Rival Offers High Praise for Auburn

There was some national championship talk going on in the locker room at Auburn’s Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday night.

The visitors’ locker room, that is.

The No. 3-ranked Tigers (7-0, 4-0 Southeastern Conference) refused to engage in such ambitious talk after dismantling Arkansas, 38-20, but Razorback quarterback Matt Jones had no such qualms.

“They have a chance to do something special this year,” Jones said. “They have a chance to go to the SEC championship game and possibly the national championship game.”

The Tigers probably will play for the conference title in Atlanta.

Only games against Kentucky (1-5, 0-3) and at Mississippi (3-4, 2-2) remain before No. 10 Georgia (5-1, 3-1) visits Auburn on Nov. 13.

The Razorbacks (3-3, 1-2) were the leading contenders for the SEC West title after Auburn beat Louisiana State, 10-9.

Every other team in the division has at least two conference losses.

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Alex Smith threw four touchdown passes and ran for another to lead No. 11 Utah over North Carolina, 46-16, late Saturday at Salt Lake City.

Smith completed 29 of 37 passes for 341 yards and the Utes (6-0) earned their third victory this season against a team from a BCS conference.

Utah had 669 yards, the most ever given up by the Tar Heels (3-4).