What Does Georgia's Bounce-Back Win Mean for Auburn?

The Auburn Tigers spent Week 6 of the college football season on a bye week, but the Tigers’ next opponent was in action and looking to bounce back. The Georgia Bulldogs played host to the Kentucky Wildcats a week after falling in the same building to Alabama, and Kirby Smart’s squad secured a bounce-back 35-14 win.

The hallmark of the Bulldogs this season has been a solid run defense, and that continued against the Wildcats. Kentucky was held to just two yards per carry a week after Alabama could only muster 3.1 per carry in Sanford Stadium.

However, Georgia continued to look vulnerable through the air. A week after giving up 276 passing yards to Ty Simpson, Kentucky’s Cutter Boley threw for 225 yards, his highest total against a Power 4 opponent this season. Despite the decent day through the air, Kentucky still only found the end zone once in the first three quarters.

As far as Georgia’s offense, the Bulldogs remained more effective on the ground than through the air. Georgia racked up 180 rushing yards and 4 rushing touchdowns, led by 70 yards from Chauncey Bowens and two scores each from quarterback Gunner Stockton and receiver Dillon Bell, who also had 68 receiving yards. The solid attack helped the Bulldogs pull out to a 35-7 lead after three quarters, at which point backup quarterback Ryan Puglisi would take the reins.

So, how should Georgia’s bounce-back game affect Auburn’s expectations for Saturday’s night game in Jordan-Hare Stadium?

Well, if Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze can be believed this week, the Tigers should try to establish the run more than the last two games, where Jeremiah Cobb and Damari Alston spent eight quarters as glorified decoys.

That might seem counterproductive against a Bulldog rushing defense that ranked No. 21 in rushing defense heading into the Kentucky game, but Auburn’s offensive line and Jackson Arnold have both proven they can’t handle a game plan that has to rely heavily on the passing game. Auburn should look to draw down the Georgia safeties and then take play-action shots using its star wideouts, an area in which the Bulldogs have been vulnerable this season.

As for the Auburn defense, the Tigers match up well with the current run-heavy version of the Bulldogs’ offense. The Auburn rushing defense is No. 17 in the nation, allowing just 88 rush yards per game. If Gunner Stockton is forced to pass, Auburn will quickly find out which version of Georgia arrived in Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Against Tennessee in Week 4, Stockton threw for 307 and two touchdowns in Neyland Stadium, including a clutch touchdown throw late in the game on 4th-and-long. However, the last two weeks have revealed a much worse side of Stockton’s passing game.

Against Alabama and Kentucky, the Georgia signal caller is a combined 28-for-43 for 326 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception, arguably a worse stat line than his single game against the Volunteers.

Georgia’s last two games have shown that the Bulldogs have a potential weak spot in their offensive attack, and the Auburn defense has excelled in SEC play at capitalizing on other teams’ weak points. Ultimately, the game will once again come down to whether or not the Tigers’ offense can provide just enough to keep up with the exceptional play of the Auburn defense.

Fortunately for the Auburn faithful, Jordan-Hare Stadium at night should also play a large factor in evening the playing field and keeping the Georgia offense off balance. Unfortunately, the Auburn offense is still a massive question mark that no one will truly have the answer to until the ball is in the air on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. CDT.