Georgia football turns game around at Auburn, wins 20-10

AUBURN, Ala. . — Georgia fought its way off the ropes to find victory at Auburn, overcoming a determined Tigers team for a 20-10 win.

The No. 10 Bulldogs were an inch away from falling behind by a 17-0 count in the first half before a momentum-changing — and controversial — forced fumble at the goal line turned the game around.

Georgia kicked a field goal with 13 seconds left in the first half to pull within a score, 10-3, and took control in the second half to improve to 5-1 overall and 3-1 in the SEC.

It was another gut punch for Auburn, the Tigers falling to 3-3 overall and 0-3 in the SEC in front of a school-record 18th-straight sellout crowd at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Gunner Stockton delivered the knock-out punch for the Bulldogs with a 10-yard touchdown run with 1:53 left to cap a marathon drive that bled the fourth quarter clock.

Georgia ran 16 plays and covered 78 yards, tying a school record by taking 8 minutes, 45 seconds on the scoring drive.

Stockton finished 24-of-37 passing for 217 yards, also rushing for 26 yards and a touchdown on nine carries.

The Bulldogs didn’t lead the game until Peyton Woodring’s 53-yard field goal with 1:22 left in the third quarter made it 13-10.

Georgia had tied the game at 10-10 at the 7:23 mark of the third quarter on its previous possession when Chauncey Bowens burst into the end zone from 2 yards out.

The Bulldogs drove 63 yards on five plays on their second possession of the second half for the game-tying score, which was set up by Noah Thomas’ 30-yard reception from Gunner Stockton.

Thomas, who broke wide open on the crossing route, had not caught a pass since UGA’s second game of the season.

Georgia was fortunate to trail by only a touchdown (10-3) at halftime.

Auburn dominated most all the first 28 1/2 minutes of play before a late goal-line stand and ensuing scoring drive capped by a 29-yard Woodring field goal with 13 seconds left in the second quarter.

The Tigers had looked to be on the verge of extending their lead to 17-0 when Jackson Arnold took the snap and attempted to run the “Tush Push” quarterback sneak made popular by the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles.

Instead, Bulldogs’ linebackers Raylen Wilson and CJ Allen forced the football loose, and Georgia wound up taking possession at its own 1-yard line with 1:32 left in the half.

Replays appeared to show that after Wilson knocked the ball loose, UGA safety Kyron Jones scooped up Arnold’s fumble and was not down. The play, however, had been whistled dead, negating what could have been a fumble return for a touchdown.

Auburn coach Hugh Freeze made it clear he felt the ball crossed the plane of the goal line before it was fumbled and was not pleased with the officiating during his halftime interview.

“I have no clue how that (football) doesn’t break the plane,” Freeze said. “We’re due a break, maybe, one of these times.”

The Bulldogs offense made the most of the change of possession, coming to life with a 12-play, 88-yard drive capped by Woodring’s field goal.

Auburn out-gained Georgia 237-78 yards through the first 30 minutes, dominating the time of possession 21:55 to 8:05.

“Our kids have played really hard …. we should be up more,” Freeze said at halftime. “There was more (play) stoppages …. it’s the longest half of football ever.”

The Tigers, who caught a break being scheduled a bye week before the UGA game, had clearly made the most of their extra week of preparation.

Auburn flexed muscle with a game-opening 14-play, 75-yard scoring drive capped by Jackson Arnold’s 2-yard touchdown run.

Auburn was 4-of-4 on third-down conversions on the opening rive, appearing to catch UGA on its heels.

The Bulldogs defense dug in on the Tigers’ second drive, stopping Auburn at the 7-yard line to force a field goal that made it 10-0 at the 13:41 mark of the second quarter.

Georgia had generated just 20 yards of offense before its final drive of the first half after starting its sixth different offensive line combination in six games.

Bo Hughley started at left tackle in place of Monroe Freeling, who didn’t enter the game until the third series after suffering an ankle injury last Saturday against Kentucky.