ATHENS — Georgia coach Kirby Smart has seen plenty of Auburn’s offense, and it’s never a comfortable feeling.

Gus Malzahn’s offensive creativity for the Tigers presents a unique challenge, unlike any other scheme, as Smart explained on Monday.

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The No. 5-ranked Bulldogs (8-1, 5-1) play at No. 13-ranked Auburn (7-2, 4-2) at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday in Jordan-Hare Stadium. UGA can clinch a spot in the SEC Championship Game with a win over the Tigers.

For Georgia, it will be about surviving the first quarter and getting dialed in on the Tigers’ tempo and offensive plans

“It’s very different, they do a good job of changing things up,” Smart said, asked about Auburn’s offensive creativity.

“You throw in the tempo with it, (and) you throw in some of the most elite speed guys in the country on the perimeter, and what you get a recipe for is potential big plays, and they do a good job of attacking your perimeter and your edges.”

The Tigers have gone toe-to-toe with some of the best teams in the nation this season. Auburn beat Oregon 27-21 in the season-opening game, won at then-No. 17 Texas A&M 28-20 and lost at No. 10 Florida 24-13 and at No. 2 LSU 23-20.

“They got two really tough losses in which they played two really good football teams and played them right down to the wire,” Smart said.

“Their defense speaks for itself,” he said. “They’ve got a ton of guys that are going to be drafted on it. They got guys that seem like they have played in our conference for ten years.”

Georgia coach Kirby Smart

 

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