auburn 52-20, No. 24 LSU 33-10 and No. 16 Mississippi State 28-21.

The Razorbacks' last victory against a ranked team was 31-10 over No. 11 Florida on Nov. 5, 2016.

Another outfit change

Arkansas wore its fourth different uniform combination in as many games Saturday night with red helmets, white jerseys and red pants.

It was the the first time the Razorbacks wore that combination since a 52-0 loss at Alabama in 2013.

Earlier this season, the Razorbacks wore all white against Eastern Illinois, red chrome helmets and white jerseys and pants at Colorado State, and red helmets and jerseys and white pants against North Texas.

Vs. Auburn

Arkansas fell to 11-16-1 against Auburn, including 8-6-1 in Jordan-Hare Stadium.

The tie was 24-24 in the teams' first meeting as SEC foes in 1992.

Numbers game

Arkansas junior receiver Deon Stewart wore his third different jersey number in three halves on Saturday night.

Stewart began the season wearing No. 13, but he switched to No. 80 in the second half last week against North Texas when freshman quarterback Connor Noland -- who also wears No. 13 -- came into the game.

NCAA rules stipulate two players with the same number can't be on the field at the same time.

Stewart then switched to No. 3 for the Auburn game.

When Stewart, 5-11 and 161 pounds, lined up deep to receive the opener kickoff, the public address announcer mistakenly identified him as Arkansas junior defensive end McTelvin Agim -- who also wears No. 3 and is 6-3 and 279 pounds.

Agim did return seven kickoffs as a senior at Hope High School for a 50-yard average.

For SEC openers

Arkansas lost its SEC opener for the eight consecutive season.

The Razorbacks last victory to open SEC play was 31-24 at Georgia in 2010.

Since then, in addition to Saturday night's game, Arkansas has lost to Alabama 38-24 and 52-0, Texas A&M 45-33, Auburn 45-21, and Texas A&M 28-21 in overtime, 45-24 and 50-43 in overtime.

Looks worse

Arkansas' 34-27 loss at Colorado State looked bad enough when it happened two weeks ago.

It looked worse on Saturday night when Illinois State -- a Football Championship Subdivision team that plays in the Missouri Valley Conference -- beat Colorado State 35-19.

The Redbirds, who improved to 3-0, are ranked No. 16 in the FCS poll.

Arkansas Tigers

There are plenty of Arkansas ties on Auburn's coaching staff.

Tigers Coach Gus Malzahn grew up in Fort Smith, was a walk-on receiver at Arkansas who transferred to Henderson State and was a longtime high school coach in the state who was the Razorbacks' offensive coordinator.

Auburn running backs coach Tim Horton grew up in Conway and was a receiver and punt returner at Arkansas and running backs coach. Offensive line coach J.B. Grimes played at Henderson State and was an Arkansas graduate assistant and offensive line coach. Receivers coach Kodi Burns played at Fort Smith Northside.

Helmet talk

The team wearing white helmets has won all four of the Razorbacks' games this season: Arkansas, Colorado State, North Texas and Auburn.

Sports on 09/23/2018

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