The Auburn Tigers face a colossal task coming off of the bye on Saturday afternoon, facing the No. 1-ranked Georgia Bulldogs at Sanford Stadium.
Head coach Alex Golesh has a chance to pick up his first ranked win in his first season on the Plains, but he will have to do it against an opponent that has won three of the last four SEC championships, as well as the best team in the country.
With an upset or not, here are three things I’ll be keeping a close eye on in Athens this weekend.
Do Sack Numbers Change on Byrum Brown?
Before the bye week, Auburn quarterback Byrum Brown was the most sacked quarterback in the country, going down 18 times by defenders in only five games. He was sacked four times in the last loss to Tennessee.
Now, he faced a Georgia front that’s notoriously known for getting to the quarterback since Kirby Smart has been the head coach. The Bulldogs are fourth in the SEC in sacks with 17 in six games.
Golesh has shuffled the offensive line throughout the season, but he will need his best five guys sharp for Saturday’s matchup, especially early on. If Auburn can’t get anything going and Brown goes down behind the line of scrimmage on multiple occasions, it could get ugly offensively.
If the Tigers protect Brown and allow him to make the plays he’s known for, that will be the only way they can upset the No. 1 team in the country.
Who Steps Up For Xavier Atkins?
Auburn’s star linebacker won’t be playing for an undisclosed period of time, being away from the team in this SEC matchup. So, who are going to be the names to make up for the void?
Sophomore Elijah Melendez will surely be on the field, having a standout season on the Plains in only his second season. He leads the team in tackles with 38 and is tied with Atkins in sacks with 3.0 on the year. Keep an eye out for another sophomore, Bryce Deas, who has 15 total tackles on the year in a reserve role.
Junior De’Marcus Riddick is another name to note, being an All-SEC Freshman Team member two years ago.
The Tigers need an answer in the middle of the field, especially against a Georgia team that is top 6 in the SEC in both rushing and passing.
An RB1 Candidate
Golesh has preached that Auburn needs to run the football in 2026. So far, the only player to truly be doing that with each game is Brown, who is averaging 68.8 rushing yards per game.
Yes, the Tigers are 42nd in the country in rushing yards per game, but they have struggled with finding a true starting running back that can join forces with Brown to be a two-headed monster on the ground. Jeremiah Cobb was the starter to begin the year, but since then, sophomore Omar Mabson II has taken more carries as the season has gone on.
Golesh has also spoken about given more opportunities to other backs as well, as well as looking to get the offensive line going for the rest of the season. If Auburn can’t run the ball early, it can lead to a lopsided affair on Saturday.
Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. Central, with the game to be broadcast on ESPN.
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