RICK McFARLAND Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Arkansas junior free safety Matt Harris, center, is lifted up after he intercepted a pass to stop Auburn in the last seconds of the Hogs ’ 25-22 win Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala.

AUBURN, Ala. — After little Michael Smith ran the biggest run of his life, Arkansas mustered both its biggest goal-line stand and a game-clinching interception to reward coach Bobby Petrino his first SEC victory as a Razorback.

The Razorbacks (3-3, 1-2 ) upset 20 th-ranked Auburn, 25-22, dropping the Tigers (3-3, 2-3 ) before a stunned crowd of 85, 782 in Saturday’s SEC West game at Auburn’s Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Smith’s tackle-escaping, 63-yard touchdown run with 8: 50 left gave Arkansas a 25-20 lead, the Hogs ’ only lead other than the 3-0 lead when Shay Haddock’s 27-yard field goal netted Arkansas’ first first-quarter score of 2008.

Haddock kicked a 44-yard field goal, his career long, with 14: 07 left in the game, bringing Arkansas back to down 20-19.

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The Razorbacks then withstood a furious Auburn drive quarterbacked by an Arkansas native son, Kodi Burns of Fort Smith Northside, before hemming Burns in for a fourth and goal overthrow beyond the end zone from the four.

The Hogs ran three downs, had punter Jeremy Davis take an intentional safety and finally iced it with safety Matt Harris intercepting a desperate Burns pass with 29 seconds left.

“ It sure makes you smile and feel good, ” Petrino said.

Petrino has had little so smile about with three ranked powers Alabama, Texas and Florida pounding his Hogs, 49-14, 52-10 and 38-7 the last three games, though saw breakthrough signs for three quarters last week versus Florida.

“ I can’t say enough about our assistant coaches and players and how hard they prepared and how hard they fought, ” Petrino said. “ They showed a lot of character and a lot of leadership. I am very, very proud of them. ”

Against one of the most renowned defenses in the country, Arkansas netted 416 yards total offense to Auburn’s 193 including the 5-7 Smith’s big 176 yards rushing on 35 carries and senior quarterback Casey Dick completing 17 of 32 for 222 yards and catching a 6-yard double reverse flea flicker touchdown from freshman wide receiver Joe Adams.

“ We were able to execute running and passing and had guys making big plays, ” Petrino said. “ Defensively we felt we had to stop the run and we did. ”

Arkansas’ defense was superb. For the most part, Auburn’s offense was set up by its defense and kicking game including Tristan Davis ’ 97-yard kick return touchdown on the kickoff after Haddock’s first field goal, and two Wes Byrum field goals set up by interception returns of two Casey Dick passes.

The Hogs also suffered a blocked PAT after the Adams to Dick flea-flicker but persevered.

The Adams to Dick TD began with Dick handing off to freshman wideout Jarius Wright who gave it to Adams on the trick play preceding Smith’s touchdown running away from Auburn safety Zac Etheridge.

“ It was time for the flea flicker, ” Petrino said. “ We have worked on it a long, long time and our players worked it to perfection. It was gratifying to get our first conference win against a really good football team. ”

Dick made some big plays passing, including 31- and 39-yard passes to freshmen receivers Adams and Greg Childs and surprised with his feet including a 29-yard scramble on Arkansas ’ first-scoring drive along with a fourth-and-goal TD run from the 1, rolling right untouched after a beautiful fake handoff to Smith running left.

Wendel Davis and Matt Harris at the end pressured Burns with a sack and then an intentional grounding penalty to run valuable time off Auburn’s clock.

“ Our defense really gave us a lift and helped us with field position, ” Petrino said.

Burns and alternating Auburn quarterback Chris Todd were only a combined 10 of 28 passing, though Burns came back to ignite the Tigers at the end before the Harris pick insured the Razorbacks of their first conference conquest.

For Camden native and Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville, Saturday’s long game was the traumatic close to a traumatic week that included him firing offensive coordinator Tony Franklin last Wednesday.

“ We didn’t have a lot obviously on offense and defensively we couldn’t get off the field, ” Tuberville said. “ It was just a tough night, a tough week overall. We struggled in every area. Things keep snowballing on us. ”