Auburn Live Game Day: The basics ahead of Auburn at No. 2 Georgia
AUBURN – It’s game day.
Georgia welcomes the Tigers to town for the 127th edition of the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry. It’s Auburn’s first road game of the season after starting the season with five straight home games.
Auburn (3-2, 1-1) is trying to avoid a two-game losing streak and losing three of their last four. Georgia (5-0, 2-0) is coming off a narrow escape at Missouri.
What to watch for
Can Auburn protect Robby Ashford? Georgia is ranked 114th nationally in sacks (6) and 85th nationally in tackles for loss (25). Those are surprising numbers from a generally elite and overwhelming Georgia defense through five games. Unfortunately, neither of those categories have been strong suits for Auburn’s offensive line. The Tigers are 95th nationally in sacks allowed (13) and 106th nationally in tackles for loss allowed (34). Something has to give.
On the flip side, how will Auburn create pressure without Eku Leota? The Georgia offense ranks 12th nationally in sacks allowed (4) and 11th nationally in tackles for loss allowed (16) on the season. Auburn’s defense racked up seven sacks the last two weeks against Missouri and LSU, but will now be forced to create pressure without the second-best pass rusher on the team in Leota. The Tigers don’t have a true replacement for Leota, so it will be up to Derick Hall and Colby Wooden to elevate their game in order for Auburn to continue to create pressure.
Did you know the Tigers rank 22nd nationally with 23 passing plays of 20+ yards, 43rd nationally with eight passing plays of 30+ yards, and 36th nationally with four passing plays of 40+ yards? Those aren’t bad numbers at all for pass much maligned passing offense and rotating quarterbacks this season. They are actually quite surprising numbers. Both T.J. Finley and Ashford have found opportunities for long passing plays. The problem is it’s been feast or famine. Auburn lacks consistency in the run game, and too much pressure is placed on the need for explosive passing plays.
Can Auburn figure out ways to move the football and create efficiency between the explosive passing plays? That, and turnovers, are the keys to scoring more points. That consistency might not come this Saturday. Georgia ranks 12th nationally allowing 89 rushing yards per game, and ranks 17th nationally allowing 175 yards passing per game.
Can the Tigers break through in Athens? The Tigers haven’t scored more than 10 points in Athens since scoring 24 points in a 31-24 loss in 2009. In fact, that’s the last time an Auburn quarterback has even thrown a touchdown in Athens. It was Chris Todd that day. Since, Auburn has scored 7, 7, 7, 10 and 6 points in the last five games at Georgia.
Important links
INSIDER: AUBURN’S DIRECTION AFTER BRYAN HARSIN ERA ENDS
PATE’S PERSPECTIVE: PLAYERS BELIEVE, DO YOU?
HOW AUBURN FARED AS DOUBLE-DIGIT UNDERDOGS SINCE 2012
THREE THINGS LEARNED, TWO QUESTIONS, ONE PREDICTION AHEAD OF TIGERS AND BULLDOGS
HOW AUBURN’S DEFENSE SHOULD DEFEND GEORGIA’S OFFENSE
HOW AUBURN’S OFFENSE SHOULD ATTACK GEORGIA’S DEFENSE
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM GEORGIA’S DEFENSE
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM GEORGIA’S OFFENSE
BRANDON COUNCIL BELIEVES AUBURN’S OFFENSE CAN FIND SUCCESS
ROBBY ASHFORD READYING FOR FIRST ROAD START
AUBURN CONTINUES TO FALTER IN THE ‘MIDDLE EIGHT’ AND SECOND-HALF O
EKU LEOTA INJURED, WILL MISS REMAINDER OF THE SEASON
The line
Georgia is a 30-point favorite in a game where the line is hovering around 49.5 total points.
How to watch
The game will be televised on CBS at 2:30 p.m. CT.
Play-by-play: Tom McCarthy
Analyst: Rick Neuheisel
Sideline Reporter: Sherree Burress
Online: Paramount Plus
How to listen
Auburn Sports Network, AuburnTigers.com, SiriusXM
Live stats
AuburnTigers.com
Series Record
The Tigers trail the all-time series 56-62-8. The Tigers have lost 16 of the last 21 games. Auburn owns an 18-16 record in Athens, despite not winning there since 2005. This is only the eighth time the game has been played in October.
The two teams did not play in 1943, because Auburn did not field a team due to World War II. The teams did not play in 1917 or 1918 because of World War I and the subsequent influenza outbreak. With those exceptions, Auburn and Georgia have played continuously since 1898.
Auburn is 3-14 in the series since the 2005 win in Athens. The only Auburn teams to win in this series were the 2010 national championship team, the 2013 SEC championship and national runner-up team, and the 2017 SEC West championship team.
