Can Auburn's OL Turn a Corner Against Georgia?

Despite recent struggles, the Auburn Tigers' offensive line has a favorable opportunity against Georgia to turn its season around.

Auburn Tigers quarterback Jackson Arnold has been sacked 15 times over the last two games. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Georgia's lack of pass rush could give the Auburn Tigers a much-needed respite from its offensive line woes. The Bulldogs only have seven sacks on the season. How does this help the Tigers' beleaguered line?

Georgia allows 18.4 points per game, ranking them 32nd in the FBS. Surrendering many points to opponents seems high for a Kirby Smart program emphasizing a swarming pass rush with a stout defensive line. Maybe graduation and transfers watered down the UGA pass rush pool, but teams look exceedingly comfortable throwing the ball against the Bulldogs.

For example, Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar threw for 371 yards and four touchdowns, unheard of in recent years. If you subtract UGA's first two games against Marshall and Austin Peay, the opponents averaged 26.3 points.

With just seven total sacks, that number becomes more critical when you realize where the pressure originates. The Bulldogs' defensive line boasts just one sack. Against Kentucky, lineman Nnamdi Ogboko tallied the first sack earned by a defensive lineman. Otherwise, UGA needs to send its linebackers seemingly on every passing down.

While the linebackers can get home, the strategy taxes a secondary that features two sophomore starters at safety, Kyron Jones and KJ Bolden. Against Tennessee and Alabama, the secondary struggled because the pass rush disappeared for long stretches of time.

With that said, Auburn's offensive line, which has given up 15 sacks over the last two games, has an opportunity to turn a corner against a formidable opponent.

Georgia presents a slight breather after a disastrous stretch where Oklahoma and Texas A&M tortured the Tigers' offensive line. Granted, the linebackers will scream off the edges, but the line's interior should give quarterback Jackson Arnold room to operate if Georgia sends one or more extra rushers, which leaves the vulnerable down the field.

Arnold needs to find wideout Cam Coleman on deep throws. Similar to the Tennessee game, if Georgia can only get home via the blitz, they will need to keep using it.

An added bonus is Arnold's running ability, which allows him to take off through the abandoned gaps in the UGA defense. If Auburn can generate a handful of big plays and jump out to a decent lead, they can grind the rush to a halt by running the ball, allowing the offense to lock on and drive the defense off the ball.

Auburn still needs to convert, especially in pressure situations. Yet, Georgia's absent pass rush opens the door. Tennessee and Alabama converted a combined 18-for-31 third downs (58 percent). The Tigers must play better, not perfect football, to emerge victorious.

However, can they avoid the mistakes that doomed them over the last two games?