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Auburn hosts rested SEC West rival Arkansas

Oct 3, 2006 - 7:24 PM Arkansas (3-1) at No. 2 Auburn (5-0), 12:00 pm EDT

AUBURN, Alabama (Ticker) - Arkansas hopes an extra five days of rest will help it spring an upset when it visits second-ranked Auburn in a Southeastern Conference West Division matchup.

The Razorbacks (3-1, 2-0 SEC West) have won their first two league games for the first time since 1998 - Houston Nutt's first season as their coach.

Arkansas has not played since September 23, when it edged Alabama in double overtime, 24-23. After Alabama's Leigh Tiffin missed an extra point in the second extra period, Jeremy Davis won the game for the Razorbacks when he converted his point-after try following an 11-yard touchdown pass from Mitch Mustain to Ben Cleveland.

A true freshman, Mustain completed just 7-of-22 passes for 97 yards with three interceptions. The offensive star was Darren McFadden, who ran for 112 yards and a touchdown.

Auburn (5-0, 3-0 West) has won its first three league games for the fourth year in a row and is 20-1 in its last 21 SEC contests, including the 2004 conference title game.

The Tigers are coming off a shaky 24-17 win at South Carolina on September 28. Despite 117 rushing yards and two touchdowns from Kenny Irons, Auburn did not put the game away until Patrick Lee broke up a pass from Syvelle Newton to Sidney Rice in the end zone with 19 seconds left.

Auburn has won the last three meetings against Arkansas, including a 34-17 triumph last year in which it trailed at halftime.