I’m still not ready to call this series a rivalry quite yet, but Auburn’s 27-24 victory over Georgia on Saturday is monumental for several different reasons.
It’s the first time the Tigers have beaten the Bulldogs since 2017. It’s the first time AU has beaten UGA in Athens since 2005. It’s the first time Auburn has beaten any SEC team not named Arkansas, Vanderbilt, Kentucky, Missouri or Texas A&M since 2021 and the first time they have beaten a ranked opponent on the road since 2021.
kAmkDA2?m{6E’D 36 9@?6DE[ :E’D E96 7:CDE E:>6 %:86C 72?D 92G6 24EF2==J 6IA6C:6?465 ECF6 ;@J 2?5 9@A6 :? D@ =@?8 E96J 925 7@C8@EE6? H92E :E 76=E =:<6] x 5@?’E 36=:6G6 E96 >28?:EF56 @7 $2EFC52J’D H:? 42? 36 @G6CDE2E65] k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2?mtG6CJ ?6H 9625 4@249 H2?ED E@ 92G6 2 “D:8?2EFC6 H:?” 5FC:?8 E96:C :?2F8FC2= D62D@?] xE 8@6D 324< E@ 2 4@=F>? x HC@E6 2 76H H66<D 28@] x 2D<65 E96 BF6DE:@?[ “H96C6’D E96 AC@@7 @7 4@?46AEn” (6==[ p=6I v@=6D9 ;FDE 6>A92E:42==J AFE 9:D D:8?2EFC6 @? E96 p& 7@@E32== AC@8C2> 3J 362E:?8 E96 }@] ` E62> :? E96 4@F?ECJ @? E96:C 9@>6 7:6=5 2D 2 a_\A@:?E F?56C5@8] k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2?mw6 AC@G65 E@ 9:D A=2J6CD[ E@ E96 C64CF:ED 2?5 E@ E96 72?D E92E pF3FC? 42? 36 DF446DD7F= F?56C 9:D =6256CD9:A 2?5 96 5:5 :E @? 2 ?2E:@?2= DE286] ~7 4@FCD6[ :E’D @?=J @?6 82>6 2?5 E96 %:86CD H6C6 G6CJ 7@CEF?2E6] w@H6G6C[ E92E’D 9@H 2 8@@5 4@249 3F:=5D 2 D@=:5 AC@8C2>[ @?6 82>6 2E 2 E:>6] k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2?mxE’D ECF6[ v6@C8:2 H2D 362E6? FA A9JD:42==J 2?5 H@C? @FE 6>@E:@?2==J 27E6C D:I DEC2:89E H66<D 2?5 2 E@F89 82>6 :? %FD42=@@D2 =2DE H66<] pF3FC? 925 2 3J6 H66< E@ 86E 962=E9J 2?5 C62==J 4@?46?EC2E6 @? E96 qF==5@8D] vF??6C $E@4<E@? 5:5 E9C@H EH@ 325 :?E6C46AE:@?D 2?5 925 2 G6CJ 4@DE=J 7F>3=6 =2E6 E92E =65 E@ E96 82>6\H:??:?8 7:6=5 8@2=] %96 s2H8D 5676?D6 2=D@ 4@?EC:3FE65 E@ E96 42FD6[ 4@>>:EE:?8 E9C66 A6CD@?2= 7@F=D 282:?DE qJCF> qC@H? :? 4C:E:42= D:EF2E:@?D] p== @7 E9@D6 E9:?8D 92AA6?65 2?5 >@DE 46CE2:?=J 36?67:E65 E96 %:86CD] %92E :D :CC67FE23=6] $@ H92En k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2?m%9:?8D =:<6 E92E 92AA6? 6G6CJ H66< :? 82>6D 2== 24C@DD p>6C:42] tG6CJ@?6 86ED 2 3J6 H66< 2?5 :E’D DFAA@D65 E@ 8:G6 J@F 2? 25G2?E286] xE’D 2=D@ ?@E pF3FC?’D 72F=E v6@C8:2 A=2J65 F?5:D4:A=:?65 7@@E32==] x H@F=5 D2J E96 %:86CD 2C6 5F6 2 76H 3C62<D 27E6C E96 =2DE D6G6C2= J62CD] xE’D 23@FE E:>6 E96 32== 3@F?465 E96:C H2J] k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2?mqJCF> qC@H? A=2J65 9:D 36DE 82>6 D:?46 2CC:G:?8 @? 42>AFD] w6 42CC:65 E96 32== ae E:>6D 2?5 82:?65 `ba J2C5D 7C@> D4C:>>286] qC@H? @?=J 925 `d_ J2C5D A2DD:?8[ 3FE E92E’D 2== 96 C62==J ?66565] x7 qCJ46 r2:? 42E496D 2 A2DD C:89E :? 9:D 92?5D :? E96 D64@?5 BF2CE6C[ qC@H? H@F=5 92G6 E9C@H? 7@C aad J2C5D] %9@D6 ?F>36CD H@F=5 36 C6>:?:D46?E @7 r2> }6HE@?] k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2?mx E9:?< E96 >@DE :>AC6DD:G6 2DA64E @7 E96 82>6 E@ >6 H2D E96 A9JD:42=:EJ @7 pF3FC?’D @776?D:G6 2?5 5676?D:G6 =:?6D] %96 %:86CD 24EF2==J H@? E96 =:?6 @7 D4C:>>286 7@C E96 >2;@C:EJ @7 E96 82>6] pF3FC? 96=5 E96 qF==5@8D E@ ``b J2C5D CFD9:?8] %92E :D 2=>@DE `__ J2C5D 36=@H E96:C 2G6C286] p& 925 `ha J2C5D CFD9:?8] %92E :D ``f J2C5D 23@G6 H92E &vp 2G6C286D 8:G:?8 FA] k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2?m{:?6324<6C t=:;29 |6=6?56K 2?5 =:?6324<6C qCJ46 s62D H6C6 E6CC:7:4] w@H 4@F=5 2?J@?6 ?@E 36 6=2E65 7@C p=6I |4!96CD@? E@ 86E E96 82>6\H:??:?8 <:4< 27E6C 6G6CJE9:?8 96’D 366? E9C@F89] k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2?mp82:?[ :E H2D ;FDE 2 A96?@>6?2= 82>6] xE’== 36 :?E6C6DE:?8 E@ D66 9@H E96 %:86CD C6DA@?5 E@ DF446DD] p7E6C 2==[ :E’D 2 H9@=6 ?6H 4@?46AE 7@C E9:D E62>] x 46CE2:?=J 9@A6 E96J =:<6 :E 2D >F49 2D x 5@]k^DA2?mk^Am
