Winless Auburn hosts Louisiana-Monroe, reeling Razorbacks preppe - WSFA.com: News Weather and Sports for Montgomery, AL.

Winless Auburn hosts Louisiana-Monroe, reeling Razorbacks prepped for Alabama

Posted: Updated:
By JOHN ZENOR
AP Sports Writer

AUBURN, Ala. (AP) - The Auburn Tigers are hoping to rise up and Louisiana-Monroe is trying to come down from a huge win.

The winless Tigers host the Warhawks Saturday a week after a troubling loss at Mississippi State. Louisiana-Monroe is fresh from an opening win over then-No. 8 Arkansas.

Auburn coach Gene Chizik says his team will keep pushing ahead and "any other response is unacceptable."

Defensive tackle Jeff Whitaker calls the game "a must-win, hands down."

Auburn quarterback Kiehl Frazier is coming off a five-turnover game. Louisiana-Monroe's Kolton Browning passed for a career-high 412 yards against the Razorbacks.

Despite the different situations, it's still the SEC versus the Sun Belt. Auburn is a 16½-point favorite, has won all eight meetings with the Warhawks and is 18-0 against Sun Belt teams.



By KURT VOIGT
AP Sports Writer

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) - Arkansas has lost its last five games against Alabama, and it enters Saturday with the prospect of facing the No. 1 Crimson Tide without starting quarterback Tyler Wilson.

Wilson's availability for the Razorbacks (1-1) is uncertain after he suffered a head injury during the first half of last week's shocking loss to Louisiana-Monroe. Wilson didn't practice Thursday, and Arkansas coach John L. Smith says last year's first-team All-Southeastern Conference quarterback will be a game-time decision on Saturday.

The Razorbacks were expected to contend for the SEC West this season, but right now that doesn't seem realistic.

Arkansas has little time to recover. Alabama (2-0) defeated Western Kentucky 35-0 last week. Quarterback A.J. McCarron had four touchdown passes in the win.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.