ATHENS — Georgia looks to stay on top this week against a fresh and inspired rival when Auburn comes to town.

The No. 1-ranked Bulldogs (6-0, 4-0 SEC) have their fair share of bumps and bruises after a physical 20-17 win over Alabama that will challenge Kirby Smart’s roster management as he looks to get his team to a much-needed bye week.

Georgia survived Alabama, coming through again and again in clutch situations as Gunner Stockton was 9-of-10 passing for 104 yards on third downs.

“The quarterback played amazing, the best I’ve seen him play and made some really, really tough throws in tight windows,” Tide defensive coordinator Kane Wommack said. “Honestly when you look at it, we need one more play, and there’s 12 opportunities you can look at as a football team, if we make that play it could determine the outcome of the game.”

To Wommack’s point Georgia fumbled four times and recovered each one, miss a 39-yard field goal and overcame an average starting field positioning of their own 16 yard-line.

The Bulldogs got their first 100-yard rushing performance of the season in the form of Dwight Phillips Jr. (17 carries, 120 yards), but the 185-pounder admitted to feeling “a little beat up” even as he may need to shoulder the load with Chauncey Bowens expected out and Nate Frazier’s rib injury making him tentative for work.

Auburn is mostly healthy after its bye week, but the Tigers will be missing All-American linebacker Xavier Atkins, who will miss the game for unspecified non-injury reasons.

Things to Know about Auburn at Georgia

When: 3:30 p.m.

Where: Sanford Stadium, Athens

Rankings and records: Georgia (6-0, 4-0 SEC), No. 1 in AP Top 25 Poll. Georgia, No. 2 in Sagarin computer rankings; Auburn (3-2, 1-2 SEC), No. 33 (of 266) in Sagarin computer rankings.

TV/radio: ESPN; Georgia Bulldogs Sports Network radio; Sirius XM 99.

Weather: Partly sunny with temperatures from 67 to 72.

Series: Georgia leads 66-56-8.

Last meeting: Georgia came from behind at Jordan-Hare Stadium last season to beat Auburn, 20-10, thanks to a goal line stand near the end of the first half. UGA linebackers CJ Allen and Raylen Wilson hit Auburn QB Jackson Arnold as he attempted a sneak from the 1-yard line with the Tigers leading 10-0 and 1:32 on the clock. UGA drove for a field goal to cut the lead to 10-3 at the half and used that momentum to go on and get the win.

Last outings: Georgia beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa, 20-17, in a physical football game that saw quarterback Gunner Stockton step up in clutch moments, and the Bulldogs defense sack Tide quarterback Keelon Russell and force him to fumble on the opening drive. UGA was able to overcome four fumbles, all of which it recovered, and an average starting field position of its own 16 yard line.

Auburn did not play last Saturday after losing at Tennessee the Saturday before, 24-14. The Tigers out-gained the Vols 345 yards to 323, but they were unable to overcome three turnovers and Tennessee’s DeSean Bishop rushing for a career-high 220 yards.

Georgia injury report: OLB Amaris Williams (out); S Tyriq Green (out); RB Chauncey Bowens (out); WR Thomas Blackshear (out); WR Isiah Canion (out), FS KJ Bolden (doubtful).

Auburn injury report: LB Xavier Atkins (out); OL Tai Buster (out); TE Hunter Herring (out).

The line: Georgia is a 19.5-point favorite.

5 notes on Georgia-Auburn

1. Kirby Smart has won 53 consecutive games against unranked competition dating back to a 20-17 overtime loss to South Carolina in 2019. Smart is also 96-1 when the opposing team scores 20 points or less, with that overtime loss to the Gamecocks representing the sole exception.

2. Georgia has won nine straight games over Auburn dating back to the 2017 SEC championship game in the “Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry” entering Saturday’s game, which ties the record for the longest win streak in a series that dates back to a game played at Atlanta’s Piedmont Park in 1892. The first occasion UGA won nine straight in the rivalry was from 1923-1931.

3. Saturday will mark Kirby Smart’s 36th career game coaching Georgia when they are ranked No. 1, a mark bettered only by Nick Saban (Alabama, 2008-22, 98), Woody Hayes (Ohio State, 1954-75, 45) and Bobby Bowden (Florida State, 1988-2000, 45). Georgia, as a football program will be playing its 46th game as a No. 1-ranked team and is 41-4 in the prior contests.

4. Gunner Stockton remains on pace to set UGA’s career record for completion percentage as his current clip of 70.99% is better than current record holder Carson Beck’s 68.04% and Stetson Bennett’s 65.11%. Stockton’s 41 career touchdown passes are eighth-best on UGA’s all-time list, 10 short of matching seventh-best Matthew Stafford. Aaron Murray holds the school and SEC record with 121 career touchdown passes.

5. Stockton has thrown 17 touchdown passes this season to 13 different receivers, and four difference receivers have led the team in catches in the six games. Talyn Taylor leads the team with 15 catches for 219 yards, followed by freshman Craig Dandridge Jr. who has 13 catches for 222 yards. Lawson Luckie leads the tight ends room with 8 catches for 143 yards this season, while Dwight Phillips Jr. is the leading pass catcher among the backs with 8 catches for 92 yards.