The Georgia Bulldogs face off against the Auburn Tigers on Saturday in one of the south’s oldest college football rivalries.
Kirby Smart and the Dawgs are almost a three-touchdown favorite over Auburn in Alex Golesh’s first season on the plains. Auburn still has a lot of talent and is coming off of two weeks of rest.
Let’s take a look at two Auburn players and one Georgia player that you need to know heading into this matchup in Athens:
Auburn Quarterback Byrum Brown
Byrum Brown has been one of the most dangerous quarterbacks on the ground in college football. He is the eight-leading rusher in the SEC with 344 yards and four touchdowns. He has 81 carries compared to Auburn’s top running back, who only has 45 carries.
He can scramble and you will see plenty of design runs and options involving Browns’ legs.
The passing game has been a bit of a struggle for the Tigers. Brown has just seven touchdowns compared to seven interceptions. Gunner Stockton has 14 passing touchdowns compared to two interceptions for a comparison.
Georgia has dealt with mobile quarterbacks, but this will be its first real test against a quarterback who is used so heavily in the running game.
Georgia Running Back Bo Walker
There are reports that Georgia running back Chauncey Bowens could miss most of the season with his foot injury. It doesn’t sound like he is coming back anytime soon. Nate Frazier isn’t listed on Georgia’s availability report, but he wasn’t last week and was held out of the game against Alabama.
Dwight Phillips Jr. will be Georgia’s lead back if Frazier can't go. He was that man against Alabama and took 17 carries for 120 yards. He got a little dinged up at the end of the game, but is not reportedly injured.
The sophomore Bo Walker totted the rock 10 times for 69 yards against the Tide, including a 37-yard run. Walker was the second running back on Georgia’s depth chart with the injuries to Frazier and Bowens, and he did not disappoint with his career-high 10 carries.
Georgia should win this football game, and it should win it comfortably. Walker will see touches, and he could see an expanded role again if the coaching staff wants to protect Frazier and limit the slender Phillips.
Auburn Linebacker Elijah Melendez
Elijah Melendez has been all over the field for Auburn. The sophomore has been by far the most productive Tiger on defense and one of the most impactful players on the entire team this year.
Melendez lines up as an inside backer, and he does what they do best - flying to the football. He leads Auburn in tackles this season with 43 total. Like Georgia’s inside linebackers, he generates more sacks than anyone on the team. He is tied with Xavier Atikins with a team-leading three sacks. Atkins is out for this game, so Melendez will be even more important.
He has also recorded four pass deflections. That number is good for more than anyone else on the Auburn defense. Like said before, he is all over the place.
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