Auburn football: What sort of offensive performance should we expect from Gus’ Tigers?
By Rob Maxwell
![Ryan Davis caught a 19-yard touchdown pass in the opener last season against Georgia Southern at Jordan-Hare Stadium. (Photo by Butch Dill/Getty Images) Ryan Davis caught a 19-yard touchdown pass in the opener last season against Georgia Southern at Jordan-Hare Stadium. (Photo by Butch Dill/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/54a44c85f5887112e9cadfcbc77aac9c518c571d659a0ccedc84c57d9b51a4eb.jpg)
Auburn 45, Arkansas 21
Head coach: Gus Malzahn
Auburn final record: 8-5
Points per game: 35.5
National ranking: 27th out of 128 teams
With Nick Marshall suspended for the first half against the Razorbacks, Jeremy Johnson put together what might have been his best half of football in his Auburn career.
Johnson completed 12-of-16 passes for 243 yards and a pair of TD passes (49 and 18 yards) as Auburn scored 21 first-half points (the game was tied, 21-apiece at the half) before Marshall resumed quarterback duties in the second half.
Auburn ran for 302 yards, passed for 293 and totaled 595 (8.5 yards per play). The Tigers also were 9 of 14 on third downs and converted all four of their trips into the red zone. Cameron Artis-Payne ran for 177 yards, Corey Grant added 87 and Duke Williams had 154 receiving yards.
This was a very good opening performance by the offense.