No. 1 Georgia escaped Auburn with a 27-20 win at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
The Bulldogs’ win wasn’t easy. The Tigers held a 10-0 lead in the first quarter before Georgia tied the game at halftime.
Auburn’s run game was tough to stop. The Tigers rushed for 219 yards, including 125 yards from quarterbacks Payton Thorne and Robby Ashford.
Georgia quarterback Carson Beck started sluggishly, throwing an interception that turned into an Auburn touchdown in the first quarter.
Sophomore tight end Oscar Delp also turned the ball over in the first-half with a costly fumble that led to Auburn points.
The Bulldogs limited mistakes in the second half, though. Beck was efficient, especially on third downs.
Mackey Award-winning tight end Brock Bowers proved the All-American that he is. Bowers finished with eight catches for 157 yards and the game-winning touchdown.
Another bright spot for the Bulldogs was wideout Ladd McConkey, who played his first snaps of the season after battling a back injury. He recorded four catches for 38 yards, including three grabs for Georgia first downs.
The Bulldogs’ run game wasn’t as efficient in weeks past. Georgia ran for 107 yards with a 3.6 yards per carry average. Senior tailback Daijun Edwards gained the most snaps and finished with 19 carries for 76 yards and two touchdowns.
Georgia’s next test is Kentucky, which dominated Florida on Saturday in a 33-14 win at home. The Wildcats (5-0) rushed for 329 yards in the win.
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We expected growing pains for Georgia as it ushered in first-year starter Beck and new offensive coordinator Mike Bobo, but the lack of rush defense is a question headed into the matchup next week versus Kentucky.
Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET and the game will air on ESPN.