Auburn Rallies Behind Defense and Daniels

Trailing 21–10 at halftime, Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze made a pivotal quarterback switch, benching starter Jackson Arnold after a costly pick-six and turning to Ashton Daniels, a senior transfer from Stanford. Daniels responded with poise, completing 6-of-8 passes for 77 yards and rushing for 35 more, guiding Auburn to 23 second-half points.

The Tigers' defense took over in the fourth quarter, forcing four turnovers and outscoring Arkansas 17–0 in the final frame. Cornerback Rayshawn Pleasant delivered the game's defining moment-a 49-yard interception return for a touchdown with 9:15 left, giving Auburn its first lead of the second half. Pleasant added a second interception minutes later, setting up a field goal that sealed the win.

Key Stats and Standouts

• Jeremiah Cobb: 153 rushing yards on 28 carries

• Rayshawn Pleasant: 2 INTs, 1 pick-six

• Alex McPherson: 6-for-6 on field goals (long of 47 yards)

• Xavier Atkins: 13 tackles, 2 sacks, 4 tackles for loss-named Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week

Freeze praised Daniels' poise in leading the comeback.

"He's got this maturity and poise about him," said Freeze. "Obviously, he's a college graduate and has played in a lot of big football games, so it's not going to be something that overwhelms him."

Freeze said that the win over Arkansas was "like a breath of fresh air" after the four straight losses to SEC opponents.

Auburn plays the Kentucky Wildcats next on Saturday, November 1, 2025, at 6:30 PM Central at Jordan-Hare Stadium. This is a pivotal SEC matchup with bowl eligibility implications.

"Defensively, I think they are really, really talented. It's been a weird season for them," said Freeze "You look at the Georgia and Ole Miss games, two top-10 teams that they're right there in them. I know we've got another tough challenge ahead of us Saturday night."

Arkansas, Florida, and LSU have already fired their head coaches for failing to reach expectations. Many Auburn fans are disappointed by the 4 and 4 start to the season. Freeze maintains that the program is better off than before he got to Auburn.

"I've been here just short of three years. Is the program better than when I got here on the roster? Yes. Are we close? Yes. I've won everywhere I've been and I believe with all my heart we're going to win big here."

(Brandon Moseley contributed to this article.)