WHERE: Sanford Stadium

WHEN: Saturday, 3:45 p.m.

RECORD: Georgia 3-1, 1-1; Auburn 2-3, 2-2

TV/RADIO: ABC (Sean McDonough, Greg McElroy, Molly McGrath); Georgia Bulldog Radio Network (Scott Howard, Eric Zeier, DJ Shockley).

Bulldog fans have been on edge after Georgia saw its school-record 42-game regular-season win streak end last week at Alabama.

Hopefully, a win over rival Auburn will ease some of their pain.

Kirby Smart has certainly had his way with the Tigers since taking over as the Bulldogs’ head coach. Georgia is 8-1 against Auburn under Smart, with the only loss coming during the 2017 regular season, before avenging the defeat in the SEC Championship.

Saturday night’s game certainly has its share of intrigue.

In three FBS games, the Bulldogs have combined to score just 16 points in the first half, including seven last week in Tuscaloosa. Finding ways to get the offense in rhythm is Job. 1 against the Tigers, who are looking for their first conference win after dropping games to Arkansas and Oklahoma.

Auburn – which piled up 492 yards of offense against Oklahoma - just hopes to hang onto the ball.

The Tigers committed 11 turnovers in their three losses, including nine interceptions.

For those counting, the Bulldogs have not lost back-to-back games under Smart since 2016, Smart’s first year at the helm.

Georgia: QB Carson Beck, RB Trevor Etienne, WR Dom Lovett, WR Dillon Bell, WR Arian Smith, DE Mykel Williams, LB Jalon Walker, N Nazir Stackhouse, LB CJ Allen, S Malaki Starks, CB Daylen Everette.

Auburn: QB Payton Thorne, RB Jarquez Hunter, WR Cam Coleman, WR Keandre Lambert-Smith, WR Robert Lewis, Buck Jalen McLeod, LB Eugene Asante, DE Keldric Faulk, DB Jerrin Thompson.

Start faster offensively: This has been a key for the past three games and we’re still waiting. Will the fourth time be the charm? It needs to be.

Eliminate turnovers: Sure, this is a no-brainer. But as we saw last week, turnovers lose ball games.

Tackle better: Fifteen missed tackles in back-to-back games doesn’t cut it. The Bulldogs know they’ve got to clean that area up.

Don’t Turn the ball over: Auburn has lost more turnovers than any other SEC team. It’s no secret what the Tigers need to eliminate if they want to beat Georgia.

Control the clock: Auburn can do some damage with its run game and Jarquez Hunter is one of the league’s best.

Start quickly: Auburn has actually moved the football pretty effectively, including last week against Oklahoma when the Tigers piled up almost 500 total yards. Considering Georgia’s first-half offensive troubles, some early points would put extra pressure on the Bulldogs.

Georgia

Running back Roderick Robinson - Out

Linebacker Smael Mondon - Out

Offensive lineman Tate Ratledge - Out

Defensive lineman Jordan Hall - Questionable

Receiver London Humphreys - Probable

Defensive lineman Mykel Williams - Probable

Receiver Sacovie White - Probable

Offensive lineman Jared Wilson - Probable

London Humphreys was upgraded from out to probable.

Auburn

Defensive back Tyler Scott - Out

Defensive back Champ Anthony - Out

Tight end Brandon Frazier - Out

Offensive lineman Izavion Miller - Probable

Safety Jerrin Thompson - Probable

Linebacker Dorian Mausi Jr. - Probable

Outside linebacker Jalen McLeod - Probable

Kicker Alex McPherson - Probable

…In the Kirby Smart era, the Bulldogs are 13-3 after a loss and haven’t lost back-to-back games in the regular season since 2016, his first year at the helm. The last seven times Georgia has lost a game, it has won its next contest. Back in 2016, Georgia fell to Vanderbilt in Athens on Oct. 15 and then to Florida in Jacksonville on Oct. 29. Georgia dropped its final two games of the 2018 postseason, falling to No. 1 Alabama in the SEC Championship Game and then being upset by No. 15 Texas in the Sugar Bowl

…Senior quarterback Carson Beck’s top targets have been Dominic Lovett (18- 214 yards, one touchdown) Arian Smith (17-for-274 yards, two touchdowns) and Dillon Bell (14-198 yards, with two touchdowns plus a rushing touchdown).

…Last week at Alabama, Georgia had a pair of receivers with 100 yards for the first time since 2013 when Chris Conley and Tavarres King did it against Nebraska in the Gator Bowl. Smith had a career-high 132 yards on six catches and a score while Bell had five for 100 yards including a 67-yard touchdown. Bell’s bomb put the Bulldogs ahead 34-33 with 2:31 left before the Tide answered. Earlier against the Crimson Tide, he had his third career rushing touchdown to become the first Bulldog to score rushing and receiving in the same game since 2022 (Ladd McConkey at Miss. State).

…Sophomore Anthony Evans III has 10 punt returns for 86 yards (8.6 avg.). He had a career-long 46-yarder versus Tennessee Tech. Against No. 14 Clemson, he had three returns for 23 yards. Evans has three kickoff returns for 69 yards (23.0 avg.) with all three coming at Alabama.

…Georgia is averaging 6.88 yards per play and 431.5 yards per game in 2024. The 2023 Georgia offense set a school record averaging 7.26 yards per play while the 496.5 yards per game average ranked second all-time.

…For the first time since 2019 and just the second time since 1949, Auburn will not play a home game in October. The Tigers follow up Saturday’s game with road trips to Missouri and Kentucky.

…Wide receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith has caught six touchdowns in Auburn’s first five games. The Penn State transfer visited Georgia before signing with the Tigers.

…Running back Jarquez Hunter comes into the game with 2,609 rushing yards and 19 career touchdowns. He’s currently sixth in the SEC, averaging 87.4 yards per game.

…Auburn’s defense allows just 121 yards rushing through five games while edge rusher Jalen McLeod ranks second in the SEC with 7.5 tackles for loss.

…The Tigers are ranked sixth nationally in red zone defense (0.625).

…Auburn is 116-180 against ranked opponents.

Part of me feels better about Georgia’s chances after the team’s loss at Alabama than I did about the one-point win at Kentucky. Now, if they can just bottle it and spread it out over four quarters. So until the Bulldogs do, I’m going to lean on the side of caution: Prediction: Georgia 28, Auburn 14.