The Auburn Tigers are settling into an extremely tough stretch of their season this week, coming off of a bye week to take on the Georgia Bulldogs in Athens, Georgia on Saturday.
Auburn took a loss in its most recent outing on Oct. 3, when it lost 24-14 to the Tennessee Volunteers to fall to 3-2 overall and 1-2 in its SEC slate. Georgia, meanwhile, is high on emotion after taking down the Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa 20-17 last week.
The Tigers have not defeated the Bulldogs since 2017 and have not won in Athens since 2005, making it a long time since the program has experienced a win in the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry.
It is set to be an uphill battle for Alex Golesh’s squad before even stepping on the turf, but anything can happen once Saturday arrives.
Here are some keys to victory for both sidelines when the game kicks off at 2:30 p.m. CST on Saturday.
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Auburn Tigers:
Avoid giving up deep, explosive plays
Georgia is the No. 1 team in the nation for a reason, and under Head Coach Kirby Smart, there has been little problem in being able to move the ball down the field to score. The Bulldogs are No. 12 in the country when it comes to yards gained per pass completion at 13.60. Only Alabama and Mississippi State rank ahead of them in the SEC in that statistic.
With receivers who can do damage going up against a secondary that has felt lackluster in many ways over the course of the year, stepping up in this game is vitally important. Georgia will be able to move the ball, but deep plays on the ground and through the air have killed Auburn in the past in Athens. It is something it doesn’t need happening again.
End drives in the end zone
All too often over recent meetings, the Tigers have gotten near enough to the end zone to score touchdowns, but yet come away with field goals or no points at all. Auburn has also not scored multiple touchdowns in Athens since 2009, which is a stat that has proven to be lethal with the Bulldogs being able to score efficiently.
That being said, it does not matter how the Tigers get them on Saturday, touchdowns must be scored. Against a team like Georgia, field goals will not cut it. Realistically, Auburn needs 38 points to be able to win this game, and that truly only comes by ending drives in the end zone.
Georgia Bulldogs:
Run the ball, and keep running the ball
In both of the losses for the Tigers this season, a running back has had a historic rushing performance. In the Florida game, it was Jadan Baugh going for 162, the most against a DJ Durkin-led defense at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Against Tennessee, DeSean Bishop’s 220-yard rushing performance gave him a career high.
The Bulldogs’ deep running back room, highlighted by the return of Nate Frazier, gives many a chance to succeed on Saturday. While their offense can still well afford to pass the football, running it will be a solid option, as it has proven to be where teams succeed in a big way against Auburn. After succeeding in that facet against Alabama, Georgia’s momentum should push it to keep things on the ground a lot.
Create pressure on the Auburn offensive line
The Tigers are currently near the bottom of the nation in sacks given up and are at the bottom of the SEC so far through their five games. That is already a problem, and an even bigger one when considering the Bulldogs are tied for 16th in the country in sacks earned. Even pressure in general from opponents has forced Auburn into bad spots, as quarterback Byrum Brown is tied for second in the country in interceptions thrown.
Simply put, the Georgia defensive front winning at the line of scrimmage will be a great starting point to this defense succeeding on Saturday, and with leaders like Raylen Wilson in that group, it is in great shape to do so. That will force tough situations on the Tigers offense as a whole, allowing the Bulldogs to get the ball back and capitalize on things in big situations.
Auburn Undercover is an independent Auburn sports media company covering Auburn athletics, recruiting and insider news.
