Five ways that Auburn could upset Georgia on Saturday

No matter the odds, Auburn is not completely helpless in this matchup. 

The Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry is upcoming, and the host Auburn Tigers are looking to avoid its first 0-2 SEC start since 2015.

The odds are stacked against them, as the No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs are favored by sportsbooks, as well as the ESPN matchup predictor. No matter the odds, Auburn is not completely helpless in this matchup.

When looking at data from Pro Football Focus, there are two areas that favor Auburn. There are also outlying factors that could benefit Auburn if several things bounce their way.

Here are five ways, if done properly, that Auburn can upset the top-ranked Bulldogs on Saturday.

Kickoff time, TV channel announced for Deep South Oldest Rivalry

The 128th meeting between Auburn and Georgia returns to a familiar time slot.

The Auburn Tigers welcome the No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs to Jordan-Hare Stadium for the 128th edition of The Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry on Saturday, Sept. 30.

The Southeastern Conference announced on Monday the start times and television networks for every game on Sept. 30, including Auburn’s date with Georgia. As has become a traditional time slot, the game will be televised live on CBS at 2:30 p.m. CT.

Week five will be the first full weekend of SEC play, as every member of the SEC will play a fellow conference member. The day will begin with Florida vs. Kentucky and Texas A&M vs. Arkansas at the 11 a.m. CT time slot. Games that will kick off after Auburn-Georgia are Missouri vs. Vanderbilt, LSU vs. Ole Miss, South Carolina vs. Tennessee, and Alabama vs. Mississippi State.

Georgia opened the SEC slate last Saturday by defeating South Carolina, 24-14. This week, the Bulldogs host UAB at 6:30 p.m. CT.

Georgia owns a 63-56-8 record in the series and has won six straight games over Auburn. The last time the Tigers earned a win over Georgia was in 2017, when Auburn defeated then No. 1 Georgia, 40-17 at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

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Instant Analysis: Auburn routed by Georgia in Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry

Auburn has not won in Athens since 2005 and this year’s game was not particularly close.

The coach may have changed but the performance looked all too familiar for Auburn in Athens.

Auburn (3-3, 1-2 SEC) traveled to Athens for the 127th edition of the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry and was routed by the Georgia Bulldogs 42-10.

The game was tied at 0-0 in the first quarter but some questionable play calling by Auburn gave the Bulldogs the spark they needed to get going.

With the Tigers facing fourth-and-six from their own 34-yard line Auburn attempted a fake punt but [autotag]John Samuel Shenker[/autotag] was tackled short of the first line and the Bulldogs were in business.

Taking over at the Auburn 36, they needed just seven plays to punch it in and take the 7-0 lead. They leaned on their staple of running backs to punch it in, running on six of their plays and averaging 5.0 yards per carry.

Auburn quickly went three-and-out and a good punt return by Georgia gave them another short field. This time they didn’t even bother to attempt a pass, running the ball three times for 31 yards and taking a 14-0 lead with 8:40 left in the second quarter.

The Auburn offense showed life on their next drive but with [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag] about to convert a third down in Georgia territory he dropped the ball and the Bulldogs recovered to end the threat.

Auburn’s best chance of the game came on the first drive of the second half. [autotag]Colby Wooden[/autotag] stripped Stetson Bennet and recovered the fumble at the Georgia 19-yard line.

Unfortunately for the Tigers, they were unable to take advantage of the opportunity and were forced to kick a field goal, making it a 14-3 game with 11:51 left in the third quarter. The ability to finish the drive was one of the deciding factors of this game, Georgia scored touchdowns on each of their five red zone trips, and Auburn managed just one trip and was held to a field goal.

Georgia responded to Auburn’s first points with their longest drive of the game, marching 81 yards down the field and taking a 21-3 lead when Daijun Edwards punched it in from two yards out. He finished the game with three touchdowns and 83 yards.

The Bulldogs finished the game with six rushing touchdowns, 292 yards, and averaged 7.5 yards per carry.

Auburn moved the ball into Georgia territory in their next drive but [autotag]Tank Bigsby[/autotag] was tackled for a loss on third down and the Tigers were forced to punt.

The Bulldogs were able to put the game away in the fourth quarter, Stetson Bennet ripped off a 64-yard touchdown run to make it a 28-3 game early in the fourth quarter. Edwards capped off the Bulldog’s next drive with a 7-yard touchdown run to make it a 35-3 game and the rout was on.

Auburn responded with their only good offensive drive of the game but it was way too little way too late. [autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag] caught a check down from Ashford and broke multiple tackles on his way to a 62-yard touchdown.

Their 10 second-half points were the most they have scored against a Power Five opponent since they played Arkansas on Oct. 16 last year.

Final betting lines for Georgia vs. Auburn

Auburn will look to pull off a massive upset in Athens.

It is nearly time for one of Auburn’s biggest games every season.

