Auburn vs. Georgia Means a Bit More to RB Damari Alston

Auburn Tigers junior running back Damari Alston is from Atlanta. He feels confident going against Georgia despite Auburn's underdog role.

Auburn running back Damari Alston is looking forward to returning to his home state to face the Georgia Bulldogs. / John Reed-Imagn Images

The Auburn Tigers are preparing for not only their first road game of the year, but by far their toughest matchup to date.

The Tigers are heading over to Athens, Ga. for a matchup with the No. 5 Georgia Bulldogs. Like Auburn, the Bulldogs are coming off a loss, falling to Alabama on the road last week.

Auburn knows it has a tough task ahead of it, but believes it is capable of pulling off the upset and earning its first SEC win of the 2024 campaign.

Running back Damari Alston, who is averaging 6.6 yards per carry so far this season, thinks the Tigers have what it takes to compete with the Bulldogs like they did last year. Alston missed last year's contest because of a shoulder injury and is anxious to contribute this year.

“It gives me some confidence because of how bad I wanted to play in that game last year and I couldn’t,” Alston said. “I feel like we have the team. If we can go in there and just play hard, get into the fourth quarter, I don’t feel like we’re gonna let one slip away from us again.”

Auburn has played a lot of young players this season, many of them are playing in their first road game this week. Alston has tried to prepare them and make sure they know what to expect.

“It has to be another level of focus,” Alston said. “We’re going into a hostile environment. We’ve been at home for five weeks, nothing is hostile at all when you’re at home. Your preparation has to take another step because we’re on the road this whole month. Another level of concentration and focus when we’re on the road.”

This is a personal matchup for Alston as a player who grew up in Georgia and went to Woodward Academy in Atlanta. He will be going head-to-head with some of his close friends.

“Jalon Walker and K.J. Bolden,” Alston said on the Georgia players he is closest with. “I know a few other players but I’m not really close with them. We haven’t been texting this week.”

Oklahoma gave Auburn the toughest challenge of any defense it has played so far this season. The Tigers played well against the Sooners and Alston thinks that has prepared his team better for Georgia.

“I think Oklahoma is, even in the stat book, one of the best defenses in college football,” Alston said. “Us going out there and putting good things on tape against that defense, I feel like we can go out and do the same thing this week.

Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. CT at Sanford Stadium. ABC will carry the television broadcast and the game can also be found on ESPN+.