Keys to Victory for the Georgia Bulldogs Against Auburn Tigers

Set to face off against the Auburn Tigers, here are some keys for the Georgia Bulldogs to leave with a victory.

Oct 4, 2025; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart reacts to the action against the Kentucky Wildcats at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

The Georgia Bulldogs are set to face off against their oldest rival tonight in the Auburn Tigers. The Bulldogs enter this matchup as a four point favorite. On the night where Auburn legend Cam Newton is having his jersey retired, the Bulldogs would love nothing more than to ruin the ceremony and escape Jordan-Hare Stadium with the victory. If they want to continue their eight game win streak against the Tigers, here are some areas where they must execute.

1. Force Auburn into third downs- While the Tigers have a ton of talent all over the field, they have been abysmal on third down. In SEC play, they are an inconceivable 1/23 on third down. Against Alabama, the Bulldogs greatly struggled to get off the field on third down, which ultimately was a major factor in the loss. Auburn is the number one red zone scoring team in the nation, so it’s imperative that the Bulldogs are consistently able to get them off the field on third down before they march down the field, as they’ll likely convert into points.

1. Generate a consistent pass rush- One area the Bulldogs have struggled in all season is their ability to consistently get pressure on the opposing quarterback. They currently rank in the bottom 30 nationally in total number of sacks. The Tigers have allowed the most sacks in the country, which is largely attributed to allowing nine sacks in their matchup against the Oklahoma Sooners. If the Bulldogs are able to consistently get pressure on Auburn QB Jackson Arnold, they’ll force him into poor decisions, including turnovers. It’s also critical that the Bulldogs maintain their rush lanes, as Arnold can escape the pocket and make big plays with his legs.

1. Dominate on the ground- One aspect of the game the Bulldogs have not struggled with this year is running the ball with success. They currently rank in the top 30 nationally in rushing yards per game. However, the Tigers rank in the top 20 nationally in rushing yards allowed per game, surrendering 88 yards on the ground per game. If the Bulldogs are able to impose their will on the ground with their rotation of talented running backs, namely Chauncey Bowens and Nate Frazier, they will open up the rest of their offense and become a truly dynamic attack. It’s also worth noting that the Tigers have one of the most talented defensive lines in the country which will be critical to contain if the Bulldogs want to have success on the ground.

The Bulldogs are set to kickoff from Jordan-Hare Stadium at 7:45 PM ET on ABC.

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