Georgia vs. Auburn: 3 bold predictions, including final score and winner

The Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry is alive and well, as No. 18 Auburn will host No. 2 Georgia.

In what could be one of the better SEC games of the early college football season, the No. 18 Auburn Tigers (4-1) will host the cross-divisional rival No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs (5-0) down on The Plains in the latest installment of the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry.

This will be the 126th meeting between these two traditional SEC powers. They have played annually every year without fail since 1944, including twice in the 2017 campaign. While Georgia is a sizable favorite in this one, Auburn has an elite home-field advantage at Jordan-Hare. Historically, the Tigers have no problem beating Georgia or Alabama when they come into town.

Here are three bold predictions that may come true when the Dawgs take on the Tigers Saturday.

Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry: 3 bold predictions for Georgia at Auburn in 2021

3. Stetson Bennett will make his third start of the season at quarterback

As much as Dawg Nation would like to see JT Daniels return from injury and start, he may need one more week to get his lat injury back to good. This would mean Stetson Bennett gets the start at quarterback for them. While this will make the entire fanbase a tad worried, it is not like Bennett has not played in hostile SEC environments before (Alabama, Arkansas, etc.). He should do just fine here.

Could Daniels play? Probably, but expect for him to at least make the trip to Auburn. It is only a three-hour car ride from Athens. Even if head coach Kirby Smart does not believe he is close to 100 percent to play, the whole point is to have a new head coach in Bryan Harsin and his staff have to prepare for two different starting quarterbacks. Smart must hold this close to the vest.

2. Auburn scores the first rushing touchdown on Georgia defense this year

Up to this point, the Hungry Dawgs Georgia defense has yet to allow a rushing touchdown. In fact, the defense has only allowed one touchdown all season, which came through the air in extreme garbage time vs. South Carolina. However, Bo Nix’s legs in the red zone will give the Tigers a rushing touchdown over their storied rival. The Georgia defense will take this one to heart, though.

This was one of those statistics that everyone on the defense, and anyone in the college football world knew good and well. A demerit on what could have been a perfect season is no more. After Nix scampers to pay dirt, the Dawgs defense will take it up a notch. Once that happens, it will be goodnight Auburn. It will start to get out of hands just like the Arkansas game did last Saturday.

1. Georgia defense combines to sack Auburn quarterback Bo Nix four times

While Nix typically plays well at home, this defense of Georgia’s is going to be too hot to handle. Not only will Auburn get down early, but the junior signal-caller will start to press a bit in an attempt to make it a game. He will throw two interceptions, but more importantly, the Georgia pass-rush will have a field day, as the Dawgs’ front-seven will bring him to the turf four times.

Overall, Georgia will be too much for a rebuilding Auburn team to contain. As cool as it was to see Auburn beat LSU at Tiger Stadium for the first time since 1999, the Tigers are not beating LSU and Georgia in back-to-back weeks. A tough spot will bring out Bad Bo Nix. As for Georgia, defensive linemen Jordan Davis and Devonte Wyatt essentially secure unanimous All-American nods here.

Georgia achieves bowl eligibility at 6-0, while Auburn is eliminated from the playoff at 4-2.

Prediction: Georgia 34, Auburn 10

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