ATHENS, Ga. — Auburn pulled off a stunning upset against No. 1 Georgia, defeating the Bulldogs 27-24 with a last-second 34-yard field goal by Alex McPherson on Saturday. This victory comes on the heels of another upset, as No. 1 Texas lost to Oklahoma the previous week. Notably, this marks the first time since October 1990 that the top-ranked team in the AP Top 25 has lost in consecutive weeks to unranked opponents, according to Sportradar.
Georgia’s quarterback Gunner Stockton provided a late-game rally, leading a game-tying touchdown drive in the fourth quarter. However, with only 58 seconds remaining, he lost a pivotal fumble while driving for a potential go-ahead field goal, which was recovered by Auburn’s Sylvester Smith-Reed.
Coaching in their first season, Auburn’s coach Alex Golesh expressed pride in his players, stating, “It’s pretty neat. I’m really proud of our guys. Really proud of them.” He emphasized that the team’s comeback would help rebuild the program moving forward.
Auburn relied heavily on a strong running game, with quarterback Byrum Brown contributing 115 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries, along with a touchdown pass. The Tigers outgained Georgia on the ground, finishing with 192 rushing yards to the Bulldogs’ 113. Georgia’s Nate Frazier, returning from injury, struggled significantly, managing only 19 yards on nine carries.
After initially trailing 14-0, Auburn scored 24 unanswered points, taking control of the game. Auburn’s first touchdown was a trick play, where Brown pitched the ball to wide receiver Christian Neptune, who then threw a 28-yard touchdown pass to Keshaun Singleton. This was Neptune’s second touchdown pass of the season.
Georgia (6-1, 4-1 Southeastern Conference) ended its nine-game winning streak against Auburn and failed to maintain its position atop the AP rankings after just one week. Head Coach Kirby Smart reflected on the Bulldogs’ performance, acknowledging costly mistakes, including three turnovers and penalties. “We helped them. We had three turnovers and critical penalties,” he remarked.
Looking ahead, Auburn (4-2, 2-2) will face No. 22 Louisiana State next week, while Georgia will have a bye before competing against Florida on October 31 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
