How Does Georgia Matchup Against Auburn's Offense?

How does Georgia's defense match up against Auburn's offense? Well, the stats say they should be a heavy favorite.

Georgia is set to face their second SEC opponent of the season as they will travel to Auburn in week five for their first road game of the season as well. The Bulldogs, as of late, have fared well against the Tigers, as their last loss in this cross-divisional rivalry came during the 2017 regular season. Since then, Kirby Smart and his team have dominated the matchup. 

Auburn is in its first season under Hugh Freeze, and while they currently hold a 3-1 record after losing to Texas A&M last week, the program's early success is not connected to offensive firepower. They currently are averaging 32 points per game, but that is largely due to them scoring 45 and 59 points against UMass and Samford. Outside of those two games, the Tigers have failed to surpass the 14-point mark. 

Freeze and his staff were hopeful to address some of their potential struggles on offense by bringing in former Michigan State quarterback Payton Thorne through the transfer portal this off-season. That move has not yielded the results they were hopeful for. Auburn currently ranks 113th in the nation for passing offense, averaging 173 passing yards per game and the worst in the SEC. On top of that, Auburn is also averaging nearly two turnovers per game. 

Georgia defensive back Kamari Lassiter (3) during a game against Auburn on Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Ga., on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022. (Photo by Tony Walsh)

This Auburn Tigers offense lacks explosiveness and is often forced to rely on their run game to fuel any type of success offensively. Georgia, on the other hand, is allowing just 195 passing yards per game and only 87 rushing yards per game. Based on those two factors alone, it might be a long day offensively for the Tigers. 

The Bulldogs have also forced seven interceptions in just four games this season, and Thorne is averaging one per game. And even if Auburn decided to make a quarterback switch during the game by rolling out Robby Ashford, Georgia showed during the 2022 season that they know how to neutralize Ashford's athletic ability in the pocket. 

Auburn hasn't scored more than 14 points against Georgia since their win in 2017 and is averaging just under 10 points per game against the Bulldogs. Based on the statistics and offensive trends this season, it appears that Saturday's game might be more of the same for the Tigers. 

Other Georgia News:

• WATCH: Carson Beck Speaks Following UAB Win
• Georgia's Perfect Redzone Efficiency Key to 49-21 Victory Over UAB
• BREAKING: Kirby Smart Makes SEC Coaching History

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