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.
In Other News...
Georgia Loses A Key Secondary Piece Ahead Of Auburn
Georgias secondary will have to adjust on the fly Saturday, because junior safety KJ Bolden is out for the Auburn game because of injury. It is the first time Bolden has missed a game since arriving in Athens, ending a run of 34 straight appearances and removing one of Georgias more dependable pieces on the back end at a point in the schedule where every defensive detail matters.
He is not the only Bulldog sidelined, either. Chauncey Bowens, Isiah Canion, Thomas Blackshear, Amaris Williams and Tyriq Green are also listed out, giving Georgia a longer absentee list than it would prefer heading into a rivalry matchup. Auburns report did not bring any fresh movement, with Xavier Atkins, Tai Buster and Hunter Herring still unavailable as both teams work through a stretch where depth is being tested on both sides. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Is Already Showing Something Fans Will Want To See
Georgia got the kind of tune-up it wanted at Stegeman Coliseum, rolling past Charlotte 87-67 in a preseason basketball game that offered a clear early snapshot of what this roster might be capable of. Blue Cain led the way with 14 points, and the Bulldogs perimeter touch was a big part of the night, as they knocked down 17 of 33 shots from beyond the arc.
For a team still sorting itself out before the games start counting, that kind of shooting is the sort of thing fans can latch onto quickly. Georgia gets one more preseason test against Clemson before opening the regular season on November 2, and the bigger question now is whether the Bulldogs can carry that same shot-making into a tougher setting. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Faces One Auburn Worry Fans Cant Ignore
Georgia heads into its next SEC test riding the high of a win over Alabama and sitting at No. 1 in the AP Poll, but Auburn is the kind of opponent that can complicate a good week fast. The Tigers come in under new head coach Alex Golesh with a 3-2 record, and they get the trip to Athens with plenty of incentive to make the matchup uncomfortable for a team still trying to manage the wear and tear of a long season.
Georgias injury list is the part Bulldogs fans will watch most closely, with running back Chauncey Bowens and defensive back KJ Bolden among the players listed as injured or doubtful. Even with the top ranking and momentum on its side, Georgia is heading into this one with enough uncertainty to keep the attention fixed on availability as much as on the opponent across the field. [Read more 🡒]