AUBURN, Ala. (AP) — No. 10 Georgia forced a fumble at the goal line to change the trajectory of the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry, which ended just like the previous eight: with the Bulldogs on top.
Linebacker CJ Allen knocked the ball out of Jackson Arnold’s hands late in the second quarter, and Georgia rallied to beat Auburn 20-10 on Saturday night for its ninth consecutive victory in the series.
Allen finished with 10 tackles, including a sack, and a pass breakup. But his most significant play came with Auburn (3-3, 0-3 Southeastern Conference) on the verge of pulling ahead 17-0.
Arnold fumbled on a third-and-goal play with 1:32 to play in the half. Although replays appeared to show the ball breaking the plane of the goal, officials had no conclusive evidence to overturn the call on the field. So the play stood with Allen getting credit for a forced fumble and Kyron Jones getting credit for a fumble recovery.
“A tale of two halves,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. “Our kids never quit. I’m as proud of this team as I am of probably any team.”
The Bulldogs (5-1, 3-1) drove 88 yards for a field goal after the turnover and then dominated the second half.
The 10-point swing just before the break irritated Auburn, prompting coach Hugh Freeze and his assistants to give officials an earful heading into the locker room, and invigorating Georgia.
“All you have to do is have the nose of the ball break the plane,” Freeze said. “It didn’t go our way.”
Added Arnold: “Obviously, we wanted it to get called our way, but I don’t think it affected us.”
It clearly did as the Tigers managed just 50 yards in the second half while the Dawgs scored the final 20 points.
“It’s very clear that we find ways to not win football games, and that’s what has to change,” Freeze said. “That locker room is a good enough football team to play the games and win the games.”
Georgia converted a fourth-and-3 play at the Auburn 40 with 5:19 to play to keep a nearly nine-minute lengthy drive alive, and Gunner Stockton sealed the victory with a 10-yard bootleg with less than two minutes to go.
Poll implications
With No. 3 Oregon and sixth-ranked Oklahoma losing, Georgia could move up a few spots in the next AP Top 25 College Football Poll.
Cam Newton’s jersey retired at halftime
Auburn formally retired Cam Newton’s No. 2 jersey at halftime, engraving his name and number into Jordan-Hare Stadium amid a light show. Newton became the fourth player in program history to receive the honor, joining Pat Sullivan’s No. 7, Terry Beasley’s No. 88 and Bo Jackson’s No. 34.
The takeaway
Georgia: The Bulldogs mustered fewer than 100 yards in the first half but played much better after the break. Of course, they were down seven points instead of 17 at halftime because of the game-changing fumble.
Auburn: The Tigers have dropped three in a row — none of them because of their defense. The stout unit gave Auburn a chance in consecutive games at Oklahoma, at Texas A&M and against Georgia. The Bulldogs failed to convert on their first seven third downs.
Up next
Georgia: Hosts unbeaten and fourth-ranked Ole Miss next Saturday.
Auburn: Hosts No. 14 Missouri next Saturday.
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