Georgia made a statement early with a 24-0 lead in the first half, Stetson Bennett IV got the nod for the Bulldogs at quarterback and performed well, and Auburn was held without a touchdown for the first time since a road loss to Mississippi State in 2018, as the No. 7 Tigers lost their seventh straight game in Athens, 27-6 on Saturday night.
After the teams traded three-and-outs to start the ballgame, Bulldogs running back Zamir White (19 carries, 88 yards, two touchdowns) drew first blood on the scoreboard. Auburn’s offense continued to be stone-walled and Georgia kept riding Sanford Stadium’s momentum, as Bennett helped three more scoring drives in the first half, including a 21-yard touchdown pass to one-time Auburn commit George Pickens.
Auburn’s offense was held to just 39 yards rushing. After throwing 50 passes against UGA last year, sophomore quarterback Bo Nix went 21-for-41 for 177 yards and his first interception in six SEC contests. Auburn entered Georgia territory twice after halftime but only came up with a field goal.
Georgia’s running game, meanwhile, eclipsed the 200-yard mark, and its top four ball-carriers averaged at least 4.6 yards per rush apiece.
Here’s a rundown of the rest of the action.
FOURTH QUARTER
- 4:48 4Q: Nix and the Tigers come up empty. Georgia could run out the clock after the punt.
- 8:10 4Q: Georgia misses the long field goal, and Auburn isn’t completely out of it just yet. Tigers get the ball at their 26.
- 11:14 4Q: Bennett continues shredding Auburn on third downs, this time with a third-and-21 conversion into Auburn territory. The Tigers’ defense is gassed.
THIRD QUARTER
- 0:00 3Q: Nix’s program-record streak of pass attempts without an interception is ended on the last play of the third quarter. Auburn worked its way into UGA territory again before Mark Webb came down with the pick.
- 5:55 3Q: Georgia mounts another long drive and gets inside Auburn’s 10-yard line, but the Tigers’ defense forces an incompletion on third-and-goal. The Bulldogs convert on the short field goal. GEORGIA 27, AUBURN 6.
- 10:09 2Q: Auburn gets inside Georgia’s 30-yard line, but Nix is sacked on third-and-long. Carlson connects on a 45-yard field goal. GEORGIA 24, AUBURN 6.
- 12:40 3Q: Auburn is into Georgia territory on its first drive of the second half thanks to a big completion to Seth Williams.
SECOND QUARTER
- HALFTIME: GEORGIA 24, AUBURN 3. Total yards: Auburn 81, Georgia 288. Rushing yards: Auburn 27, Georgia 130. Third downs: Auburn 1-for-6, Georgia 6-for-9.
- 0:25 2Q: Auburn forces a punt and will have a shot at more points with 25 seconds until halftime. Tigers starting at their own 18.
- 1:38 2Q: Auburn stalls at Georgia’s 3-yard line. A 65-yard drive ends with the Tigers’ first points of the evening on a short Anders Carlson field goal. GEORGIA 24, AUBURN 3.
- 3:49 2Q: Georgia safety Richard LeCounte III, a preseason All-American, is called for targeting against Auburn receiver Shedrick Jackson on a third-and-long in the red zone. After a review, he’s ejected, and Auburn is inside the 10-yard line.
- 4:40 2Q: Auburn is finally working into UGA territory. Tigers in the red zone after a big play by true freshman running back Tank Bigsby.
- 6:26 2Q: Auburn’s defense has no answers. A 49-yard pass from Bennett to Kearis Jackson gets Georgia in the red zone again, and White gets his second rushing touchdown of the night. GEORIGA 24, AUBURN 0.
- 9:08 2Q: After struggling against Arkansas last week, Georgia’s run game reaches 100 yards rushing not even midway through the second quarter.
- 9:53 2Q: Another three-and-out for Auburn. Tigers only have one first down tonight to Georgia’s 11.
- 11:08 2Q: Georgia marches down the field yet again. Bennett tosses a 21-yard touchdown to one-time Auburn commit George Pickens on another third-and-long. GEORGIA 17, AUBURN 0.
FIRST QUARTER
- End of the quarter: Total yards: Auburn 39, Georgia 130. Third downs: Auburn 0-for-3, Georgia 4-for-6.
- 4:00 1Q: Georgia drives 59 yards in 11 plays, gashing Auburn’s defensive front on the ground. But Auburn makes a stand inside its own 5-yard line with five straight incompletions forced, resulting in a Georgia field goal. GEORGIA 10, AUBURN 0.
- 8:03 1Q: Another three-and-out for the Tigers. That’s two straight third-and-longs Bo Nix has tried to convert throwing on the run.
- 9:31 1Q: After two third-and-longs converted by Bennett’s arm, Georgia running back Zamir White scores on a 1-yard touchdown. GEORGIA 7, AUBURN 0.
- 12:27 1Q: Auburn safety Smoke Monday has been ejected for targeting. Auburn is already missing starting cornerback Jaylin Simpson tonight.
- 12:36 1Q: Deflected pass on third down leads to a three-and-out for the Tigers on their first possession.
- 14:09 1Q: Auburn’s defense gets a three-and-out on its first series against Stetson Bennett and the Bulldogs.
- 14:54 1Q: Kenny McIntosh with a big return for UGA to start the game. Bulldogs will begin at their own 43.
- 15:00 1Q: Auburn wins the toss and defers to the second half. We’ll see Georgia’s offense first. Let’s play ball.
