It's never too late for football season to start.
Georgia's 13-7 upset of No. 9 Auburn on Saturday inside Sanford Stadium has given the Bulldogs a better-late-than-never sense of promise in a year that has included a close call against Nicholls State, a loss to Tennessee on a Hail Mary, a one-point home setback against Vanderbilt and another unfulfilled trip to Jacksonville, Fla.
The Bulldogs are 6-4 with regular-season games remaining against Louisiana-Lafayette and Georgia Tech, with each of those at home.
"We've got a two-game winning streak now, and we can build a little momentum," junior tailback Nick Chubb said after pounding out 101 yards on 23 carries against the Tigers. "We've been down for a while, but a win like this can definitely lift spirits up."
The Bulldogs trailed 7-0 at halftime against Auburn and were 30 minutes away from going winless in league games at home for the first time since 1962. They erased that and other dubious distinctions with a ninth win over the Tigers in the past 11 seasons.
Georgia will be favored in its next two games and can still attain a 9-4 record, which would result in Kirby Smart setting a program record for wins in a debut season.
"Even though he doesn't talk a lot about his time at Alabama, we know this was a big rivalry win for him," junior outside linebacker Davin Bellamy said. "It hasn't been the year we expected, but this was a big win for him. Going through the highs and lows can be a blessing, because there is always a silver lining. This team has grown. It's a young team, and I've seen a lot of people grow up in front of my eyes.
"I said three or four weeks ago that our record didn't show what kind of team we are, even thought people were counting us out, and tonight solidified it for us."
The Bulldogs capitalized on Auburn's ailing offense by holding the Tigers to no first downs in the second half and no third-down conversions in the final three quarters. Georgia now ranks 11th nationally in total defense (allowing 308.1 yards per game), 17th in passing defense (189.0) and 21st in rushing defense (119.1).
Georgia is essentially matching last season's clip of allowing 307.9 yards per game, but this year's defense has faced more explosive offenses (such as North Carolina and Ole Miss) and more improved offenses (Missouri and Kentucky) as well.
"This makes up for a lot," sophomore inside linebacker Roquan Smith said. "A win is always great, but to knock off a top-10 team when no one gives you a shot feels amazing."
Though Georgia's offense never reached the end zone against Auburn, it controlled the ball for more than 39 minutes and got big plays from running backs Chubb (18-yard run) and Sony Michel (14-yard run), tight end Isaac Nauta (two 17-yard receptions), and receivers Riley Ridley (57-yard catch) and Isaiah McKenzie (26-yard catch).
"I think we've always been able to make big plays in the passing game," sophomore receiver Terry Godwin said. "It's just that our running game is usually there, and we haven't thrown it as much."
Breaking through
One of the most exciting plays for Smart occurred early in the fourth quarter, when McKenzie fielded a 50-yard Kevin Phillips punt and returned it 20 yards out to Georgia's 45-yard line. Auburn entered Saturday having allowed two punt returns for minus-3 yards all season.
"I'm really proud of the punt-return team, and I'm really proud of Isaiah," Smart said. "Does anybody know the stats on Auburn's punt-coverage team? We worked really hard on that, and we got one that flipped field position, which has been a tough situation for us all year."