Kenny Irons had lost the starting tailback job to redshirt freshman Brad Lester as Auburn went to play Arkansas on Oct. 15, 2005. But his season was about to change in a big way.
Lester suffered a strained groin in the first quarter and was replaced by Irons. Arkansas led 10-6 at halftime, but in the second half, Irons and the Tigers went to work.
Irons rushed 33 times for 182 yards and quarterback Brandon Cox threw three-second half touchdown passes as the Tigers won their fifth straight and 20th in 21 games, 34-17. Irons was off and running. He would go on to rush for 1,293 yards and 13 touchdowns and be named Southeastern Conference Offensive Player of the Year.
"I'm usually getting 10-to-12 carries a game but 33? I would never have imagined that,” Irons said when it was over. “Our offensive line did a great job. I get stronger as the game goes on. I had 33 carries, but I wanted more."
Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville, who’d had his share of trouble with Arkansas, said it was an impressive performance by his players.
“It's been a while since we've dominated a game up front like we did,” Tuberville said. We set the tone early in the third quarter, and there was no doubt we were going to win this game."
Cox gave Auburn the lead for good with a 17-yard touchdown pass to Devin Aromashodu. He hit Tre Smith with a 5-yard touchdown pass and Cooper Wallace with a 9-yarder. Smith closed out the scoring for Auburn with a 7-yard run as Auburn moved to 5-1 overall and 3-0 in the SEC.
Darren McFadden, a freshman who would become a superstar, rushed for 108 yards on 13 carries and scored two touchdowns for Arkansas.
