Life is good again in the Peach State, as the Georgia football team soared up the rankings after routing Kentucky 35-14. Now, the 10th-ranked Georgia football team will face the Auburn Tigers, who have had two weeks to prepare. It will be the 130th installment in the Georgia-Auburn rivalry. Ultimately, the Georgia keys to victory could lie in overcoming a tough defense. The Bulldogs have many talented players, but there is one Georgia X-factor who can help them win.
Georgia is currently favored by 3.5 points to win against Auburn this weekend, according to FanDuel. Currently, the oddsmakers expect this game to go down to the wire. But they also expect the Bulldogs to overcome the Tigers, even if the score is close.
The Bulldogs are ready for action against one of their oldest rivalries. But what do they need to do to win? The answer lies in the offense and how it can perform against a defense that can rush the quarterback.
How Auburn profiles
Georgia will be playing a night game at Jordan-Hare Stadium for the first time since the 2013 season. Coincidentally, that was one of the most exciting games in the Georgia-Auburn rivalry, with Nick Marshall throwing a game-winning touchdown to sophomore Ricardo Louis. Most fans affectionately called this game the “Prayer at Jordan Hare,” and it still is one of the most miraculous endings ever.
Auburn may not be ranked like Georgia. Likewise, they have lost two games in a row. But the Tigers have also won four games in a row at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Coach Hugh Freeze will have his team ready after Auburn lost to Texas A&M two weeks ago. While the offense has struggled, the defense has more than carried its weight.
The Bulldogs cannot afford to overlook the Tigers because they have the talent to pull off the upset. For Georgia, it starts with finishing drives and ensuring that the offense stays ahead. Doing so will relieve any pressure on the defense.
How the Georgia football team has gotten here
There have been plenty of high expectations for the Bulldogs this season. So far, they have mainly stayed the course, going 4-1 in their first five games. While the defense thrived in the first two games, it has been the offense that has garnered all the attention.
Gunner Stockton has been excellent, passing for 1,047 yards, with six touchdowns and one interception. Additionally, he has rushed 39 times for 194 yards and five touchdowns. Chauncey Bowens has thrived as the lead runner, running 56 times for 310 yards and a touchdown. Meanwhile, Nate Frazier has rushed 50 times for 253 yards and two scores. Colbie Young and Zachariah Branch have led the receivers. Significantly, Young has 18 receptions for 247 yards and one touchdown, while Branch has 18 catches for 235 yards and two scores.
The Georgia offense currently is averaging 35.2 points per game. Amazingly, they are finding ways to score, and the offense is generating points in creative ways. To beat Auburn, they will need their offense to execute and finish drives. While Auburn has not been great on offense, they have been stout on defense. The Tigers also have a chance to take advantage of matchup advantages. Because of this, Stockton will be the Georgia X-factor this weekend.
How Stockton gets them the win
Anyone who has watched Georgia football knows that Stockton has been great at making plays and getting the football to his targets. However, he is also playing behind an offensive line that has had some injuries. Because Georgia has some offensive line injuries, it could spell trouble for the quarterback.
The Auburn defense will look to capitalize on this, especially leading edge rusher Kenron Crawford. If the Bulldogs want to win this game, they must attack the weak points in the defense. In this case, the Auburn secondary is the weakness. Stockton will look to get some time to attack the secondary.
The first thing Stockton must do is protect the football. Because of the uncertainty of the offensive line, he must do quick reads and shorter passes to get past this defense effectively. The ideal way to do this would be utilizing quick slants, checkdowns, as well as screen passes to the running back. Ultimately, timing will mean everything. It will be up to Stockton to read coverage. When he does this, he can also call audibles and mix in the running game. Stockton can run the football or even hand off to one of his backs.
Converting on third downs will be monumental. If Stockton and the Georgia offense can create easier third-down scenarios, it will make it easier to get past this tough defensive front. Stockton is the Georgia X-factor, and could be the reason they improve to 5-1 this weekend.
