Auburn Football: Georgia Game Final Score and Recap

Auburn wasn’t yet eliminated from SEC Championship contention or even in the College Football Playoff entering Saturday night’s game in chilly Athens, Georgia, but they are now.

The Tigers struggled in all three phases in a 34-7 loss to the Georgia Bulldogs. The loss dropped the Auburn football team to 7-3 overall and 4-3 in the SEC this season.

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Usually explosive on offense, Auburn managed just seven points and 292 total yards against the Bulldogs. It was the first time Gus Malzahn’s team has been held below 20 points since he became the program’s head coach. A handful of special teams mistakes, three turnovers, and an impressive rushing performance from the Georgia offense put the Tigers in a big hole that they could not dig out of.

Much of the talk coming into the game centered on Georgia running back Todd Gurley. However, the one-time Heisman Trophy front-runner was the third leading rushing in the game after the first 30 minutes. Auburn’s Cameron Artis-Payne – the SEC’s leading rusher – had 75 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries in the first half. Gurley’s teammate Nick Chubb had 67 yards and a TD on seven carries. It took 13 carries for Gurley to gain 52 yards on the ground.

When the dust settled, though, Gurley and Chubb both reached the century mark. Chubb had 144 yards on the ground, with two TDs, and caught two passes for 48 yards. Gurley added 138 yards on 29 carries and a touchdown.

The Tigers got off to a great start on offense. Nick Marshall completed four of five passes on the first drive and Cameron Artis-Payne had 35 yards on three carries, the third going 26 yards to the end zone for a 7-0 Auburn lead. He finished with 86 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries.

Following the touchdown, the special teams units flirted with disaster and allowed Todd Gurley to take the kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown. However, a holding penalty brought the TD back. The defense allowed Georgia to cross midfield, but forced a fourth down and the Bulldogs lined up to punt.

Again, the Tigers’ special teams allowed a big play – a fake punt pass completion – but a Georgia penalty (this time for an illegal lineman downfield) negated the gain and the Bulldogs were forced to punt.

However, disaster finally struck when Quan Bray fumbled the punt return and Georgia recovered on the 19-yard line. A handful of plays later, Hutson Mason found Malcolm Mitchell for a 6-yard touchdown pass and the Bulldogs tied the game.

After an Auburn punt, Georgia marched 83 yards on 11 plays to take a 14-7 lead. Nick Chubb had a 9-yard touchdown run on 4th and 1 to put the Bulldogs ahead.

Marshall Morgan hit a field goal before halftime gave the Bulldogs a 17-7 lead heading into the locker room. Following Todd Gurley’s first touchdown in more than a month, Marshall’s second field goal stretched the lead to 27-7 with :55 left in the third quarter. Chubb’s second touchdown put the exclamation point on the game.

Trailing 27-7, a promising fourth quarter Auburn drive ended with a Nick Marshall interception in the red zone. The former Georgia Bulldog completed 11 of 23 passes for 112 yards, no touchdowns and the interception. Marshall had 41 rushing yards on nine carries. Jeremy Johnson entered the game once it got out of hand and completed four of five passes for 30 yards.

Auburn will aim to regroup next week at home against Samford in advance of the Iron Bowl against Alabama (who defeated No. 1 Mississippi State 25-20) in two weeks.

Next: Auburn at Georgia Game Day Prediction

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