ATHENS — Georgia football returns home with plans to advance to ball on what it believes can still be a championship season.
The No. 5-ranked Bulldogs (3-1, 1-1 SEC) remain in contention for the SEC Championship and the newly-expanded 12-team College Football Playoffs after suffering a 41-34 setback at Alabama last Saturday.
RELATED: All SEC football game times, TV Networks and predictions
But, first things first, the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry with Auburn (2-3, 0-2) needs to be settled at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday at Sanford Stadium.
The Bulldogs will be putting their program-record 26-game home win streak on the line when second-year coach Hugh Freeze brings his wounded Tigers between the hedges.
Auburn has out-gained its past two opponents — Arkansas (431-334 in a 24-14 loss) and Oklahoma (482-291 in a 27-21 loss) — only to be undone by five turnovers in the loss to the Razorbacks, and a decisive Pick-6 with 4:06 left in the loss to the Sooners.
The Tigers actually average more yards per game of total offense (466) than the Bulldogs (431.5).
The Georgia-Auburn game sits in ABC-TVs prime-time afternoon slot, but it’s not the only important SEC battle this weekend.
Here are more things to know heading into Saturday:
UGA statistical red flags
Georgia’s statistical rankings indicate the struggles the Bulldogs have had in their first two SEC games this season.
Georgia ranks 14th in the league and 106th in the nation in third-down conversion rate (33 percent) and 13th in the SEC and 64th in the nation in third-down conversion defense (36.5 percent).
Most notably, however, has been the Bulldogs inability to control the line of scrimmage on offense and defense. Georgia ranks 14th in the SEC allowing 126.3 yards rushing per game and is 15th in the league with only 129.3 yards per game rushing.
Showdown in Texas
Number 9-ranked Missouri (4-0, 1-0 SEC) can take a big step in proving itself a legit title contender as it travels to play at Texas A&M (4-1, 2-0) in the noon ABC game at Kyle Field.
It will be the Tigers toughest test of the season to date, to the extent the Aggies are a 2.5-point favorite.
Missouri has won eight straight games dating back to last season, while Texas A&M has won four straight under new coach Mike Elko after a season-opening home loss to Notre Dame.
The Tigers feature an experienced QB in Brady Cook, but the Aggies are tied for first in the SEC with seven interceptions and has held three straight opponents under 100 yards rushing.
Depth might factor in, as temperatures are expected to reach the low 90s — and field temperatures typically 10 degrees higher than air temperatures in many stadiums.
Ole Miss litmus test
Ole Miss (4-1, 0-1 SEC) and South Carolina (3-1, 1-1) meet in a pivotal matchup in Columbia at 3:30 p.m. (ESPN)
The No. 12-ranked Rebels are coming off a stunning 20-17 home loss to Kentucky and are fighting for their CFP field lives.
The Gamecocks, meanwhile, are coming off an open date and have a 31-6 road win over Kentucky on their resume this season.
Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart has proven explosive at times, leading the nation with 388 yards per game passing before last Saturdays’ 261-yard passing debacle.
The Gamecocks will counter with strong defensive line play, as Kyle Kennard has 5.5 sacks this season, bringing speed off the edge.
Georgia-Auburn QB matchup
Carson Beck has been mostly effective this season but has not put up the same sort of numbers as 2023, which led to him being the nations’ leading returning passer.
Auburn quarterback Payton Thorne was actually benched for two starts before regaining his job in the loss to Oklahoma.
Here’s how the two quarterbacks compare:
Completion percentage: Beck 62.9; Thorne 59.8
Passing touchdowns: Beck 10; Thorne 10
Passing yards: Beck 1,119; Thorne 1,038
Passing yards per completion: Thorne 17.02; Beck 13.48
Total offense: Beck 295.8 per game; Thorne 290.8
Feature night game
Number 4-ranked Tennessee (4-0, 1-0) looks to prove it made the most of its off week when it travels to face Coach Sam Pittman’s Razorbacks (3-2, 1-1).
Arkansas has beaten the Vols in their most recent three trips to Fayetteville, but the Razorbacks haven’t beaten a Top 5 team since beating a stacked 1999 Tennessee team that was ranked No. 3.
Coach Josh Heupel is well aware the margin for error could be slim in this game, saying “The separation inside of this league is small margins, (and) you have to win the margins in this league.”
Arkansas has a celebrated offensive mind in coordinator Bobby Petrino, but the Tennessee defense has allowed just one play of 31 yards or more this season and are second in the nation in scoring defense, giving up 7 points per game.
Sellout at Vandy
It’s a safe bet there will be more Alabama fans in Nashville at the game with Vanderbilt than there will be Commodores’ fans in the 4:15 p.m. matchup.
The Tide has won 12 straight in the scattered (non-annual) series, dating back to a 30-21 loss in 1984, winning the most recent meeting in 2022 by a 55-3 count.
