No. 1 Georgia gets Auburn on Saturday in Athens with history hanging over the afternoon and a series mark within reach.
The Bulldogs can claim a 10th straight win over the Tigers, which would stand alone as the longest run for either school in the rivalry. Georgia’s current nine-game run matches the program’s streak from 1923-31, the last time either side put together that many in a row.
Kirby Smart knows exactly what this matchup usually becomes.
"It's an awesome rivalry," said Georgia head coach Kirby Smart, whose lone loss to the Tigers came in November 2017. "I have so much respect for them. ...
They have a lot of talent. They have good football players.
It's any given Saturday in this conference, as we see every week. It'll be an extremely physical game (against a team) coming off an off week."
Georgia enters at 6-0 overall and 4-0 in the Southeastern Conference after one of the season’s biggest statements, a 20-17 win at No. 6 Alabama. The Bulldogs will be heavy favorites again - Auburn is an underdog of more than 20 points - but Smart isn’t treating it like a mismatch.
"We watched the tape of (the Alabama game). It was really physical.This one's going to be really physical too," Smart said.
"I promise you that the page for us is focused on this Auburn team. They're well rested and have a good football team coming in here."
Georgia’s offense has been steadied by veteran quarterback Gunner Stockton, who has 1,298 passing yards and 14 touchdowns. The Bulldogs have also gotten a lift on the ground from Dwight Phillips Jr., who has filled in for injured starter Nate Frazier and leads the team with 280 rushing yards. Phillips had a career-high 120 yards against Alabama.
Auburn arrives at 3-2 and 1-2, trying to snap an eight-game losing streak against ranked opponents and chase its first win in Athens since 2005. First-year coach Alex Golesh has a tough assignment in his first SEC run, and he knows what his team is walking into.
"As we prep for Georgia, the number one team in the country, and you watch it, all three phases certainly look that way," Golesh said. "Offensively, (Stockton) is a really, really good player, makes a lot of things go, doesn't make a ton of mistakes. ... We've got to play physical, as you do every week in this league, you can't turn the football over, you have to maximize possessions."
The Tigers are leaning on quarterback Byrum Brown, who has accounted for 1,055 passing yards and 11 touchdowns, with seven through the air and four on the ground. Auburn remains a team still taking shape under Golesh, and he framed the challenge in blunt terms.
"The mentality of the team is that we have so much to prove," Golesh said. "When we are at our best, we can play at the highest level of football. When we're not, we're just good enough to get embarrassed."
Auburn’s history against No. 1 teams is limited to five all-time wins, with the most recent coming in a 26-14 upset of Alabama in 2017.
In Other News...
Auburn Landed A Homegrown QB Who Already Feels Different
Auburn added an important early piece to its 2028 class when Gadsden City junior quarterback Sam Sollie committed to the Tigers, giving Alex Golesh a homegrown passer with plenty of runway ahead of him. Sollie has put together a strong season at the high school level, showing the kind of efficiency that made both Alabama and Auburn take a hard look, and now he becomes the first recruit in Goleshs next class.
Sollies commitment also gives Auburn something beyond a simple quarterback pledge. He has already started helping recruit other players, a sign the Tigers view him as more than just a future arm in the room. For a program trying to build early momentum under a new coach, landing a local quarterback who is willing to get involved right away is the kind of development that can ripple well beyond one position group. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn Signee's Eligibility Fight Could Decide If He Ever Plays
Auburns incoming backcourt picture has picked up an unexpected legal wrinkle, with signee Mantas Rubtaviius turning to the courts in an effort to secure his place on the roster. The former professional player filed a lawsuit against the NCAA seeking a temporary restraining order and injunction so he can suit up for Auburn in the 2026-27 season, putting his future in the program on hold while the eligibility question gets sorted out.
At the center of the dispute is new NCAA guidance that takes a closer look at players with professional experience, something Rubtaviius argues does not line up with earlier eligibility rulings. Auburn has backed his right to seek clarity, but for now the program is waiting on a court hearing set for Oct. 16, a date that could go a long way toward determining whether one of its signees ever makes it to campus in uniform. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn's Offense Has One Clear Problem Before Georgia
Auburns offense is heading into the Georgia game with a few issues that are hard to ignore, and offensive coordinator Joel Gordon put them front and center this week. The biggest one is quarterback Byrum Browns interceptions, but it does not stop there. Gordon also pointed to the offense taking too long to adjust during games and a run of pre-snap penalties that has repeatedly put the Tigers behind schedule.
Those problems matter even more with No. 1 Georgia on deck, because Auburn will need cleaner football just to stay in striking distance. Gordons message was simple: Brown has to make better decisions, the staff has to react faster, and the offense has to play with more discipline if it wants a realistic chance to compete. The challenge now is whether Auburn can tighten those areas in time for a matchup that will punish every mistake. [Read more 🡒]