AUBURN, Ala. – No. 13 Auburn rallied for two fourth-quarter touchdowns to earn two opportunities for game-tying drives before falling 21-14 Saturday to No. 5 Georgia at sold-out Jordan-Hare Stadium in the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry.
"I'm extremely proud of our guys' fight," Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said. "They fought their guts out for Auburn."
Trailing 21-0 after three quarters, Auburn's comeback began with Bo Nix's 3-yard touchdown pass to Eli Stove with 10:04 left in the fourth quarter, capping a 12-play, 75-yard drive.
After a three-and-out by Auburn's defense, the Tigers struck quickly, driving 57 yards on five plays in 68 seconds. Nix's 2-yard touchdown run, the first rushing TD allowed by Georgia this season, pulled Auburn within seven points with 7:03 remaining.
Again, the Tigers' defense came through, forcing a three-and-out to regain possession for Auburn at its 28-yard line with 6 minutes to play.
"They stuffed them in the fourth quarter and we had the momentum," Malzahn said. "The crowd was in it."
On fourth-and-5 from midfield, Nix scrambled for 8 yards to keep Auburn's hopes alive at Georgia's 42.
On fourth-and-2 at UGA's 34, Nix's pass was incomplete, giving the ball back to Georgia.
Once again, Auburn's defense forced a three-and-out, giving the Tigers' possession at Auburn's 30 with 2:03 to play, but the Tigers were unable to get any closer.
Nix completed 30 of 50 passes for 245 yards and touchdown, adding 42 rushing yards on 13 carries and a TD.
"Bo competed. He's a winner," Malzahn said. "He's a great competitor and he battled. He fought."
Seth Williams made 13 receptions for 121 yards. Jeremiah Dinson led the defensive effort with eight tackles, while Daniel Thomas made two of Auburn's five tackles for loss.
Auburn trailed 21-0 heading to the fourth quarter after Georgia drove 88 yards on 12 plays, scoring on Jake Fromm's third touchdown pass, a 5-yarder to Eli Wolf with 13 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
Auburn found success in the first half with slants to Williams. On the game's opening possession, Nix and Williams teamed up three times for 22 yards, twice picking up first downs and driving to Georgia's 29 before Auburn missed a 47-yard field goal.
Auburn then forced a three-and-out on Georgia's first possession, but the Bulldogs scored on their second drive on a 51-yard touchdown pass from Fromm to Dominick Blaylock for a 7-0 lead with 5:56 left in the first quarter.
Near the end of the quarter, Auburn defensive linemen Derrick Brown and Marlon Davidson made tackles for loss on successive plays, with Brown's TFL on second-and-10 preceding Davidson's sack on third-and-12.
Auburn drove again into Georgia territory before being stopped on fourth-and-1 from the 37.
The Tigers' defense delivered three consecutive three-and-outs, allowing zero yards on nine plays.
After the second three-and-out, Nix and Williams connected on another slant for 28 yards, Auburn's biggest play of the half, advancing to Auburn's 45. In the half, Williams made seven receptions for 66 yards.
On third-and-9, Nix found Anthony Schwartz for 10 yards to Georgia's 44, but the Bulldogs recovered a fumble on the next play to end the drive.
Georgia drove 81 yards to take a 14-0 lead on Fromm's 5-yard pass to Brian Herrien with 20 seconds left in the half.
Auburn (7-3, 4-3) hosts Samford next Saturday at 11 a.m. CT on the Auburn Sports Network.
"Really appreciative of our fans," Malzahn said. "We were down 21-0, didn't look good and we fought back. We're disappointed. I think everybody can see we've got a good football team. We have great character in our locker room. Our guys are disappointed. They'll rebound and finish this thing."
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer
GAME NOTES
- Captains: Derrick Brown, Marlon Davidson, Jeremiah Dinson, Daniel Thomas
- Coin Toss: Georgia wins the toss and defers. Auburn will receive
- Eagle Flight: Aurea from section 46 in NW corner
- Attendance: 87,451 (capacity)
TEAM NOTES
- First-time starters for Auburn: D.J. Williams,
- Auburn has scored in 90 consecutive games, the second-longest streak in school history
- The Auburn defense has allowed only five first-quarter touchdowns this season, one today
- Auburn has not allowed an SEC opponent to gain 100 yards in the first quarter this season (Georgia 75 yards today)
INDIVIDUAL NOTES/OFFENSE
- Shedrick Jackson's 25-yard reception was a career long
- Eli Stove's 3-yard TD reception from Bo Nix was Stove's third TD reception of the season and third of his career. It's Nix' 13th touchdown pass of the season
- Bo Nix scores on a 2-yard TD run, his sixth rushing touchdown of the season and the first rushing TD allowed by Georgia this season
- Nix finished 30-for-50 passing for 245 yards; his 50 pass attempts were the fifth-most in a single-game in Auburn history and the most since Dameyune Craig had 54 vs. Mississippi State in 1997
- Nix' 30 completions also tied for the fourth-most in Auburn history, tying his own mark from Auburn's last game vs. Ole Miss
- Nix was also Auburn's leading rusher on the night with 42 yards on 13 attempts
- Nix topped the 2,000-yard passing mark for the season; he now has 2,043 yards on the season, which ranks second among Auburn freshmen all-time, 199 yards shy of the Auburn freshman record (2,242)
- Sophomore Seth Williams now has 1,224 career receiving yards, ranking 22nd among Auburn career leaders, passing Terrell Zachery (1,106 from 2007-10), Tim Christian (1,126 from 1966-68) and Clifton Robinson (1,167 from 1997-2000), Greg Taylor (1,217 from 1987-90).
- Seth Williams records his third career 100-yard receiving game with 121 yards on 13 catches
- D.J. Williams ranks 22nd among Auburn single-season freshman rushing leaders with 329 yards, passing Secdrick McIntyre (315 in 1973), Kam Martin (320 in 2016), Kiehl Frazier (327 in 2011)
- Sophomore JaTarvious Whitlow has 1,363 career rushing yards, making him 37th on the Auburn career rushing list passing William Andrews (1,347 from 1976-78).
INDIVIDUAL NOTES/DEFENSE
- Marlon Davidson has 6.5 sacks for the season and 16.0 for his career
- Zakoby McClain records his second career forced fumble
INDIVIDUAL NOTES/SPECIAL TEAMS
- Arryn Siposs had three punts travel more than 50 yards and three land inside the 20; he averaged 45.1 yards on 7 punts