A controversial call during this year’s Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry between No. 10 Georgia and Auburn shifted the momentum in favor of the Bulldogs, helping them secure a 20-10 victory at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
The Tigers led 10-0 late in the second quarter and were close to extending their lead to three scores when quarterback Jackson Arnold fumbled while trying to cross the goal line on 3rd-and-short from the 1-yard line.
Georgia linebackers CJ Allen and Raylen Wilson knocked the ball out of Arnold’s hands before he crossed the goal line, and defensive back Kyron Jones recovered it, returning it to the opposite end zone for a score.
A video review confirmed the officials’ call that Arnold fumbled, but the Bulldogs began the next drive at their 1-yard line. They then drove down and kicked a field goal to trail 10-3 at the break, despite the Tigers dominating the first half. The sequence, however, gave Georgia the momentum it needed to gain complete control over the second half.
“That’s huge, right? It’s 7-3. It’s a 10-point swing. Seven for them, [versus] three for us is a 10-point swing,” Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said after the Bulldogs’ win. “That’s a huge swing in the game.
“Look, we didn’t just get given a field goal. We had to go get it. When you start on a one-inch line and you sneak one, you bust a run out, you go two minutes, you operate well with no timeouts and have a chance to score a touchdown and kick a field goal in a little over a minute, I was proud of those guys. That gave us juice and life.”
Auburn outgained Georgia 237-78 in the first half, but the roles were reversed in the second. The Bulldog defense held the Tigers to just 40 yards total, with 25 coming on the last drive, in garbage time, as Arnold struggled. Meanwhile, the Georgia offense found some rhythm, scoring 17 points across the final two quarters.
Georgia tied the game midway through the third quarter on its second possession of the half. Quarterback Gunner Stockton threw 21-yard and 31-yard passes to receivers Colbie Young and Noah Thomas, setting up running back Chauncey Bowens for a two-yard rushing touchdown to tie the game at 10-10 with 7:23 left.
Auburn punted it away for the second time on the next possession before the Bulldogs grabbed the lead for good. Kicker Peyton Woodring nailed a 53-yard attempt, putting Georgia on top 13-10 with 1:22 left in the third.
Georgia regained possession with 10:38 remaining in the game and embarked on a long drive. Auburn’s defense struggled to get off the field as the Bulldogs converted four third-downs and one fourth-down. They extended their lead when Stockton sprinted to the end zone on a 10-yard keeper as he dove for the pylon.
Stockton’s theatrics resembled former Auburn quarterback Cam Newton’s Superman dive for a touchdown against South Carolina in 2010. Ironically, Newton was in attendance, as his jersey number was retired at halftime.
Stockton’s score capped a 16-play, 78-yard drive that took nearly nine minutes off the clock. Georgia outgained the Tigers 218-40 in the second half and maintained possession for 22:07, leading to its 10-point win.
Auburn also didn’t convert a single third-down attempt offensively on six tries, thanks to the Bulldog defense.
“I think the coaches do a great full adjustment,” said Allen, who had a team-high 10 tackles, a sack, two tackles for loss, and a forced fumble. “But I think it just boils down to just coming in, taking a deep breath, and getting back to our fundamentals and techniques. That’s what I would boil down to, for sure.”
Smart was proud of how his players responded and remained resilient.
“The coaching staff did a great job allowing the kids to have some confidence,” he said. “The drive before the half kept us alive, but I think we were controlling the team in the fourth quarter. That’s what we’re proud of ourselves, I’m really, really proud of these guys.”