No. 1 Georgia Hosts Auburn With Key Defenders Sidelined

ATHENS, Ga. — Top-ranked Georgia lines up Saturday afternoon against Auburn with a patched secondary and a thin running-back room, putting another Deep South rivalry test in front of a team still riding high after Alabama.

Kickoff at Sanford Stadium is set for 3:30 p.m. The Bulldogs are 6-0 overall and 4-0 in the SEC after a 20-17 road win in Tuscaloosa. Auburn sits 3-2 and 1-2 in league play coming off a bye. Georgia is roughly a three-touchdown home favorite and has beaten the Tigers in nine straight meetings.

The newest availability sheet lists five Georgia players as out: edge rusher Amaris Williams, safety Tyriq Green, running back Chauncey Bowens, and wideouts Thomas Blackshear and Isiah Canion. First-team All-SEC safety KJ Bolden is doubtful, so Kyron Jones and Rasean Dinkins are lined up for heavier snaps in the back end.

Bowens leads the roster in rushing touchdowns. Nate Frazier is still dealing with rib soreness after sitting out against Alabama and is expected to stay limited. Auburn will miss All-SEC linebacker Xavier Atkins, who is ruled out for non-injury reasons tied to a suspension, along with offensive lineman Tai Buster and tight end Hunter Herring.

Georgia won 20-10 last season in Auburn and has now taken nine straight in the rivalry, tying the longest streak in a series that began in 1892. Forecasters expect partly sunny skies with temperatures from the upper 60s into the low 70s. Both teams plan to update the injury list about 90 minutes before kickoff.

For Georgia, the larger picture is surviving a physical stretch and reaching a bye week still undefeated in the league. Auburn arrives rested and looking to snap a road drought in Athens that dates back more than a decade.

Filed under: Augusta GA Sports News