No. 1 Georgia Knows Another Physical Battle Awaits Against Auburn

Georgia’s 20-17 victory over Alabama was one of its biggest wins of the season.

However, Kirby Smart knows the Bulldogs can’t afford to celebrate for long.

After knocking off the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, No. 1 Georgia returns home Saturday to face Auburn in the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry.

The Tigers have had an extra week to prepare. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs are coming off a hard-fought road win that took a toll.

At Monday’s press conference, Smart emphasized Auburn’s toughness and the need to move forward.

“It’s on to Auburn,” Smart said. “As y’all know, it’s the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry. It’s an awesome rivalry.”

The matchup carries personal significance for Smart, who grew up in Bainbridge, Georgia, near Auburn. He’s also been part of the rivalry for much of his coaching career.

First-year Auburn head coach Alex Golesh has Smart’s respect, as does the talent on the Tigers’ roster.

“Coach Golesh is doing a great job coming in and taking over the program, installing his beliefs, his offense, his things,” Smart said. “They have a lot of talent. They’ve got good football players.”

Georgia Preparing for Auburn’s Physical Offense

Auburn’s offense is known for its tempo and ability to stretch the field. However, Smart believes the Tigers’ toughness at the line of scrimmage is just as important.

Having faced Golesh’s offense at Tennessee, Smart knows what Georgia will see Saturday.

“People want to make it about passing, and they do have a lot of good passes,” Smart said. “They have tempo, and they get a lot of plays, but they’re physical. They’re physical at the point of attack.”

The Tigers also have the advantage of an open week. That has given Auburn additional time to prepare for Georgia’s defense.

Smart expects another demanding SEC contest.

“It will be an extremely physical game,” Smart said. “They’re coming off an off week, and we’re coming off a really tough, physical game.”

Defensive lineman Justin Williams echoed his head coach’s assessment, pointing to Auburn’s reputation for toughness.

“It’s just a very physical team,” Williams said. “They’ve always been physical, ever since I played them my first time and just watched them growing up.”

Auburn’s Defense Will Test Georgia’s Offense

On the other side of the ball, Auburn features an aggressive defense led by coordinator DJ Durkin.

Durkin’s defense relies on speed, pressure, and pursuit to disrupt opposing offenses. That presents another challenge for a Georgia team dealing with injuries at several positions.

“Coach Durkin, the defensive coordinator, has been one of the best in the conference over all the years he’s been in the conference,” Smart said. “He’s a great defensive football coach.”

The Tigers’ defensive personality is evident in how they attack opposing offenses.

“Speed, athleticism, the way they fly to the ball,” Smart said. “They play really hard. They attack the ball. They blitz. They come after you. They’re aggressive.”

Georgia running back Dwight Phillips Jr. isn’t overlooking Auburn’s defense despite its statistical struggles this season.

“Auburn has a great, tough team, great defense,” Phillips said. “We just have to get prepared throughout the week, and we’ll be fine.”

Phillips is coming off the best rushing performance of his Georgia career. Against Alabama, he carried the ball 17 times for 120 yards.

With Nate Frazier and Chauncey Bowens unavailable, Phillips took on a larger role in the backfield. Freshman Bo Walker also contributed as the Bulldogs worked through their injuries.

Depending on the availability of Georgia’s injured backs, Phillips could again be asked to shoulder much of the rushing workload Saturday.

Georgia Looking to Avoid a Letdown Against Auburn

Georgia enters the rivalry matchup undefeated and riding a nine-game winning streak against Auburn. Still, the Bulldogs aren’t putting much stock in either.

Coming off an emotional victory over Alabama, Georgia must maintain the same intensity against a rested conference opponent.

Williams said the Bulldogs know records and past results mean little once the game begins.

“Anybody can beat anybody in the SEC,” Williams said. “It’s football. You have to come out there prepared and well-trained.”

For Georgia, that means putting the Alabama victory behind it. Auburn will be looking to end its losing streak in the rivalry.

Smart emphasized that the Bulldogs can’t afford to let last week’s success affect their preparation.

“I promise you that the page for us is focused on this Auburn team because they’re well-rested, and they’ve got a good football team coming in here,” Smart said.

Saturday lets Georgia stay unbeaten and extend its winning streak over Auburn to 10 games. Another victory would also keep the Bulldogs on track in the SEC race.

However, Smart believes the team’s approach throughout the week will be critical.

“It’ll be really important that the mindset and the approach to the game are right,” Smart said, “because they want to make it physical.”