If History Is Any Indicator, Georgia May Be In For a Long Day at Auburn
Few rivalries are as storied as the one between Georgia and Auburn. The "Deep South's Oldest Rivalry" dates back to 1892, and the two haven't had a break from playing each other since the Tigers suspended the program in 1943 because of World War II.
Today, it's a one-sided affair; the Bulldogs have won six straight games and 15 of the last 18 encounters. Recent years suggest that the pendulum is swung firmly in Georgia's favor. Not only has it dominated the rivalry, but Georgia is back-to-back national champions on a 21-game winning streak.
History tells a different story, however, one Georgia fans might not want to hear. Georgia/Auburn is a rivalry after all, and upsets are at the foundation of this rivalry. The road the Bulldogs and Tigers have traveled over these last 131 years is lined by heartbroken goliaths, and paved by triumphant Davids.
The discrepancies between the two teams make Georgia especially vulnerable to another keystone upset in the rivalry's history. It has avoided such misery in the last two years, but does just mean we are due for another stunner?
Whimpering Dawgs
2017: Georgia's last loss to Auburn was one of these keystone games. The undefeated No. 1 ranked Bulldogs traveled to play a two-loss Tiger squad in 2017 and returned home in anguish following a 40-17 loss. The loss nearly derailed Georgia's season, catapulting Auburn to being the first two-loss team to enter the College Football Playoff, but more on that later.
1999: The 1990s were an odd period for the rivalry as the home teams went 2-7-1 in the decade. Georgia had its season derailed a week earlier against Florida, though a BCS bowl wasn't entirely out of the question. Auburn, was ready to pack first-year coach Tommy Tuberville in a pine box and ship him back to Ole Miss after losing five straight games following a 3-0 start. Georgia was by far the better team. Unfortunately, it was the home team in 1999. The Tigers crushed the Dawgs 38-21 for the first big win of the Tuberville era.
1942: The Bulldogs entered Columbus flying high, undefeated, and ranked No. 1. The Tigers entered town 4-4-1 but had upset LSU the previous week. This was an odd day for Georgia. Its usually potent passing attack was ineffective, while Auburn's Monk Gafford and Jim Reynolds racked up 355 rushing yards. The Bulldogs didn't allow more than 13 points in any of its 11 wins, but the final score of the lone loss to Auburn read 27-13.
Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart celebrates with quarterback Jake Fromm (11) and tailback Brian Herrien (35) after a Bulldogs touchdown against the Auburn Tigers during the first quarter at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-USA TODAY Sports
Limping Tigers
2017: Auburn followed its upset win over Georgia by beating Alabama for the SEC West Championship. The Tigers had all the momentum entering the rematch in Atlanta, but little did it know that revenge was on the agenda. Georgia dominated the SEC Championship 28-7 and hasn't looked back since.
2006: Not only did the current six-game winning streak start with an upset, but so too did the current 15-of-18 run. Auburn entered the game 9-1, ranked No. 5 in the nation, and was still in the BCS title hunt. The Bulldogs weren't. They entered the game 6-4 having lost four of their last five games. So, the perfect ingredients for an upset in the "deep South's Oldest Rivalry." Georgia won 37-15 in overwhelming fashion behind Matthew Stafford's best game as a freshman, and three interceptions from Tra Battle.
1986: Auburn reached the No. 5 ranking in 1986 before losing to Florida. Its SEC Championship goals were still in reach, only if it won out. In came the 6-3 Georgia Bulldogs, a week after suffering their own loss to Florida and without starting quarterback James Jackson. Backup Wayne Johnson and a defense full of ball hawks led the Bulldogs to a 20-16 victory, but the excitement wasn't over. The Georgia fans in attendance rushed the field, only to endure the wrath of a Jordan-Hare Stadium security team armed with fire hoses.
Victory In a Tie?
1994: Auburn entered the 99th edition of the rivalry on a 20-game winning streak with second-year head coach Terry Bowden. Probation kept the Tigers from competing for championships in 1993, but a second undefeated campaign may have forced the polls to split the crown in 1994. But we'll never know since the 5-4 Bulldogs led by quarterback Eric Zeier battled the Tigers to a 24-24 tie.
1978: Georgia reached the No. 8 ranking and was on its way to splitting the SEC Championship with Alabama before meeting a 6-3 Auburn squad in Jordan-Hare. The Bulldogs may have lost if not for a couple of close plays, one of which would have been overturned if replay existed in 1978. Instead, the two squads settled for a tie and the Tigers didn't even have the decency to beat Alabama a week later. Georgia had to settle for second place in the SEC.
