Sep 10, 2016; Auburn, AL, USA; Auburn Tigers running back Kerryon Johnson (21) carries against the Arkansas State Red Wolves during the first half at Jordan Hare Stadium. Photo Credit: John Reed-USA TODAY Sports
Quarterback Sean White passed for three touchdowns and Kerryon Johnson rushed for two as Auburn shrugged off a close loss to No. 2 Clemson last week with a 51-14 rout of Arkansas State on Saturday night in Auburn, Ala.
Sophomore running backs Kamryn Pettway (152) and Johnson (124) had their first 100-yard games as the Tigers (1-1) rolled up 452 of their 706 yards of offense in the first half while improving to 24-0 against the Sun Belt Conference.
White was 17-of-23 passing for 244 yards with wide receivers Tony Stevens (two) and Will Hastings catching the touchdown passes.
Quarterback Chad Voytik, a transfer from Pittsburgh, was 15 of 21 for 215 yards and rushed for a touchdown for the Red Wolves (0-2), who yielded 556 yards in a 31-10 loss to Toledo last week.
A trio of highlight reel plays helped Auburn cruise to a 38-7 halftime lead. Johnson started the show when he hurdled a defender near the goal line to complete a 47-yard touchdown run. Later in the first quarter, freshman wide receiver Kyle Davis made a one-handed catch in blanket coverage for 42 yards that would have made Odell Beckham Jr. proud, setting up Johnson’s 1-yard touchdown run three plays later.
In the second quarter, the Tigers scored their first touchdown on a fake field goal attempt since 2000. Tyler Stovall took the snap and started to place the ball before tossing it over his head to kicker Daniel Carlson, who was already off and running toward a 20-yard score. Carlson added three field goals.
Hastings, a walk-on kicker converted to wide receiver, caught a 29-yard touchdown pass with 1:49 left in the second quarter. Pettway bolted 64 yards to the Arkansas State 2-yard line with seven seconds left in the first half, setting up an 18-yard field goal by Carlson.