The Tigers and the Georgia Bulldogs are set to square off in the 127th edition of the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry at 2:30 p.m. CT in Samford Stadium.

Auburn (3-2, 1-1 SEC) is looking to rebound from a 21-17 loss to the LSU Tigers where they let a 17-0 lead slip through their fingers.

Georgia is 5-0 overall and 2-0 in the SEC but has not looked nearly as dominant as expected in their past two games. They trailed Missouri by 10 in the fourth last quarter but were able to come out on top and will look to get back on track against Auburn.

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Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry: 5 reasons Auburn will struggle Saturday

As we inch closer to kick off against Georgia, Auburn Wire breaks down five reasons they will struggle in Athens.

We are nearing the 24-hour mark before the 127th kickoff in the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry. A crucial game for the Auburn Tigers head coach Bryan Harsin as he tried to end Georgia’s home winning streak. Kirby Smart will look to counter with his terrifying defense. They haven’t allowed more than 10.8 points per game over the last two seasons.

It will take a herculean-like effort from Robby Ashford, Tank Bigsby, and the Tigers’ offense to knock off the defending national champions. While the home team has looked mortal over the last two games against Kent State and Missouri, Auburn’s offense has looked pedestrian.

Auburn Wire breaks down five reasons why the Tigers will struggle ‘Between the Hedges’ in this SEC rivalry matchup.

Five offensive keys to Auburn beating Georgia

Auburn’s offense will need to be at its best when they face the Georgia Bulldogs Saturday.

Auburn will be facing its toughest test of the season Saturday when they take on the Georgia Bulldogs in Athens.

Samford Stadium has not been kind to Auburn recently the Tigers have lost their last seven games between the hedges

The Tigers will be looking to change that in the 127th edition of the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry and will need their offense to be at its best to pull off the massive upset.

Here are five keys to Auburn having offensive success against the Bulldogs Saturday. The game is scheduled to start at 2:30 p.m. CT and will be on CBS.

Best photos from Auburn’s last trip to Athens

Auburn will be attempting to pull off a massive upset this Saturday.

Auburn has a chance to pull off a major upset Saturday when they take on the Georgia Bulldogs in Athens. It will be the 127th edition of the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry and is one of the most played rivalries in college football.

Auburn (3-2, 1-1 SEC) enters the game as a 29.5-point underdog and fresh off a disappointing 21-17 loss to the LSU Tigers. Georgia, on the other hand,  is 5-0 overall and 2-0 in the SEC but coming off a come-from-behind victory against the Missouri Tigers.

Georgia has dominated the rivalry recently, winning the last five and eight out of the last 10. It has been even worse in Athens, Auburn has not won there since 2005 and few of the games have been close.

Here are the best photos from Auburn’s trip to Athens in 2020, when they fell 27-6.

Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry: Tale of the Tape for Auburn-Georgia

How do the offensive and defensive units compare for the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry?

In one of the two biggest games of the year, the Auburn Tigers face the Georgia Bulldogs in the annual Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry game. The road team enters Week 6 with a 3-2 (1-1 in the SEC) record and faces the No. 2 team in the country. Georgia is 5-0 (2-0) but they haven’t looked as dominant in the past two weeks.

Normally when it comes to a rivalry game you can throw out the record books but history isn’t on the side of Auburn in this game. Georgia has won five straight and dominate the series over the last 20 games. Auburn has won just five times in that span.

However, we have a clean slate this year. At least that has to be the mindset for the Tigers this week and beyond. Just take one game at a time and focus on one win at a time. It will be a tall task against one of the best teams in the country statistically.

The Bulldogs feature a top-five scoring offense and defense. But this is why you play the games, they aren’t won or lost on paper. A team that barely scored 14 against Auburn two weeks ago was within striking distance of taking down Georgia this past Saturday.

As we inch closer to kickoff in Athens, we preview the game with the tale of the tape.

When Auburn has the ball

Zach Bland/AU Athletics

A look at the Tigers offense vs the Bulldogs defense

Off Category Stat Rank Def Category Stat Rank
Total Off. 389.0 80th Total Def 264.4 11th
Pass/Game 229.6 83rd Pass/Game 175.2 17th
Pass TD 4 111th Pass TD 3 8th
Rush/Game 159.4 66th Rush/Game 89.2 12th
Rush TD 10 48th Rush TD 1 1st
Scoring 22.4 107th Scoring 10.8 4th
Redzone TD% 64.7 60th Redzone TD% 37.5 7th

When Georgia has the ball

Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

A look at the Bulldogs offense vs the Tigers defense

Off Category Stat Rank Def Category Stat Rank
Total Off. 521.4 5th Total Def 331.8 34th
Pass/Game 342.8 8th Pass/Game 193.6 34th
Pass TD 7 79th Pass TD 2 3rd
Rush/Game 178.6 47th Rush/Game 138.2 66th
Rush TD 15 6th Rush TD 10 99th
Scoring 40.2 19th Scoring 21.6 44th
Redzone TD% 61.3 76th Redzone TD% 57.9 57th

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Brandon Council is full of confidence ahead of matchup with Georgia

Brandon Council is very confident in what he and his teammates can do against Georgia this Saturday.

