One of the oldest rivalries in college football sees its latest chapter unfold this weekend. The Georgia Bulldogs remain undefeated atop the AP Poll heading into Saturday as they take on the Auburn Tigers, who are seeking to punch far above their weight in this matchup. Is there a chance this SEC clash winds up on upset watch?
Here’s a preview, prediction and pick for Georgia vs. Auburn on Saturday’s college football slate.
Auburn vs. Georgia prediction, preview
The Bulldogs are easily one of the best teams in the nation, if not the best as the AP Poll suggests. They’re unbeaten at 6-0 and are coming off a victory against No. 6 Alabama, showing they’re not merely a product of their schedule. Georgia averages 46.2 PPG, second most of any team in the sport. They’re dominating opponents in a variety of ways. Gunner Stockton has an SEC-best 76.6% completion rate with 1,298 yards and 14 touchdowns to just two interceptions. Craig Dandridge Jr. leads the team with 222 receiving yards, though Talyn Taylor has 219 yards and three touchdowns as well amidst a smattering of other talent. Dwight Phillips Jr. has 280 rushing yards with one score on the ground, but it’s Nate Frazier and Chauncey Bowens who lead the way with 11 combined rushing touchdowns, too. The defense is just as formidable, too. Georgia has allowed just 14.0 PPG through these first six games with 17 sacks, four interceptions and six forced fumbles.
Auburn has looked solid, but uninspiring for the most part, in year one under Alex Golesh, starting this era with a 3-2 record. The Tigers beat varying levels of competition – Baylor, Southern Miss and Vanderbilt – but fell to real teams like Florida and No. 14 Tennessee. Offensively, they average just 26.8 PPG, 85th in the country. Byrum Brown has 1,055 yards, seven touchdowns and seven interceptions through the air, but it’s his legs that stand out. The quarterback has 344 rushing yards and four scores on the ground, working in a run game alongside Jeremiah Cobb (245 YDS, 2 TD) and Omar Mabson II (213 YDS, 1 TD). Wideout Keshaun Singleton has racked up 322 receiving yards and a score on 29 receptions along with Chas Nimrod, who has 273 yards and a pair of TDs himself. The offense is respectable, but the defense has upside. The Tigers are 49th in the nation with 21.4 PPG and have only conceded more than 24 points once this season, which actually came against Florida. They’ve also tallied 14 sacks and six interceptions, too.
Auburn vs. Georgia pick, best bet
On DraftKings Sportsbook, Georgia enters as a 19.5-point favorite with -1350 odds on the Moneyline; Auburn is a +800 underdog to win outright. The game total sits at 49.5 combined points between these teams.
The Tigers have looked quite solid at times, but there are some concerns today. Obviously, this is one of the toughest matchups in college football as they head into Athens to take on the No. 1 team in the nation. There’s been a bit of upside for this Auburn offense, but what the unit now runs into is a rushing defense that’s allowing just 74.7 YPG on the ground with an average of 2.5 YPC for opponents. Byrum Brown may not have a ton of running room, nor will his teammates. Factor in the scoring ability of this Bulldogs attack and Auburn’s defense will likely be exposed – holding Tennessee, Baylor, etc. to 24 or fewer points was a nice effort, but the Tigers allowed 44 points to Florida and likely find themselves in similar territory again today. Can Alex Golesh’s team continue to win games and finish above .500 this season? Yes, but today is going to land in blowout territory.
Best Bet: Georgia -19.5 (-110)
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