Athens, Georgia- After a great pregame tailgate get-together with both Auburn and Georgia fans, in Sanford Stadium, Auburn PK Alex McPherson split the uprights from 34 yards out as the game ended. Auburn knocked Georgia (6-1, 4-1) from its No.1 pedestal to shock the college football world. The Bulldogs made a 14-0 lead look very easy in the first period, but the Auburn Tigers led by QB Byrum Brown, scored the next 24 points. The Bulldogs put together two late scoring drives to mount a comeback to tie with 2:58 left in the game.
Still tied, on the ensuing Bulldog possession, the Tigers recovered UGA QB Gunner Stockton’s fumble with 58 seconds left on their 44. Runs by Jeremiah Cobb (13 carries for 61 yards) and QB Byrum Brown (26 rushes for 115 yards, 1 TD) aided by a roughing the passer penalty by LB Gabe Harris, put Auburn at the 16 to convert the winning kick.
Even the best of Auburn fans doubted early
Despite UGA QB Gunner Stockton sidelined a few plays to be checked for a concussion, the Dawgs first scoring drive looked too easy. RB Dwight Phillips capped a five-play, 75-yard scoring possession with a 15-yard TD run right up the middle. With starting LB Xavier Atkins suspended by AU HC Alex Golesh in this one, it looked like Georgia would take advantage. On its next possession starting from its 11, Georgia went the length of the field again. Stockton (22 of 34, 272 yards, 2 TD, 2 INTs) rolled right before circling back left. He completed a TD pass into the end zone to TE Luke Leckie for a 14-0 lead at the 6:44 mark of the first.
At about this time, Guest Game Analyst Russ Walton (Auburn grad and fan) envisioned himself and his wife Kathy returning to our house rental in nearby Nicolson. There, we and other fans and Auburn friends of our hosts Charlie and Lynda Murren stayed together to celebrate this great football rivalry. However, Auburn finally showed some signs of life to make this a competitive game that caused Russ to stick around to see what his Tigers could do. I told fellow tailgaters before heading into Sanford that this being my 750th game, that I expected something special here today.
Auburn QB Byrum Brown takes charge
Initially, we noted Brown to be somewhat slow on his passing release. He tends to throw like a baseball pitcher dropping his throwing hand down near his hip before throwing overhand. On this next drive, he let his legs do most of the work to set up eventual passes. On this series starting from the 35, he and Cobb picked up the bulk of the yardage on the ground. Driving to the Georgia 24, however, he pitched out to WR Christian Neptune. He faked a run, pulled up, and fired a strike to WR Keshaun Singleton covered by two DBs in the end zone for a touchdown.
Russ noted on the play that the one defender did not look for the ball. Instead, he played the receiver and collided with his teammate to allow the reception to be made. Over the course of this game, we noted Georgia DBs played the receivers. Auburn defenders looked for the football.
The Auburn Tiger defense held and forced Georgia to punt on its next possession. Brown surprised everyone with a bomb to WR Bryce Cain who had his defender beaten. However, the ball went right though his arms. Russ would note for the balance of the game that his Tigers should have another ”seven” tacked to their score.
Auburn heats up in second period action as Sanford simmers
Auburn started to drive after forcing another Georgia punt from its 36. Short passes and runs by Brown and Cobb put Auburn on the Georgia nine for a second and seven. Brown tossed a fade pass to the left corner. There, Chas Nimrod made a diving catch falling on his back to knot the score, 14-14. Georgia’s next possession came up with nothing as Peyton Woodring’s 56-yard FG attempt came up short. Auburn took over from the 41. The Tigers capitalized once again. McPherson booted a 50-yard FG and AU took the lead, 17-14.
Sanford Stadium’s early roars turned into muffled tones from 93,330 in the stands. It got quieter when S AnQuon Fegans picked off a Stockton pass at the AU 25. Georgia got the ball back. However, Tiger DEs Darrion Smith and Jared Smith combined for a sack of Stockton to end the half. Auburn had the momentum and would get the ball to start the second half.
Long, historic, traditional rivalry
Would the Tigers be able to sustain this against the Bulldogs? UGA had beaten the Tigers the last nine times they met. This rivalry goes all the way back to 1892, longest history of any series in the South. UGA HC Kirby Smith has dominated AU over the years with 10 wins and one loss. Russ clarified that the score should now read, “Auburn 24 Georgia 14.”
Russ gets his wish, kind of, as Melendez steps up
With the first half deferral, Auburn started the second half from its 24. The call paid off. Brown continued to run bouncing off Bulldog tacklers while Cobb charged over left tackle for gains. On this drive, Georgia incurred penalties for roughing the passer and pass interference. At the five on first down, Brown took it in on a sweep left to extend Auburn’s lead, 24-14. According to Russ, the lead should have been bigger.
