AUBURN, Ala. - Carson Beck said it best: third-down conversions are the worst thing for a defense.

Just when the opposing offense is ready to get back on the field, they instead retreat to the bench as their teammates surrender another third-down conversion. It keeps drives alive, leads to points, and ultimately is the biggest factor in many games.

Georgia showcased that skill set on Saturday, shining on third down in a 27-20 win over Auburn at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

"Unbelievable job by the offensive staff. Unbelievable job," Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said after the game. "You go for 8 for 10 against air, it’s incredible. It’s hard to do that in our league with the defensive players they’ve got and rushers. They had a good plan, did an incredible job."

Smart didn't quite get the numbers exactly right. The Bulldogs finished the night 8-of-13 on third down, including 5-for-7 in the second half.

But the point still stands. When Georgia needed big plays to keep drives alive, it came up with them more often than not.

A big factor in that success proved to be receiver Ladd McConkey. In his first game back from a back injury, McConkey hauled in receptions to convert third downs of nine, six, and 10 yards.

"It’s just like, you don’t have to worry about anything," receiver Dillon Bell said of having McConkey back in the lineup. "It’s like, oh yeah, we know we’re fixing to get this first down. We can already plan ahead what play we want to run. I feel like that’s a big advantage for us. We’ve got a lot of guys in the receiver room who can make key plays consistently."

The third first-down catch for McConkey came on Georgia's 98-yard scoring drive in the third quarter. The Bulldogs converted two third downs on that drive, helping them tie the game at 17.

Georgia's next drive saw two more third-down conversions on a drive that ended in a field goal, giving the visitors a 20-17 lead. The final possession for Georgia saw Beck connect with tight end Brock Bowers for a gain of 16 yards on third-and-12. Georgia scored the game-winning touchdown later in the series.

That's five times in the final minutes of a close game where Auburn had a chance to get off the field. If any one of those plays goes the other way, the Tigers could have been celebrating a win over the No. 1 team in the country.

But instead, Georgia made the plays when it needed to and found a way to win in an extremely hostile environment.