Auburn is facing its toughest test of the season this Saturday but center [autotag]Brandon Council[/autotag] is full of confidence ahead of the Tiger’s matchup with the Georgia Bulldogs.

Council made his first start at center last week when Auburn reshuffled its offensive line for their matchup with the LSU Tigers and while he respects their third-down packages, he believes Auburn can have success against the Georgia defensive line.

“I believe just them being able to, like, their third-down package,” Council said. “They got some interior stunts that kind of hinders the run game, but we’re going to start off fast. If you start off fast, run the ball on them and keep them out of their third-down packages, really, we could demolish them, I believe personally, up front.”

That may be tough to accomplish, the Bulldogs are allowing 89.20 rushing yards per game and 3.46 yards per carry. They have also done a great job shutting down Auburn’s rushing attack recently.

Auburn has not won in Athens since 2005 and in their last five trips to Samford Stadium have scored 37 total points and have not scored more than 10 points in a game. They are averaging 93.8 rushing yards and 3.4 yards per carry in those five games.

One advantage for Auburn is that Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Cart will be unavailable for the game.

“The guys that do come out, I don’t think they trust them,” Council said. “If we keep them out of third down where they can’t bring packages and have to keep their main guys on the field, we’re just going to run the ball on them all day because they’re going to get tired.”

Auburn is fresh off a 21-17 loss to LSU and while they had their best game through the air on offense, Auburn once again struggled to run the ball. They managed just 101 yards and 3.3 yards per carry, however, Council thought they can build on the performance.

“I think we did great, and the last game could speak for itself, as you could see the push and the line actually playing past the line of scrimmage instead of being pushed back,” Council said. “That was just a big piece. It also goes back to the communication and everybody knowing what they’re doing on the line, so you don’t have to overcome anything. You can just fire straight off the ball.”

“It’s very important,” Council side of this week’s game. “We have the chance to go out there and do something that hasn’t been done in a long time, that’s beat Georgia at Georgia. I believe the last time was in 2005. That would be a big thing. Our goal is to go in there like a SWAT team, in and out and quiet the noise and beat their behinds and get out.”

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Georgia Football Week 12: Expert picks and predictions (UGA vs Auburn)

Georgia football expert picks and predictions for UGA vs Auburn. Stats, score, betting predictions.

The Georgia Bulldogs have a chance to go the their 3rd straight SEC Championship game with a win over Auburn this Saturday.

They have already proven that they control their own destiny, winning three straight SEC East games following an overtime loss to South Carolina.

Many counted Georgia out, saying its season was over with that loss, but the Dawgs kept barking and scrapped their way back into the top 4 and in perfect position to make a trip to the SEC Championship, likely against LSU.

But first, Georgia’s focus is on Auburn. A win, and the Dawgs not only secure a trip back to Atlanta, but can start thinking College Football Playoff – though Kirby Smart would never admit that.

This Saturday in Auburn is going to be a bloodbath, as these are two of the most physically dominant teams in college football.

UGA Wire compiled a list of staff predictions, including the game score, spread, over/under, stat lines and more to get you ready for the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry.

Here are the picks:

The money makers:

#4 Georgia (-2.5) @ #12 Auburn: Against The Spread

(Game pick: If you think Georgia will win and cover, Georgia. If you think Georgia will win, but not cover, Georgia*. If you think Auburn will win and cover, Auburn. If you think Auburn will win, but not cover, Auburn*)

Jackson Fryburger: UGAWire.com- Georgia

Joe Vitale: UGAWire.com-  Georgia

James Morgan: UGAWire.com- Georgia*

Jackson Stone: UGAWire.com- Georgia

Henry Sillen: UGAWire.com- Georgia

Garrett Shearman: UGAWire.com- Georgia*

Over/under (40.5) 

Jackson Fryburger: UGAWire.com- Under

Joe Vitale: UGAWire.com-  Under

James Morgan: UGAWire.com- Over

Jackson Stone: UGAWire.com- Under

Henry Sillen: UGAWire.com- Over

Garrett Shearman: UGAWire.com- Over

Score prediction:

Jackson Fryburger: UGAWire.com- Georgia 24, Auburn 13

Joe Vitale: UGAWire.com- Georgia 17, Auburn 10

James Morgan: UGAWire.com- Georgia 21, Auburn 20

Jackson Stone: UGAWire.com- Georgia 17, Auburn 14

Henry Sillen: UGAWire.com- 27 – 23 Georgia

Garrett Shearman: UGAWire.com- Georgia 21, Auburn 20

Odds via BetMGM. Access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Friday at 12:30 p.m.

Want to get in on the action? Place your bet now at BetMGM.

NEXT: STAT PREDICTIONS