ATHENS, Ga. – In a seismic upset that sent shockwaves through the college football landscape, Alex McPherson connected on a 34-yard field goal as time expired to propel Auburn to a stunning 27-24 victory over top-ranked Georgia on Saturday.
The win marks the second consecutive week that the AP No. 1 team has fallen to an unranked opponent, following Texas’ loss to Oklahoma last weekend. According to Sportradar, this is the first time since October 1990 that the nation’s top-ranked team has lost in back-to-back weeks.
For Auburn (4-2, 2-2 SEC), the game was a masterclass in grit, spearheaded by quarterback Byrum Brown. Brown was a dual-threat force, racking up 115 rushing yards and a touchdown on 26 carries while adding a passing score. The Tigers outgained the Bulldogs on the ground 192-113, physically wearing down the Georgia defense throughout the afternoon.
“It’s pretty neat,” said first-year Auburn coach Alex Golesh. “I’m really proud of our guys. We’re going to build Auburn back to where everybody wants it, one game at a time.”
Georgia (6-1, 4-1) appeared to have the game under control early, surging to a 14-0 lead behind an efficient start from quarterback Gunner Stockton. However, the momentum shifted as Auburn rattled off 24 unanswered points. Despite a valiant fourth-quarter rally—highlighted by a 94-yard drive capped by Stockton’s 4-yard touchdown pass to London Humphreys—the Bulldogs crumbled under the pressure of self-inflicted mistakes.
With less than a minute remaining and Georgia driving for a potential go-ahead score, catastrophe struck. Stockton, who struggled with two interceptions and a shoulder injury throughout the day, fumbled on a carry at the Auburn 46-yard line. Safety Sylvester Smith-Reed pounced on the loose ball, and a subsequent roughing-the-passer penalty against Georgia’s Gabe Harris Jr. pushed Auburn into prime field-goal range, setting the stage for McPherson’s heroics.
“We helped them,” a frustrated Georgia coach Kirby Smart admitted post-game. “We had three turnovers and critical penalties. We had some really, really untimely, uncharacteristic and undisciplined penalties.”
The loss snapped two significant Georgia streaks: 53 consecutive wins over unranked opponents and nine straight victories against Auburn. Perhaps most notably, it also ended the Bulldogs’ brief, one-week tenure at the top of the AP Top 25.
Auburn’s victory was bolstered by a trick play in the first half when wide receiver Christian Neptune found Keshaun Singleton for a 28-yard touchdown. For Georgia, the focus now shifts to a bye week before facing Florida at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Oct. 31, while Auburn looks to carry this momentum into next week’s matchup against No. 22 LSU.
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