A win is a win.

That is what they say, right? That must be the mindset after Auburn defeated Arkansas 26-23 on Saturday for their fifth win of the season.

"It takes a lot to go get a win in this league, and we made it about as hard as you could," Auburn head coach Alex Golesh said after the game. This Auburn team has struggled, but it has proven to have the ability to win games late. 

The Tigers are 4-1 this season in games decided by one score. The prior head coach, Hugh Freeze, was 2-10 in those types of games. That is proof this program is moving in the right direction under Golesh. Yes, Arkansas has not been a good team this season. Auburn would have liked for this game not to come down to the final minute. Just like in games against Baylor, Vanderbilt, and Georgia, the Tigers made the plays to win late. 

Byrum Brown wears the Superman cape

The Auburn offense struggled mightily in the first half against the Razorbacks on Saturday. It was another game where it appeared that Auburn was not fully dedicated to running the football. In its first six possessions, Auburn had five punts and one turnover on downs. The second half was a different story. The Tigers scored 23 points and had just one punt. 

Quarterback Byrum Brown was a catalyst in the second-half resurgence. Brown finished with 180 passing yards and 120 on the ground, with three combined touchdowns. The biggest run of the day was when Brown rushed for 39 yards with 5:37 remaining in the fourth quarter. He followed that up a few plays later with a 28-yard touchdown pass to give the Tigers a 23-16 lead with 3:56 remaining in the game.

Golesh even spoke after the game about how they were able to run an offense. Auburn scored points on all their second-half possessions except for one. 

A new defensive star?

Auburn was shorthanded in the game with Bryce Deas out at linebacker. That opened a door for Shardarius Toodle to have a big impact. The freshman had 11 total tackles, three sacks, and four-and-a-half tackles for loss. This is a player who, just three weeks ago, was part of the practice squad. Overall, the Tigers' defense had a big second half with five sacks on Arkansas quarterback KJ Jackson. That was the most in a half for Auburn since 2024. 

Alex McPherson does it again

The 2026 season is becoming a year of clutch kicks from Alex McPherson. Before this season, McPherson had never kicked a game-winning field goal for the Tigers. Now he has two, including the Georgia victory and Saturday.

It was an interesting day for McPherson. He made both of his field goal attempts but missed an extra point early in the second half. Auburn trailed 10-3 at halftime and looked to tie the game when Chas Nimrod caught a 15-yard touchdown pass from Brown to make the score 10-9 with 5:01 in the third quarter. McPherson missed the point-after try, and the Tigers kept trailing at that point.

Good news for McPherson is that the missed kick did not come back to hurt Auburn. He has turned into one of the most reliable kickers in college football, and that missed extra point was a surprising moment. 

What's next?

Auburn will now go back on the road for another SEC game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs. With Auburn gaining its fifth victory on Saturday and a game with Samford upcoming on Nov. 21, the Tigers should earn bowl eligibility.

There is major importance in winning in Starkville, though. A win there would almost guarantee seven wins and would end the Tigers' streak of losing seasons since 2020. That would be very important for the program and would show progress in year one under Golesh.