Auburn upsets Georgia 27-24 after Alex McPherson drilled a 34-yard field goal as time expired, capping a ground-heavy performance led by quarterback Byrum Brown and sealing a signature win over the top-ranked Bulldogs on Saturday.
It marked the second straight week the No. 1 team in the AP Top 25 lost to an unranked opponent, following Texas’ defeat to Oklahoma a week earlier.
Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton engineered a late, game-tying touchdown march in the fourth quarter but fumbled with 58 seconds left while the Bulldogs were pushing for a potential go-ahead kick. Stockton lost the ball on a run from the Auburn 46-yard line, and safety Sylvester Smith-Reed recovered at the Tigers’ 44. A roughing-the-passer penalty against Gabe Harris Jr. on the ensuing drive advanced Auburn into range for McPherson’s winning attempt, sending Tigers players streaming onto the field.
Brown powered Auburn’s offense with 115 rushing yards and a touchdown on 26 carries, and he added a scoring pass.
Georgia, now 6-1 overall and 4-1 in the Southeastern Conference, saw two long streaks end. The Bulldogs had won nine straight meetings with Auburn and 53 consecutive games against unranked opponents. The loss will also bring their brief, one-week return to No. 1 in the AP poll to a close.
Auburn, now 4-2 and 2-2 in conference play, leaned heavily on the run. Georgia tailback Nate Frazier returned from a rib injury to start but managed only 19 yards on nine attempts.
Georgia trailed 24-14 before closing the gap with a 42-yard field goal by Peyton Woodring. Starting from their own 6, the Bulldogs then mounted a 94-yard, 13-play drive to even the score, with Stockton finding London Humphreys for a 4-yard touchdown.
Turnovers and penalties proved costly for Georgia. Stockton threw two interceptions, doubling his season total through six games, and the Bulldogs were flagged for three personal fouls.
After Georgia opened a 14-0 lead, Auburn answered with 24 straight points. The Bulldogs looked sharp early even after Stockton briefly exited following a helmet-first hit on the game’s opening snap. Backup Ryan Puglisi completed all three of his passes, including a 41-yarder to Craig Dandridge Jr., to set up Dwight Phillips’ 15-yard rushing score.
Stockton returned for the next drive and connected with tight end Lawson Luckie for a 24-yard touchdown that made it 14-0. Auburn responded by turning to a physical, run-first approach keyed by the 235-pound Brown, who hurt Georgia on designed keepers and scrambles.
Before Saturday, top-ranked teams had won 93 consecutive home games against unranked opponents, a run that dated to LSU’s double-overtime loss to Arkansas on Nov. 23, 2007.
College Football Playoff implications Up Next
Auburn hosts No. 22 Louisiana State next Saturday. LSU defeated No. 16 Mississippi State 31-0 on Saturday.
Georgia has a bye before facing Florida on Oct. 31 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Florida upset No. 7 Texas 27-24 on Saturday.
The Associated Press contributed reporting.