Game To Watch: #2 Georgia at #18 Auburn: October 9, 2021
Georgia will make the trip to Auburn for a top 25 match-up on Saturday at 3:30 EST. The Bulldogs are off to a great start and just dominated Arkansas 37 – 0 last week. The Tigers went on the road to LSU and pulled out a 24 – 19 win to run their record to 4 – 1. Both teams are still undefeated in SEC play and will look to improve their position in the conference standings with a win on Saturday.
Recent History
Georgia is 61 – 56 – 8 all time against Auburn. The Bulldogs have won four in a row and 13 of the last 16 match-ups. Georgia controlled the game in a 27 – 6 win at home last year. The Tiger’ last win in the series came in 2017 when they won 40 – 17 at home, Georgia would win the re-match in the SEC Championship game 28 – 7 that year.
Top 25 Players
Georgia
Georgia Bulldogs Gear
Auburn
| Player | Rank |
|---|---|
| Tank Bigsby | #2 RB |
| Jarquez Hunter | #19 RB |
| Owen Pappoe | #2 LB |
| Zakoby McClain | #4 LB |
| Smoke Monday | #14 S |
What To Watch For…
Can Auburn Run on Georgia’s Defense?
Auburn is fourth in the SEC with 238.2 rushing yards per game and second in the conference with 6.8 yards per carry. The Tigers have a dangerous 1 – 2 punch at running back, with Tank Bigsby and true freshman sensation Jarquez Hunter. Bigsby has proven he is one of the best running backs in college football and can carry the load for the offense. Hunter has added an explosive weapon to the offense who can spell Bigsby and keep both backs fresh throughout the game. Add in the running threat of quarterback, Bo Nix and it’s difficult to plan for and stop all of Auburn’s weapons in the backfield. Georgia has been the best defense in college football so far this year. The Bulldogs are giving up a mere 4.6 points per game and 2.5 yards per carry on the ground. Their defense has stars at every level but is centered around nose tackle, Jordan Davis, who suffocates offenses in the middle. He and his teammates on the defensive line eat up blockers and clog running lanes, allowing the back seven to run to the ball free and make the play. Auburn will have to neutralize the Georgia defensive line and create lanes for their runners to have any semblance of balance on Saturday.
Georgia’s Quarterback Situation
Georgia has been dominant so far this season, winning by an average score of 41 – 4.6. The only area for concern has been the health of JT Daniels and the lack of a passing game without him against Arkansas last week. Georgia only threw for 72 yards and averaged just 6.5 yards per attempt last week, though they still won 37 – 0. Against opponents that score against their defense, Georgia will need that passing game to be better. Daniels energized the offense late last year, but with his status in doubt this week Auburn will attempt to take advantage. Auburn has the third best scoring defense in the SEC, holding opponents to 16.2 points per game. Last week they held LSU 15 points below their season average coming into the game. The Tigers have been particularly stingy against the run, allowing 2.5 yards per carry and 86 yards per game for the season. If they are able to slow down the Georgia running game, the pressure will be on the Bulldogs’ passing attack to keep the offense rolling.
How Will Bo Nix Handle the Pass Rush?
Bo Nix has been through a lot during his career at Auburn. He started as a true freshman, proved he was a clutch performer, has gone through a coaching change, had his share of struggles as a passer and was even benched. Through all of that, Nix has kept his focus and proven he is a tough competitor who, even if the stats aren’t impressive, still gives Auburn the best chance to win each Saturday. Like he has before, Nix led an improbable comeback against LSU to help Auburn steal a win on the road a week ago. Nix didn’t put up gaudy stats, but he evaded pressure, ran when he could, and made enough big time throws to win the game. Georgia’s defense is the best he has faced this year. The Bulldogs have held opponents to a 48 percent completion percentage and 4.7 yards per pass attempt. The Bulldogs defense has been relentless rushing the passer, averaging 3.6 sacks per game, which is tied with LSU for the best in the SEC. They will put pressure on Nix and it will be up to the Auburn quarterback to evade the rush and make big plays like he did a week ago.
Prediction
Georgia’s defense is exceptional and they will set the tone early in the game. Even when the Bulldogs passing attack struggles, the team feels no pressure because their defense can control the game. Eventually, Georgia will make some plays on offense and get their offense moving. Auburn may not be able to mount consistent drives, but they will hit a few big plays with their stars to keep it close, but not enough to actually threaten Georgia. Georgia 27 Auburn 14.
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Jordan-Hare Stadium Panorama.jpg Image taken by Sphiro is licensed under CC BY 3.0.
