ATHENS, Ga. – Like in all Auburn-Georgia games, the tension and emotion were palpable at Sanford Stadium on Saturday night.
And when it was over, when Auburn had let a 14-0 lead get away, when a last-ditch drive had died deep in Georgia territory, the pain was very real.
For the Tigers, who came here to win and nothing else, it was, more than anything, a game of missed opportunities. So many chances. And in a game as close as this one, you can’t afford to miss them.
Georgia, the most turnover-prone and penalty-prone team in the Southeastern Conference, played all but flawlessly in those areas. It had four penalties for 29 yards, three of them on Auburn’s first drive. And for the first time since last season’s game at LSU, the Bulldogs didn’t have a single turnover.
Auburn’s offense started out wheeling and dealing, driving 74 yards in nine plays and without reaching third down on its first possession. Chris Todd finished that one with a 5-yard pass to Kodi Burns, who scored his first receiving touchdown.
On the next possession, the Tigers romped 82 yards in 11 plays. Todd hit Terrell Zachery for 31 yards and the touchdown. It was 14-0 with 3:15 left. It seemed Georgia had no answer for Auburn’s offense.
But the Bulldogs found some answers. They found plenty of answers against Auburn’s defense. And when star receiver A.J. Green went out with a shoulder injury, they actually seemed to get better.
Auburn players and coaches will remember ones that got away:
The Tigers took over at the Georgia 44 for the third possession, leading 14-0, took a sack and went three-and-out.
In the second quarter, from the Georgia 32, Todd hit Mario Fannin for a first down on third-and-eight, but a holding penalty move the ball back to the 40. On third-and 16, Todd’s arm was hit and his pass intercepted.
Perhaps the biggest play of the game came in the third quarter. Auburn linebacker Josh Bynes was in perfect position to pick off a Joe Cox pass and run a long way. But on third-and-eight, the ball went through his hands and to Orson Charles, who turned it into a 34-yard gain that led to the touchdown that gave Georgia the lead for the first time.
With Auburn driving in the fourth quarter, there was an apparent miscommunication. Todd’s receiver went outside, he threw inside and it was intercepted by Rashad Jones, who returned it 21 yards. Auburn got a facemask penalty on top of that, and Georgia scored again.
Demond Washington gave the Tigers a major lift when, after Georgia took a 24-17 lead, he returned the ensuing kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown. But it wouldn’t last. Georgia simply went and took the lead back.
Finally, when Auburn reached Georgia’s 22 on the last drive of the game, a sack and a false start penalty finally left Todd only with the option to throw a Hail Mary in the end zone. Darvin Adams, who caught six passes for 90 yards, couldn’t pull off a miracle.
Auburn’s defense lost linebacker Eltoro Freeman and played most of the game with freshman Jonathan Evans in his spot. But that wasn’t the biggest problem on defense.
The biggest problem was two long passes – one of 50 yards to Israel Troupe that went for a touchdown and one of 47 yards to Tavarres King that set up a touchdown. And then there was Caleb King’s 24-yard run for Georgia’s final touchdown.
Auburn fell to 7-4 overall and 3-4 in the SEC, at last heading into a bye week before the regular-season finale against Alabama. Georgia improved to 6-4 and 4-3.
