The #1 Georgia Bulldogs (6-1, 4-1 SEC) are one piece of a chaotic Saturday in the college football landscape.
Georgia fell in shocking fashion to the Auburn Tigers by a score of 27-24. The Bulldogs were in the midst of a frantic comeback effort, but QB Gunner Stockton cost them the game with a late-game fumble.
Auburn then drove the ball down the field, kicking the game-winning field goal as time expired. This loss not only has implications for Georgia, but for the SEC as a whole.
Read more on these implications below.
Georgia Loss Opens Door For Chaotic SEC Finish
The immediate fallout from the loss is two-fold. This is an absolutely massive victory from Auburn’s perspective. First-year head coach Alex Golesh has a signature win just six games into his tenure. This is absolutely something to build on for the Tigers moving forward.
As far as Georgia goes, there is now serious concern in regards to the trajectory of their season. There are now no more undefeated teams in the entire SEC, which creates much room for chaos to ensure. The Bulldogs are still at the top of the SEC standings, but this can change on a weekly basis.
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The SEC standings are in complete disarray. Alabama now has two conference losses. Tennessee is back in the conference contenders conversation. Kentucky is even on the possible verge of improving to 4-1 in the conference as of Saturday night.
This makes the final four-game stretch of league games all the more crucial for Georgia. Smart and the Bulldogs will have a week to regroup before the gauntlet begins.
On that note, the stretch starts on Oct. 31 against a bitter rival in the Florida Gators. Florida has been something of an enigma this season, but continue to find ways to stay competitive.
After this is a crucial two-game stretch against Ole Miss (road) and Missouri (home). In regards to the first contest, the Rebels will have a lively home crowd. It also seems as if the defensive concerns are working themselves out. Lastly, Trinidad Chambliss is perhaps the best quarterback in the nation. A loss here would put Georgia’s SEC title hopes in peril.
As for Missouri, the Tigers are coming off a lopsided defeat against Ole Miss. Despite this, quarterback Austin Simmons is a player that has to be at the top of any scouting report. This won’t be a seamless wire-to-wire victory at the surface.
The Bulldogs wrap up SEC play in the penultimate game of the regular season against South Carolina. This is likely the easiest victory left on the conference schedule, but it may not come by simply either. Quarterback LaNorris Sellers seems to be getting back into rhythm, and it certainly appears as if the Gamecocks are fighting for head coach Shane Beamer.
The good news for Georgia? One more loss isn’t a detriment to their College Football Playoff chances. Two losses might not be detrimental either.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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