For the 131st time, the ‘Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry’ between Georgia and Auburn will unfold this Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
A rivalry that began in 1892 has provided countless moments.
From the famous 2007 Sanford Stadium ‘Blackout game’ when Georgia surprised everyone by coming onto the field with black alternate jerseys and beating Auburn 45-21.
In 1996, Mike Bobo connected with Corey Allen on a 30-yard touchdown pass as time expired in regulation, helping Georgia force overtime against Auburn. The Bulldogs went on to win a 56-49 thriller in four overtimes, marking the first overtime game in SEC history.
In 2002, David Greene connected with Michael Johnson on a 19-yard touchdown pass on fourth-and-15 late in the fourth quarter. The play, famously known as “70-X-Takeoff,” lifted Georgia to a 24-21 win over Auburn, clinching the SEC East and securing the Bulldogs’ first trip to the SEC Championship Game.
History was made during the 2017 season when UGA and Auburn collided not once, but twice. It marked the first time ever the two had met multiple times in the same year. Georgia avenged its 40-17 loss with a 28-7 SEC Championship victory.
Most recently last year, Georgia clawed back at Jordan-Hare to beat Auburn 20-10. The biggest moment came at the goal line, with the Tigers up 10-0 and knocking on the door from the one-yard line. On a quarterback sneak, Georgia linebackers CJ Allen and Raylen Wilson forced a fumble near the goal line, preventing a touchdown and allowing the Bulldogs to recover the ball.
Despite many believing Auburn had scored, the ball came loose before reaching the goal line.
Georgia leads the all-time series 66-56-8 and is seeking its 10th straight win on Saturday. The Bulldogs enter as three-touchdown favorites, but UGA coach Kirby Smart expects his team to be ready to go in this one.
“It’s any given Saturday in this conference, as we see every week,” Smart said. “...It’ll be really important that the mindset and approach to the game is right because they want to make it physical the way they play.”
