Field Street Forum

 

Georgia	2021 Averages	Auburn
41.0	Scoring Offense	40.0
4.6	Scoring Defense	16.2
+2	Turnover Margin	+2
432.6	Total Offense	478.0
196.0	Rushing Offense	238.2
236.6	Passing Offense	239.8
7.4	Punt Returns	15.0
22.0	Kickoff Returns	27.2

Georgia cruised past No. 7 Auburn 27-6 last season in Athens and has won nine out of the last 11 meetings and 16 of the past 20. The Bulldogs improved their series lead to 61-56-8 in 2020. The teams split a pair of matchups in 2017 when Georgia secured its most recent SEC title. That year, the No. 2 Bulldogs fell to the No. 10 Tigers 40-17 at Auburn. Then, No. 6 Georgia toppled No. 4 Auburn 28-7 in the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta before advancing to the College Football Playoff Semifinal Rose Bowl Game and eventually the CFP National Championship Game.

For only the second time since 1936, Georgia and Auburn will renew their rivalry outside of the month of November. Last year, the Bulldogs’ victory came on Oct. 3 during the second game of the pandemic shortened season. The 2012-13 seasons saw the Bulldogs head to Auburn for consecutive years, marking the first time the game had been played at the same site for two years in a row since 1958. The game was played in Columbus during a stretch from 1916-58 with one exception when the teams met in Athens in 1929. The first 10 games were played in Atlanta starting in 1892.

Saturday will mark the 126th meeting between Georgia and Auburn, making it the second most played active series in the NCAA FBS trailing only Wisconsin-Minnesota (130 entering 2021). North Carolina-Virginia has played 125 times entering the 2021 season. The Bulldogs and Tigers first squared off in 1892 in Atlanta’s Piedmont Park. The only event that interrupted the series was World War as the teams did not play in 1917-18 and 1943.

Georgia leads the nation in Scoring Defense giving up just 4.6 points per game. Iowa is next at 11.6 p/g.

The defense has allowed just one touchdown, and it came in the fourth quarter versus South Carolina with the Bulldogs leading 40-6. UAB’s touchdown came on a picksix.

Georgia leads the SEC and ranks fifth nationally in Red Zone defense. Opponents have advanced to the Red Zone only five times this season resulting in three field goals, one missed field goal and turning it over once on downs.

Georgia opponents have scored just 23 points this season. That five-game tally is the lowest since 1937 when the Bulldogs had allowed just 14 points through five contests.

The Bulldogs lead the country in Total Defense, allowing just 178.6 yards/game. Cincinnati is second at 233.6 y/g.

Most recently, Georgia shut out No. 8 Arkansas 37-0 in Athens. The Razorbacks could only muster 156 total yards on offense after coming into the game averaging 35.8 points/game.

Georgia has now had seven shutouts in Smart era, including five in league contests.

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