Week 12 SEC: Georgia at Auburn

Georgia (7-2) at Auburn (7-2) Nov. 15, 7:15, ESPN 

Here’s The Deal: Missouri just isn’t that good – it’s going to lose to Texas A&M, Tennessee or Arkansas at some point over the next three weeks, and it might lose two of the three. Georgia needs to be ready. 

The Bulldogs are absolutely still in the national title hunt, even with two losses. The SEC has so much juice that its champion – even with two losses – should find its way into the CFP four, especially if Georgia is able to beat a Mississippi State or Alabama team ranked in the top three. However, where’s the really, really great win so far to suggest that it’s going to happen? 

Arkansas? Clemson? Tennessee? Nice, but not really needle-moving. How about the 34-0 blasting of Missouri? That’s huge for the tie-breaker scenario, but the Bulldogs could use a win over a team like Auburn to make a bigger splash. Already the owner of the only non-SEC West win over an SEC West team – 45-32 over Arkansas – the Dawgs need to come up with a second or else the door will be wide open for Missouri, or even Florida, to step through. 

Auburn also isn’t completely out of the national title hunt, but it needs a lot of help including Mississippi State losses to both Alabama and Ole Miss. The Tigers were hanging on by a thread in wins over Ole Miss and South Carolina, and then couldn’t find a way to hang on to the ball in the comeback attempt against Texas A&M losing 41-38. Now the Tigers are entering dangerous territory with Auburn still to play, but if they can come up with the two monster road wins over the Bulldogs and Crimson Tide, they’re going to be really, really high in the CFP rankings, and even with two losses, they might be knocking on the door of the CFP four. 

Why Auburn Might Win: 60 carries for 418 yards and five touchdowns. That’s what the Georgia defense allowed to the Florida running game a few weeks ago, and Kentucky was able to crank out 214 yards and three scores. The run defense was solid all season long – failing to allow 200 yards in any of the first seven games – and then the Gators brought the power and everything changed. Auburn continues to crank out the rushing yards, and now the attack is in high gear with 395 yards against South Carolina, averaging 8.4 yards per carry – and 363 yards against Texas A&M. Georgia knows what’s coming, but can it do anything about it? 

Why Georgia Might Win: The Georgia running game was working just fine before, and now it gets No. 3 back rested and ready. Not only is Todd Gurley coming back with something to prove, but he’s 100% healthy. Best of all, he doesn’t have to carry the entire load, with Nick Chubb helping to provide a killer 1-2 rushing punch to keep hammering a good Auburn run defense that isn’t getting gouged, but struggled against Mississippi State. The Bulldogs don’t have to come up with 250 yards, but they need to of the best backs in the country to keep running and running some more. However … 

Who To Watch Out For: There’s no hotter running back in the country than Auburn senior Cameron Artis-Payne, who was one of the big bright spots against Texas A&M, tearing off 221 yards and two touchdowns averaging 7.37 yards per try. With a good mix of speed and power, he’s doing a great job of being the new Tiger running star, with seven 100-yard running games in the last nine outings. With WR D’haquille Williams out with a leg injury, Artis-Payne will have to do even more. 

What’s Going To Happen: Auburn has gotten used to playing close SEC games, and this won’t be any different. The Tigers will get their running game going early, but the Georgia defense will take things to another level, while Gurley and Chubb will combine to control the game and the clock, keeping the Tiger offense off the field. 

Prediction: Georgia 34 … Auburn 31 
Line: Georgia -2.5 o/u: 68.5 
Must Watch Factor: 5: Foxcatcher – 1: The Comeback … 4.5