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LSU on facing Georgia in Atlanta: ‘We have treated this as an away game’

Georgia running back D'Andre Swift looks for running room during the 2017 SEC title game against Auburn, which was the first appearance for the Bulldogs in Mercedes-Benz Stadium. They will play for a fourth time in Mercedes-Benz on Saturday when they challenge LSU, and Swift's health could have a profound effect on the outcome. / Georgia photo by Caitlyn Tam
Georgia running back D'Andre Swift looks for running room during the 2017 SEC title game against Auburn, which was the first appearance for the Bulldogs in Mercedes-Benz Stadium. They will play for a fourth time in Mercedes-Benz on Saturday when they challenge LSU, and Swift's health could have a profound effect on the outcome. / Georgia photo by Caitlyn Tam Georgia running back D'Andre Swift looks for running room during the 2017 SEC title game against Auburn, which was the first appearance for the Bulldogs in Mercedes-Benz Stadium. They will play for a fourth time in Mercedes-Benz on Saturday when they challenge LSU, and Swift's health could have a profound effect on the outcome. / Georgia photo by Caitlyn Tam

By David Paschall 3 min read

ATHENS, Ga. – An equal number of tickets are distributed to the competing teams in the Southeastern Conference’s annual football championship game, but that doesn’t guarantee a 50-50 crowd split for Saturday’s anticipated showdown between LSU and Georgia.

Especially given the way Bulldogs fans have repeatedly taken over Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

“We have treated this as an away game,” LSU coach Ed Orgeron said. “We had crowd noise on Tuesday and Wednesday and will be very well-prepared for all the Georgia fight songs they’ll play.”

Georgia’s three consecutive SEC East titles under fourth-year coach Kirby Smart have been accompanied by a lot of support. The Bulldogs had nearly half of the crowd in a 20-19 topping of Notre Dame at South Bend early in the 2017 season, and they had more than half the audience for their 54-48 double-overtime outlasting of Oklahoma in that season’s Rose Bowl national semifinal.

In between those victories, Georgia suffered a 40-17 defeat at Auburn and then exacted revenge with a 28-7 topping of the Tigers in an SEC championship game that was overrun with Georgia fans.