FAYETTEVILLE | Hugh Freeze said after Auburn's 48-10 rout of Arkansas that he had predicted Keionte Scott's punt return for a touchdown earlier in the day. He swore by it, actually.

So, did the Tigers' head coach actually tell Scott he would make a difference in the game? Actually, yes.

"He said he needed elite play out of me," Scott said. "I accepted that challenge and told him, 'Let's make it happen.' It happened on the first punt return, so it was great to accomplish that."

After Auburn's defense held the Razorbacks to a three-and-out on their first possession of the game, Scott lined up on Auburn's 25-yard line, catching the ball at the 26 and was hardly touched as he split through Arkansas' special teams unit for a 74-yard score.

The junior knew it wasn't just him that made the play happen.

"I just got great blocking from my teammates," Scott said. "My main focus as a punt returner is being able to get my eyes down and scan the field and see where the hole is. After receiving some great blocks from my teammates, I just visualized, saw the hole, hit the hole and was able to stay vertical and get into the end zone."

And while the touchdown put the Tigers up just 14-0, there was something about it that Scott and his teammates could feel in the stands that occurred right after it: hope for Arkansas fans.

"I felt like as soon as I scored, it got quiet," he said. "And that was when momentum -- like I said, being out there for my offense and being able to create momentum for them is something I'm looking forward to doing the rest of the year."