ATHENS, Ga. — Don’t expect Auburn football coach Bryan Harsin and his team to empathize with concerns expressed this week about the Georgia Bulldogs’ sudden dip from championship form.
After all, the Tigers are headed to Athens for the 126th edition of the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry and in dire need of some scoreboard success in their second season under Harsin.
Kirby Smart’s reigning national champs fell from the top spot to No. 2 in both the AP Top 25 and the coaches’ poll this week after having to rally for a 26-22 Southeastern Conference win last Saturday at Missouri. Georgia trailed 13-0 early and 22-12 in the fourth quarter before finishing strong, a major scare that followed a similarly uninspiring 39-22 home win over Mid-American Conference foe Kent State.
The back-to-back shaky outings have at least temporarily ended talk that Georgia (5-0, 2-0) might be better than last season.
Auburn (3-2, 1-1) experienced the other side of a big comeback last week, leaving more pressure on its embattled coach. Harsin’s team led LSU 17-0 before losing 21-17 at home.
Harsin would receive a much-needed boost if Auburn can end a streak of five straight losses in the series with Georgia. Even with the Bulldogs’ recent inability to maintain the form they showed while outscoring their first three opponents 130-10, Auburn’s challenge is daunting as a 29.5-point underdog.
“They’ve had a lot of success with their program,” Harsin said of the Bulldogs, “and certainly you see that right now.”
Smart shrugged off concerns that Georgia hasn’t matched the production of its strong start to the season.
“I don’t look at it as a hitting slump or some kind of funk or anything like that,” he said.
Georgia wide receiver Kearis Jackson believes the Bulldogs gained confidence from the successful comeback against Missouri.
“I was excited that we were the underdogs for a moment in that game,” he said. “It allowed us to find out a lot about ourselves as a team — and we were down 10 or 13 points, which is hard to come back from on the road. Most teams would’ve probably folded. But one thing about us, we showed resiliency and with that brotherhood we have, we were able to overcome that adversity.”
Defensive end Tramel Walthour said “a win is a win” is the message players gleaned from Smart.
“It doesn’t really matter how we get it, as long as we come out on top in the end. He’s telling us we have to come together as a team,” Walthour said.
Georgia will be without its top-rated NFL prospect, with defensive tackle Jalen Carter expected to miss at least one game due to a knee injury sustained against Missouri. However, defensive back Javon Bullard returned to practice Wednesday and is expected to play this week, having missed on game after his DUI arrest.
Although the Bulldogs have given up 22 points in back-to-back games, they did keep Missouri out of the end zone, forcing Harrison Mevis to make five field goals — all but one from 41-plus yards, including a 56-yarder — to put points on the board for the home team.
It will be the first road start for Auburn quarterback Robby Ashford. T.J. Finley started the first three games but has been sidelined by a shoulder injury.
Auburn’s offense has been a flop coming out in the second half against tougher competition under Harsin. In three games against Power Five opponents this season, the Tigers have scored just six points in the second half — all against Penn State in a 41-12 loss three weeks ago. They didn’t score after halftime against LSU, and their three points against Missouri after intermission came during the extra period of their 17-14 overtime win.
The Tigers have been outscored 104-21 in the second half of their past eight games against Power Five teams, adding to the job security speculation regarding Harsin, who survived an offseason investigation into the program by Auburn officials after notable turnover on the roster and staff.
“We’ve got to be able to find ways to continue to put points on the board,” Harsin said. “It’s not just the half of football, you’ve got to play all four quarters.”