Georgia heads into Saturday with a little extra comfort before the Auburn game, and not just because of the matchup itself. Auburn is down one of its top defenders, linebacker Xavier Atkins, who is out this week. With three sacks this season, Atkins has been one of the Tigers’ key pieces in generating pressure, so his absence takes a real bite out of that side of the defense.
The bigger picture, though, is how lopsided this rivalry has become in Athens. Auburn’s last win in the Classic City came in 2005, and the Tigers haven’t scored more than two touchdowns in Sanford Stadium since 2009. That’s a far cry from the version of this rivalry fans saw in the 1990s and 2000s, when Georgia and Auburn spent 60 minutes and then some beating each other up every fall.
Now the schedule has flipped in a way that would’ve sounded upside down not long ago: Georgia gets Alabama and Auburn in back-to-back weeks. As Michael Scott once put it, “How the turn tables.”
Auburn arrives under Alex Golesh still trying to figure itself out, and nothing the Tigers have shown so far this season suggests they’ve settled in just yet. This looks like a team expecting to improve as the year goes on, and there’s even a sense that Georgia might have preferred seeing this game later in the season, when Auburn’s trajectory could be different. As it stands, the Tigers are not coming in looking like the kind of group ready to spring an upset in Athens.
Georgia also added a little recruiting sting to the week by flipping three-star cornerback commitment Nash Johnson from Auburn to Georgia. “ABC: Always Be ‘Crootin”
On the field, Georgia’s red-zone work has continued to be one of the cleaner parts of its operation. When the Bulldogs need a finish, Chauncey Bowens has been the guy, especially near the goal line. Saturday also gave a look at the depth in the backfield, with Dwight Phillips, Jr., Bo Walker and Nick Peal all stepping in to help keep the run game moving.
Still, Bowens brings a different kind of punch, the sort of short-yardage presence that feels close to automatic inside the five. That matters even more because Georgia has had some issues in tight spaces before, and Bowens’ status is still unclear. The next update should come Saturday on whether he’s dressed.
If Nate Frazier remains out, then the running backs may carry even more of the load when Georgia turns around and faces Alabama next. And if that group keeps rolling without the offense missing a beat, it could wind up looking like Mike Bobo’s best work yet.
In Other News...
Georgias Toughest Remaining Test Might Not Be Who Fans Expected
Coming off a road win over Alabama, Georgia has given itself plenty of breathing room, but the rest of the regular season still has some interesting wrinkles. Six games remain, and while three of them look manageable on paper, the more telling stretch may come from the trio of Florida, Ole Miss and Missouri, a run that looked one way a few weeks ago and now feels a little different.
Florida and Ole Miss have both shown enough inconsistency to make those matchups feel less imposing than they once did, which leaves Missouri as the team drawing more attention. The Tigers are sitting at 5-1 and have already stacked up notable wins over Texas A&M and Florida, giving Georgia a late-season test that may carry more weight than the rivalry games fans first circled. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn Faces A Brutal SEC Test With Plenty To Prove
The Deep Souths Oldest Rivalry returns to Athens with Georgia again carrying the top ranking and the weight of a streak that has turned into its own storyline. The Bulldogs have beaten Auburn nine straight times, and another win would tie a series record while keeping Kirby Smarts team right where it wants to be in the SEC picture.
Auburn arrives with plenty to prove, and the matchup has drawn comments from both Smart and first-year coach Alex Golesh about where each program stands and what has stood out in recent performances. With key players on both sides producing notable numbers, the game offers Georgia another chance to reinforce its grip on the rivalry, while Auburn gets a test that says plenty about how far it still has to go. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Freshmen Are Suddenly Becoming A Real Factor In Big Games
Kirby Smart was quick early in the season to cool any talk about Georgias true-freshman class making an immediate impact, but that picture has changed as the schedule has grown tougher. In recent games, several first-year players have become part of the conversation, with Craig Dandridge, Valdin Sone, Zykie Helton and Blake Stewart all carving out meaningful roles as the Bulldogs have leaned on fresh legs and fast development.
Smarts broader point is one that fits modern college football: freshmen are no longer just depth pieces to stash for later. For Georgia, the real separator has been less about where those players were ranked coming out of high school and more about how they have handled the training, the mindset and the speed of the moment when big games start demanding real answers. [Read more 🡒]