Georgia’s run at No. 1 came to a sudden stop Saturday night, and Auburn was the team that delivered the blow.
The Bulldogs, who had been unbeaten and top-ranked, fell 27-24 at home to unranked Auburn on a last-second 34-yard field goal. It was the second straight week an unranked opponent knocked off the No. 1 team, after Oklahoma beat then-No.
1 Texas 27-24 last week. That makes it the first time in 36 years that the nation’s top team has lost in back-to-back weeks.
Auburn’s win came in dramatic fashion, but it also marked a milestone for the Tigers. They picked up only their third victory in five years over a ranked opponent, and it was their first win over a top-ranked Georgia team since 1942. It also snapped Georgia’s hold on the series, giving Auburn its first victory against the Bulldogs since 2017.
First-year Auburn head coach Alex Golesh was emotional afterward.
“I’m just grateful to our guys for just continuing to plug,” first-year Auburn head coach Alex Golesh said in an emotional interview. “You can have so many narratives and stories.
I’m grateful for our guys, our coaches, our fan base that’s been through a lot. We’re going to build Auburn back to where everybody wants it.
One game at a time. Just hang with us.
This locker room, these dudes that chose to stay, that’s what it’s all about. I’m really proud of our guys.”
The final sequence flipped the game. Georgia had been in position to win with a field goal drive, but quarterback Gunner Stockton lost the ball near midfield, opening the door for Auburn’s last possession.
Then, with 15 seconds remaining, Georgia’s Gabe Harris Jr. was flagged for roughing the passer after a late hit on Auburn quarterback Byrum Brown following an incomplete pass. That penalty moved Auburn 15 yards to the Bulldogs’ 19, setting up McPherson’s winner.
Georgia had earlier tied the score at 24 with 2:58 left when Stockton hit London Humphreys on a 4-yard touchdown pass.
The Bulldogs opened fast, racing to a 14-0 lead on their first two possessions, but Auburn answered with 24 straight points behind Brown. He was sharp both through the air and on the ground, throwing for one touchdown and running for another. Brown finished 15 of 26 for 150 passing yards and added 115 rushing yards on 26 carries.
Stockton’s numbers were bigger, but the turnovers were costly. He completed 22 of 34 passes for 272 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
The result also left the SEC without an unbeaten team, a shift that adds even more chaos to the race for a College Football Playoff spot as the season moves into its midpoint.
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Auburn Has A Real Chance To Make Georgia Sweat
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There are still obvious hurdles to clear in Athens, starting with Georgias home dominance under Kirby Smart and Auburns own personnel hit after linebacker Xavier Atkins was suspended. But the simulation results suggest this might be more than a routine road spot for the Tigers, especially if they can control tempo and make the game play out on their terms. The question now is whether Auburn can turn that theoretical edge into the kind of performance that forces Georgia into a real fight. [Read more 🡒]
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Auburn heads into one of the toughest assignments on its schedule Saturday, when the Tigers travel to Athens for a 2:30 p.m. kickoff against No. 1 Georgia on ESPN. The matchup brings the usual rivalry pressure, but this one also arrives with the Bulldogs again looking like the more complete team, and with Auburn beat writers pointing to the gap in talent and Georgias recent control of the series.
Still, the bye week gives Auburn a little extra time to sort through its issues before walking into Sanford Stadium, and that was a recurring part of the discussion in the staff predictions. Even with Georgias edge and Auburns uneven season so far, there is at least some belief that a better-prepared Tigers team can make the trip more competitive than the matchup on paper might suggest. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn Faces The SEC Test That Could Change Everything
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For Auburn, the matchup is about more than just another prediction column. It is the sort of test that can alter the conversation around the Tigers in a hurry, because every SEC weekend seems to carry extra weight and every pick comes with a built-in argument. The forecasts are only opinions, of course, but they reflect the stakes well enough: Auburn is heading into one of those Saturdays where the result can change how the rest of the season feels. [Read more 🡒]