Defensive keys to beating the Georgia Bulldogs
Wrestling great Ric Flair couldn’t have put it any better — to be the man, you have to beat the man. This Saturday, the Auburn Tigers are set to meet the “man” away from home for one of college football’s oldest showdowns.
Sure, Georgia isn’t number one in the nation (Alabama is), but the Bulldogs are the defending national champions who, notably, have defeated Auburn eight of the last nine times the two have played. It’s going to be very tough for the Tigers to pull it off, but as longtime fans would tell you, anything is possible in a series like this,
Check out these four defensive keys that can prevent turning the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry into the Deep South’s Newest Blowout down below:
Pressure Stetson Bennett
(Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Stetson Bennett is notoriously shakey under pressure, and the Missouri Tigers used that knowledge well in a matchup they almost won. If Auburn has any chance, it has to do the same.
Folks will point to defensive end [autotag]Derick Hall[/autotag] as someone who should be a major source of this, but interior pressure is going to be more important. It’s the bane of quarterbacks anywhere, so expect Auburn to keep it close if guys like [autotag]Colby Wooden[/autotag] can get home whenever the Tigers bring the heat.
Don't give up the big play
Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
You know the one. In fact, you might be thinking of a few.
Regardless, those big runs like the 37-yard yard one from Kearis Jackson against Missouri simply cannot be given up if you aim to keep it close with a team, and that goes for both attacks. It’s imperative to study Georgia’s run-blocking schemes to make sure that the big runs don’t break, but that doesn’t mean the team can slack off and get caught unawares by the pass. In full, it’s going to have to be a complete defensive performance from the Tigers to stave off the Bulldog attack.
Study Kent State and Missouri
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Sure, the Golden Flashes and Mizzou may be “beneath” Auburn (the latter not by much, at least), but these two teams have managed to give Georgia some struggles on the offensive side of the ball. Auburn needs to pay attention.
Missouri held Stetson Bennett’s passing game out of the end zone. Kent State did too, and also nabbed an interception on him. Missouri also generally stifled the Bulldogs’ run game, so the game tape from both of these defensive performances is going to be critical. The Tigers should take a look at coverage schemes and rate of pressure that both Kent State and Mizzou brought to really formulate a game plan around Georgia’s weaknesses.
Don't let the away crowd bother you
(Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
This is Auburn’s first game away game. What a first challenge, huh?
This team has so far faced some serious adversity on the road, but now it’ll play at Sanford Stadium without the crowd at its back to disrupt the other squad. The Tigers should hopefully be used to playing in silence and without the boon of the Auburn faithful, but the defense can’t be psyched out by the lack of additional help from the stands when it shows up to play Georgia. As long as the unit executes the game plan like it’s practice, it won’t be a problem.
