AUBURN—Auburn dropped its third straight game on Saturday with a 31-13 loss to No. 5 Georgia in Sanford Stadium.
With the loss, Auburn falls to 2-4 on the season - the first time since the 3-9 season in 2012.
Here are the biggest takeaways from the game:
Unforced Errors
Yet again, Auburn walks away from a game wondering what could have been if not for sloppy play in crucial moments. Georgia made plays when they needed to be made, but Auburn failed to take advantage of opportunities to score and get stops when needed.
Auburn had the Georgia offense stuffed on its first drive, forcing what looked to be a three-and-out. Instead, an illegal substitution on the Tigers kept the Bulldogs moving, and it turned into an 11-play 75-yard touchdown drive. Auburn has now allowed an opening drive touchdown in three of its last four Power-Four games, deflating any confidence to start the game.
The Tigers had a chance to cut the Georgia lead down to four heading into the fourth quarter with a huge fourth-and-one to start it off. According to Hugh Freeze, the call was a dive to Jarquez Hunter, yet Payton Thorne kept it and went backward.
Auburn must see some improvement with the mental side of the game if it wants to snag a win.
No execution in the red zone
Auburn’s red zone offense has been good, scoring 68.75% of the time this season. However, it failed to score the only two times it got inside the 20-yard line on Saturday. Comparatively, Georgia went 4-4 with touchdowns in the red zone and added a late field goal.
That’s ultimately the deciding factor in the game. Touchdowns are better than field goals, especially when you’re playing a top five team in the country.
Good things happen when Hunter has the ball
The Tigers' lone touchdown of the game came on a 38-yard run from Jarquez Hunter in the second half. The senior running back, who is on track to have his best season in orange and blue, averaged seven yards per carry and finished with 91 yards.
Hunter seemed to fall forward nearly every time he touched the ball, with red jerseys bouncing off of him. But he finished with only 13 carries. The best chance at success for Auburn moving forward.
Keldric Faulk
Keldric Faulk is undeniably Auburn’s best defensive player. Faulk has done nothing but wreak havoc on opposing offensive lines, as he entered Saturday’s game leading the country in quarterback hurries with 21.
He kept the momentum up with seven tackles and two sacks on Saturday, living up to the name he’s made for himself as a sophomore.
With a bye week coming up, Auburn gets a much-needed bye week before heading to Missouri on October 19.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email logan.fowler@1819News.com.
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