Georgia battles back from two deficits to beat Auburn 27-20

AUBURN, Ala. — Georgia overcame an ugly start and another two-score deficit to take down Auburn in the 128th playing of The Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry by a score of 27-20. The Bulldogs’ moved their record to 5-0 on the season and their school-record win streak to 22 games.

Carson Beck tossed his second interception of the year but he also completed 23 of 33 passes for 313 yards and a touchdown. Brock Bowers hauled in eight of 14 targets for a career-high 157 yards and a touchdown in the win while Daijun Edwards toted it 19 times for 79 yards and a score.

The Tigers got the ball first and the Bulldog defense earned it’s only positive of the first quarter. It got a three and out. The offense was able to convert a single first down with its first opportunity but that was stopped on 3rd and 2, forcing the punt.

Auburn got the run game going on its second possession with a 61-yard run from Payton Thorne. The Tigers took it into the Georgia red zone but had to settle for a field goal as the defense held. Alex McPherson knocked one home from 26 yards out to open the scoring, giving the Tigers a 3-0 lead.

The next Georgia possession was worse than the first. After Beck missed an open Oscar Delp behind the defense, he tried to hit Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint over the middle and was intercepted at the Georgia 52-yard line. Auburn used seven plays to reach the end zone for the first time as Jarquez Hunter punched it in from five yards out and the PAT put Georgia in a 10-0 hole.

With Georgia trailing by two scores in the first half for the second time in three weeks, it responded. After a 40-yard kickoff return from Mekhi Mews gave it to the Bulldogs at its own 44-yard line, they leaned on the run game. It took Georgia 11 plays to travel 56 yards with Edwards punching it from two yards out. Peyton Woodring’s PAT cut Auburn’s lead to three at 10-7.

A three-and-out was the result of AU’s next possession and the Bulldogs started marching again. They got it just inside the Tiger red zone but the drive stalled there. Woodring came on and hit 37-yard field goal to tie the game at 10.

Auburn looked as if it had a strong response with a drive that covered 51 yards on 10 plays but the Bulldog defense stood tall. The Tigers had it 3rd and 1 at the Georgia 12-yard line and didn’t get it. Then they went for it on fourth down the Bulldog defense stood tall, forcing the turnover on downs.

The half would end with Georgia and Auburn deadlocked at 10 with the Bulldogs getting the ball to start the second half. Then more adversity struck. Beck hit Delp on a short pass and the sophomore tight end turned it into a seven-yard gain before fumbling. Auburn recovered at the Bulldog 32-yard line.

The short field helped the Tigers regain the lead. They needed just three plays to score as Robbie Ashford ran it in from nine yards out. The PAT put the Tigers back up by seven at 17-10.

An answer from the Bulldogs didn’t come right away, but it came before the end of the third quarter. Georgia punted on its next drive and Auburn got across midfield on its next drive before the Bulldog defense stiffened. The Tigers punted UGA to its own two-yard line and the offense went to work.

Georgia used 10 plays to travel 98 yards as Beck went three of four for 55 yards on the drive. Edwards ended the drive with a 13-yard touchdown run and Woodring’s PAT tied the game at 17.

Auburn went three and out with its next possession and the Bulldog offense got it going again. This time it went 71 yards on seven plays but was unable to move the chains on 3rd and 12. Woodring game on and connected from 37 yards out to give the Bulldogs their first lead of the game at 20-17.

The Tigers came up with an answer when they got the ball back. They were helped out by Georgia’s second defensive pass interference of the day and marched it to the Bulldog 25-yard line before stalling. McPherson came on to hit a 42-yard field goal with 6:21 left in the game to tie it at 20.

The Bulldog stayed hot when it got the ball back. Beck went four of five for 78 yards including a hookup with Bowers on 3rd and 12 to keep the drive going. Those two finished off the drive with a 40-yard touchdown hookup and Woodring’s PAT gave the Bulldogs a 27-20 lead.

Auburn got it one more time, having lean on its passing game. That didn’t work out for the home team as Thorne was intercepted by Malaki Starks on 4th and 9 with just over a minute and a half left to put the game on ice. Georgia kneeled on it from there and grabbed the 27-20 win.

The Bulldogs return home for week six to take on Kentucky, who took down Florida to move its record to 5-0 on the season. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.