At the end of a profanity-filled postgame speech leaked after Georgia’s football’s win at Alabama Saturday night—audio that Kirby Smart said he preferred had not been put on social media—the Bulldogs coach mentioned building off of it.
“This team, man, are you going to take this and grow from it?” Smart said. “The naysayers said they couldn’t go there and win and they ain’t played nobody.”
Alabama certainly was a step up in competition, a team the Bulldogs traded haymakers with all night in a 20-17 victory.
The challenge for Georgia (6-0, 4-0 SEC) this week is to turn the page from an opponent that now feels like a rivalry to many to one that has been one of the biggest and is its longest in Auburn.
This is the 131st meeting between the schools some 180 miles apart.
Auburn (4-2, 1-2) will have a fourth different head coach on the sideline since Smart came aboard in Athens.
Smart has gone up against Gus Malzahn, Bryan Harsin, Hugh Freeze and now will face Alex Golesh.
The Tigers are ranked No. 33 on ESPN’s SP+, which puts it 11th in the SEC and below an Oklahoma team that Georgia rolled past three weeks ago.
The Tigers had an open date on their schedule last week, giving the players a break from the grind and coaches more of a chance to evaluate how to get better.
“They're coming off an off week, and we're coming off a really tough physical game,” Smart said. “It will be really important that the mindset and the approach to the game is right because they want to make it physical the way they play.”
Georgia vs. Auburn predictions
Georgia is No. 1 ranked for the first time since September of 2024.
It moved to that spot a day after top-ranked Texas was upset by unranked Oklahoma.
Two other top 15 SEC teams also went down to unranked foes: No. 10 LSU to Kentucky and No. 15 Florida to South Carolina.
Smart alluded to those results when talking about the challenge Auburn presents.
“They have a lot of talent,” Smart said. “They've got good football players, and it's any given Saturday in this conference, as we see every week.”
Auburn is missing perhaps its most valuable piece.
Linebacker Xavier Atkins, a second-team All-American in 2025, won’t play.
Golesh didn’t disclose why saying that would be kept “in-house,” and his status would be revisited next week.
AuburnSports reported Atkins has had disciplinary issues centered on being late to or missing mandatory meetings and practice habits were also a factor.
Georgia players have said putting the last game behind them is just part of what they do.
“We try to focus on being consistent,” linebacker Justin Williams said. “You know you can’t be too high or too low. You have to be right in the middle.”
Georgia vs. Auburn scouting report
Why Georgia has an advantage: Auburn quarterback Byrum Brown ranks 14th in the SEC in passing efficiency and has as many interceptions as touchdowns with 7 each. "We've got the right plan in place to go attack them," he told reporters in Auburn. The Bulldogs defense limited Alabama to 346 total yards.
Why Auburn has an advantage: The Tigers have been solid on the back end, ranking 30th in the nation in pass efficiency defense with 6 interceptions and just 4 touchdown passes against. UCLA transfer Andre Jordan has 2 interceptions. Linebacker Elijah Melendez (3 sacks) and Walter Mathis Jr. (2 sacks) from Savannah help apply the pressure.
Georgia vs. Auburn injury updates
Georgia: Wide receiver Isiah Canion (lower extremity, out), running back Chauncey Bowens (lower body, out), safety KJ Bolden (leg, questionable), wide receiver Thomas Blackshear (collarbone, out), defensive back Tyriq Green (leg, out), offensive lineman Marcus Harrison (undisclosed, probable), RB Dante Dowdell (multiple injuries including collarbone, lung and arm, out), outside linebacker Amaris Williams (knee, out).
Auburn: Offensive lineman Tai Buster (undisclosed, out), TE Hunter Herring (undisclosed out), LB Xavier Atkins (non-injury, out).
Prediction
Georgia 37, Auburn 10: Auburn last topped 13 points in a game at Georgia in 2009 when Chris Todd was the quarterback. This doesn't look like a Tigers offense that can change that. It has scored 21 and 14 points the last two games and ranks 13th in the SEC in scoring.
Georgia vs. Auburn scouting report: What we're watching
Georgiapass rush: Georgia rang up four sacks against Alabama, raising its season total to 17. That's just three shy of what the Bulldogs registered all of last season. Raylen Wilson leads the team with 3, Chris Cole has 2 1/2 and Gabe Harris contributes 2. Cole's 14 quarterback pressures leads the team.
Auburn's pace: The Tigers are apt to snap the ball fast, something that Georgia cornerback Demello Jones noted this week. Auburn leads the nation in running a play every 21.5 seconds, the fastest in the nation. "It's something we've got to adjust to," Jones said. "Just us getting lined up on the defensive side, executing calls."
Georgia RB Bo Walker: Georgia still is not at full strength in the backfield. Dwight Phillips carried the load at Alabama with 17 rushes for 120 yards but second-year running back Bo Walker had a career-high 10 carries for 69 yards. He showed good vision and big-play ability on a day where his longest run was 37 yards. "He brings a lot," Phillips said. "He's explosive as well."
Homecoming game for Auburn tight end: Jake Johnson, in his fifth college season after playing for Texas A&M and North Carolina, returns home to face Georgia. Johnson is the son of former NFL coach Brad Johnson and is the nephew of former Georgia coach Mark Richt. The Oconee County High graduate has 7 catches for 43 yards this season.
Bold predictions for Georgia football vs Auburn
Georgia will continue ground game momentum: Georgia's offensive line limited Alabama to one sack last week and paved the way for 206 rushing yards. Auburn is 81st against the run nationally at 149 yards per game and gave up touchdown runs of 25 and 44 in its last game at Tennessee.
Byrum Brown will make plays with his feet: The South Florida transfer has more rushing yards per game than any quarterback in the SEC with 68.8 per game and has 4 rushing touchdowns. Byrum is a load to bring down at 6-foot-3 and 235 pounds. He rushed for 107 yards at Tennessee on 19 carries.
London Humphreys will continue to be key target: After having just four catches in the first four games, the Vanderbilt transfer has 6 catches for 62 yards the last two weeks including a 20-yard touchdown catch at Alabama from Gunner Stockton.
Auburn's offensive line will be rattled on the road: In Auburn's only road game this season, the Tigers had a bevy of pre-snap penalties involving four different offensive lineman. Georgia's crowd should be able to cause false starts for the Tigers once again for an offensive line filled with transfers.
This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Georgia football vs Auburn scouting report, bold predictions, injury updates