Georgia’s Shocking Upset Against Auburn

Being ranked first in the nation can sometimes feel more like a burden than a blessing.

In a surprising turn of events, the top-ranked Georgia Bulldogs lost to unranked Auburn, marking the first time since 1990 that a No. 1 team faced defeat against an unranked opponent in consecutive weeks. The final score was 27-24 in favor of Auburn.

Prior to this, Georgia had an impressive streak, having won 53 straight games against unranked teams.

The game started off in favor of Georgia, who jumped to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. However, things quickly unraveled as they failed to score on their next five possessions. This included three punts, a missed field goal, and an interception. Seizing the opportunity, Auburn scored 24 unanswered points, putting Georgia in a tight spot.

By the fourth quarter, Georgia found themselves trailing by 10 points. An early field goal gave them a glimmer of hope, and they managed to force two Auburn punts. Following the second punt, Georgia executed a solid 13-play, 94-yard drive that tied the game.

With momentum seemingly on their side, Georgia received another boost when Auburn had to punt a third consecutive time. This gave Georgia the ball at their own 39-yard line with just over a minute remaining. A defensive pass interference penalty on the first play seemed to put them in an ideal position.

But then, in a crucial turn of events, Georgia quarterback Gunnar Stockton lost a fumble. This handed the ball back to Auburn with 58 seconds left and all three timeouts available at their own 44-yard line.

Auburn then managed to gain 22 yards on three carries and drew a roughing the passer penalty, which set them up for a short field goal opportunity.

Auburn kicker Alex McPherson successfully executed a 34-yard field goal, sealing the upset victory.

For context, Texas recently suffered a loss to Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry, which caused them to drop to No. 7 in the rankings. This hefty defeat raises questions about how far Georgia might fall after this loss.

This defeat marks Georgia’s first home loss to an unranked team under head coach Kirby Smart since 2019. Now sitting at 5-1, Georgia had just reclaimed the top spot after their tough win against Alabama the week prior. With this recent loss, other teams like Notre Dame, Miami, and Ohio State now have a shot at taking over the top rank.

The Bulldogs will take a break next week, returning on Halloween to face Florida, who had a surprise win over Texas earlier on Saturday. Auburn will host No. 22 LSU in their next matchup.