In the latest edition of the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry, the Auburn Tigers will head to Athens, Ga., to take on Kirby Smart’s Georgia Bulldogs, who are currently ranked as the No. 1 team in the nation. Early odds have not been in favor of the Tigers, who are a 20.5-point underdog to the Dawgs and have less than a 10% chance to win the matchup, according to ESPN.
The Bulldogs are, undoubtedly, one of the country’s premier teams, but they’re not infallible. A few key players, if limited, could spell trouble for the Bulldogs, but on the flip side, big days from these three would almost certainly lay Auburn’s hopes of winning into an early grave.
Who are these three impact players? Let’s break it down.
Gunner Stockton - Quarterback
One of the SEC’s best quarterbacks, Stockton is off to a strong start of his second full year with the Bulldogs, totaling 1,298 yards and 14 touchdowns on just two interceptions. Paired with one of the best offensive lines and receiving cores in the country, Stockton leads an offense that has been borderline impossible to stop throughout the season.
However, like any quarterback, Stockton can struggle at times when pressured, which the Tigers will have to do if they want any prayer at stopping the machine that is the Dawgs’ offense. That responsibility will fall heavily on the Tigers’ lead edge rusher, Da’Shawn Womack, alongside top Tiger linebackers like Elijah Melendez and De’Marcus Riddick.
Dwight Phillips Jr. - Running Back
With Nate Frazier’s status still uncertain and Chancey Bowens officially ruled out for the week, the responsibility of Georgia’s rushing attack falls on Phillips, who rushed for 120 yards on just 17 carries last week against Alabama. He’s currently averaging 7.6 yards per carry over the course of the season, a number that Auburn will have to limit if they want to keep the Dawgs’ offense down.
However, Phillips is not the stockiest of backs, weighing in at just 185 pounds on a 5-foot-10 frame, so a strong hit from a linebacker like Elijah Melendez, who stands at 6-foot and 240 pounds, may be enough to keep coaches concerned enough to split Phillips’ carries with Bo Walker, who has been strong but nowhere near as consistent as Phillips so far this season.
Raylen Wilson - Linebacker
The Tigers may be without one of their top linebackers in Xavier Atkins, but the Bulldogs are doing just fine in that regard, as their leading defender, Wilson, will be ready and rearing to go this weekend. Wilson currently leads the Bulldogs in total tackles, assists, sacks and forced fumbles, proving that he is a disruptor who could create massive problems for the Tigers’ struggling offense.
Strong offensive scheming and execution should be enough to deter Wilson, but not to keep him out of the game. I would expect him to pick up at least one sack against Byrum Brown, but if the Tigers are able to limit his defensive productivity, things get quite a bit easier on offense.
Kickoff of the latest edition of the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry is set for 2:30 p.m. Central, and the game will be broadcast on ESPN.
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