Winners and losers from Auburn’s loss to Georgia
Auburn needed to make a statement in its game with No. 1 Georgia on Saturday. Although in a loss, the Tigers have proven that they can hang with the nation’s elite.
Auburn jumped out to a 10-0 lead over the Bulldogs and matched their steps until the final stages of the game when Georgia ultimately pulled away, 27-20.
There were plenty of positives to take away from Saturday’s loss, but there are still several aspects that will surely be worked on during Auburn’s upcoming bye week.
Here are the highs and lows of Auburn’s loss to No. 1 Georgia.
Winner: The fast start
FINALLY. After spending several weeks on the opposing side of this list, a “fast start” is finally a winner. Auburn scored 10 points in the first quarter and gained 116 yards of offense. Defensively, the Tigers allowed just 44 yards and forced Georgia’s Carson Beck to throw his second interception of the season.
Loser: Late game defense
Auburn held on for as long as they could, but a late score by Brock Bowers secured the Tigers’ fate. In the second half, Bowers caught six passes for 148 yards. As a team, Georgia gained 275 yards in the second half to secure the win.
Winner: Payton Thorne's legs
Auburn fans got to witness a new side to Payton Thorne in Auburn’s 45-13 win over Samford two weeks ago. He rushed for 123 yards in the game and played a huge role in the Tigers’ win. In Saturday’s game with Georgia, Thorne rushed for 92 yards on 12 carries, which makes him more valuable to Auburn’s offense.
Loser: Payton Thorne's arm
Sure, Payton Thorne had a great day on the ground, but his arm needed more work. He, unfortunately, had another poor day through the air. He ended with 82 yards and an interception with zero touchdowns. Receiving-wise, Auburn receivers only caught 11 of 20 targeted passes. Rivaldo Fairweather, Auburn’s leading receiver with 44 yards, only caught four of the seven passes thrown his way.
Winner: Offensive line play
Give it up for the offensive line for holding their own against one of the nation’s top defenses. Georgia allowed just 282 yards per game entering Saturday’s contest. Auburn managed to gain 307 yards thanks to disciplined offensive line play.
Loser: Jarquez Hunter
Like Payton Thorne’s passing game, we will have to wait at least one more game to watch Jarquez Hunter’s role of premier back truly come to light. He rushed for 59 yards on 19 carries in the loss to Georgia, which is a season-high. However, it is far away from his career-best 147-yard outing against Alabama State in 2021. As a player who was expected to be the star of the offense, his light is burning dim so far.
Winner: Jaylin Simpson
Quarterbacks refuse to learn this simple lesson… don’t throw toward Jaylin Simpson. Simpson recorded his fourth interception of the season, which continues his record-breaking season.
Loser: CBS
The SEC on CBS, which has been a staple in households across the Southeast since 2001, televised the 2023 edition of the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry. CBS will move on from its contract with the SEC at season’s end and will move over to the Big Ten. Auburn has seven games remaining on the season, how many more times will the Tigers play on CBS?
