Georgia football escaping Auburn as No. 1 team is more stunning than you think
While No. 1 Georgia was a 14.5-point favorite entering Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday. But Las Vegas should have known better considering the history of top-ranked teams playing at Auburn.
Georgia got all it wanted in a 27-20 win over the unranked Tigers, using a late Brock Bowers TD reception and subsequent interception to avoid becoming the fifth No. 1 team since 2000 to exit Auburn with a stunning loss.
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Auburn entered Saturday with four wins over No. 1 teams at Jordan-Hare Stadium since 2000: Florida in 2001, Alabama in 2013 and Alabama and Georgia in 2017.
Here's a look at each of those games and how Saturday's game vs. Georgia was different:
2001: Auburn 23, No. 1 Florida 20
Damon Duval's 44-yard field goal with 10 seconds remaining was the difference in a defensive slugfest. Auburn held Florida to minus-36 net rushing yards and mostly contained the Florida passing game that piled up yards but not touchdowns in the final season of Steve Spurrier's tenure in Gainesville. Four Auburn players — Mayo Sowell, Karlos Dansby, Roderick Hood and Phillip Pate — had interceptions for the Tigers.
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2013: No. 4 Auburn 34, No. 1 Alabama 28
The game featured the iconic "Kick Six" play where Chris Davis returned a missed field goal the winning touchdown as time expired, one of the greatest plays in college football history.
Auburn's quarterback, Nick Marshall, threw for 97 yards and rushed for 99, while running back Tre Mason delivered a standout performance with 164 rushing yards and a touchdown. Auburn went on to win the SEC championship.
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2017: No. 10 Auburn 40, No. 1 Georgia 17
Auburn's quarterback Jarrett Stidham played a crucial role in the rout, passing for 214 yards and three touchdowns, on an efficient 16 of 23 effort.
The Tigers' defense was equally outstanding, holding Georgia's potent offense, led by quarterback Jake Fromm, to just 17 points. Auburn's defensive line, anchored by standout players Derrick Brown and Jeff Holland, disrupted Georgia's passing game and put pressure on Fromm throughout the contest.
2017: No. 6 Auburn 26, No. 1 Alabama 14
Quarterback Jarrett Stidham showcased his poise and accuracy, completing 21 of 28 passes for 237 yards and adding a crucial touchdown pass. Running back Kerryon Johnson was the workhorse, rushing for 104 yards and a touchdown while contributing as a receiver.
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2023: No. 1 Georgia 27, Auburn 20
Georgia's balanced offensive attack proved too much for the Tigers' defense to handle. Carson Beck found Brock Browers across the middle, amassing 313 yards on 33 attempts, and running back Daijun Edwards scored two rushing touchdowns.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: No. 1 Georgia winning at Auburn is more stunning than you think