LB Elijah Melendez stopped the following Georgia drive with an interception for Auburn to take over from its 28. On Georgia’s next possession, Melendez sacked Stockton for a five-yard loss on the final play of the third to force a third and 13 at Auburn’s 31. Melendez in particular led the LB corps sans Atkins today with nine tackles, one sack, one TFL and one INT.
Georgia finds the comeback trail
On the next play, Stockton’s pass went incomplete. A touchdown averted, Woodring came in to make good on a 42-yard FG. The Dawgs now trailed the Tigers, 24-17. With 7:59 to go, UGA started from its six-yard line. Stockton completed sideline passes to his receivers continually to get on of bounds to control the clock. His quick releases to receivers along the sideline avoided sacks by Auburn. With a second and six at AU’s 24, Stockton ran to the four-yard line. From there, he connected with WR London Humphreys in the end zone to tie Auburn, 24-24. Time remaining, 2:58.
Auburn proceeded starting from its 17. An illegal shift and a five-yard sack set them back on their seven. A great catch by Singleton of a low pass kept AU on the move for a 15-yard gain to the 22. A seven-yard completion to Nimrod gave Auburn a fresh set of downs. However, an incompletion, a one-yard sack, and a bad snap recovered by Auburn forced a punt. Georgia took over on its 39 with 1:12 remaining. The Tiger defense had to keep the Bulldogs out of field goal range for overtime.
Turnover time spurs Auburn rally
A pass interference call on Auburn put the Dawgs at the AU 46. Stockton looked to find room up the middle to get within range. He avoided a tug by DT Cody Sigler, but he bumped into the back of his Center Drew Bobo. The ball went flying forward and S Sylvester Smith-Reed recovered for Auburn on their 44.
Cobb rushed for 10, Brown picked up five yards on two consecutive runs, but the “kicker” came on a roughing the passer call against Georgia for 15 yards. Brown positioned the ball with a three-yard gain to the 16. McPherson came in to do his thing and sealed the upset victory for Auburn, 27-24.
Auburn fans celebrate unexpectedly good time
If Russ had had his way, his Tigers would have sealed the deal without the dropped pass, but he enjoyed their last second victory any way. Russ, Kathy and I caught up to celebrate that evening back at the beautiful rental home we stayed at in nearby Nicolson to celebrate this totally unexpected Auburn victory. The Murrens and all their fellow AU Tiger fans broke out the good stuff, and we toasted! “War Eagle!”
Week 8 coming up with key conference match-ups
Auburn (4-2, 2-2) returns to Jordan-Hare Stadium to host No. 18 LSU and Lane Kiffin (5-2, 2-2) just off their 31-0 triumph over Mississippi State. Georgia (6-1, 4-1) gets a bye week before meeting Florida (5-2, 3-2) who upset Texas in Austin, 27-24. They will probably have a crimp at the “World’s Largest Cocktail Party” since it’s at the Mercedes-Benz Dome in Atlanta which lacks as a tailgating venue. Bulldog fan BJ Barnette tells me he can’t wait to resume the tradition in Jacksonville when the stadium reopens in 2027!
We at Collegefootballfan.com continue our celebration or our 750th-game season in Annapolis for our traditional tailgate at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis. There, struggling Navy (2-4, 1-3) will host American Athletic foe North Texas (4-2, 2-0). The Mean Green are coming off a 50-10 over Charlotte. Navy lost to UTSA (6-1,3-0) in San Antonio last week, 38-34, in the final minutes. We look forward to another great tailgate and very competitive football game there once again as well.
Read more fun history of many games attended our first 42 Seasons!
If you haven’t already, please click on the title about this life-long adventure: Fifty Years of Tailgate Tales: The Good, the Fun, and the Ugly on Amazon.com. Among 750 college games attended to date now, we’ve seen all 136 Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams play in person. In 2026, in case you aren’t aware, North Dakota State and Sacramento State join the FBS this season. “Fifty Years” tells our story of how we got to attend our first 652 games!
Read the reviews on the book page and order your copy today. If you’re trying to follow NILs and transfer portals, read what we predicted in 2023. Hopefully, you’ll understand how much we love this sport and what we propose for it to survive successfully. In addition, we offered solutions to issues occurring that we anticipated when we wrote Fifty Years of Tailgate Tales.
Capture some memories
Please buy your copy today and read about the many great memories captured. Maybe some will bring back some of the same memories you encountered when we did. And to us this isn’t a job. It’s our lifelong adventure!
