Takeaways from Georgia's 27-24 loss vs. Auburn Tigers

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The Georgia Bulldogs (6-1, 4-1 in SEC) were riding high on the mountaintop after defeating the Alabama Crimson Tide (5-2, 3-2 in SEC). They won an emotional, hard-nosed game 20-17 on the road, but against the Auburn Tigers (4-2, 2-2 in SEC), they couldn't let the hangover of that win get to their heads.

Unfortunately, that's what they did. The Bulldogs were up 14-0 by the first, but then Auburn scored 24 unanswered points to take a 24-14 lead in the third quarter. Georgia tried to fight back, tying it at 24-24 with 3:05 left in the game, but then Gunner Stockton, who had already thrown two interceptions, made one of the craziest turnovers in Georgia history. He bumped into Drew Bobo, his own lineman, and fumbled the ball in midfield. Auburn only needed a couple of plays to get in range to kick the game-winning 34-yard field goal to upset Georgia.

The streak is over

Before this game, Georgia had an impressive streak going: 53 straight wins against unranked opponents. That was a record that proved that even if Kirby Smart played down to weaker competition, he always came out on top in the end.

It's an end to that streak and a streak that's been a precedent for years as the No. 1 team. Georgia had a 30-1 all-time record against unranked opponents as the No. 1 seed. Now, it's 30-2, and shockingly, both of those games are against Auburn. That first loss against Auburn happened in 1942, so that was an 84-year-old streak of no losses as the No. 1 seed to an unranked opponent. Now, Georgia has to start the streak again, but it will be tough with the increased parity in college football.

A rough game for Gunner Stockton

This was an unfortunate game for Gunner Stockton. He isn't a quarterback that ever plays poorly enough to lose a game on his own; even in his worst performances, he's performed well enough at the end to take advantage of great defense or a ground game.

However, that changed against Auburn. Stockton had 272 yards and two touchdowns, but he also had two brutal interceptions and a fumble. His first interception didn't lead to anything, but his second interception was at the Auburn 24, stopping a great drive for Georgia.

The worst turnover, by far, was the fumble. It couldn't have come at a worse possible place or time. Stockton ran from inside the pocket to get a first down, and he ran into Drew Bobo to fumble the ball at midfield with 1:04 left to go. If Stockton holds onto that ball, Georgia can drive down the field and kick the game-winning field goal. If Stockton had even kneeled it, the game is going into overtime, and Georgia hasn't lost in overtime since the 2018 national championship against Alabama. Instead, he fumbles it, and Auburn kicks the game-winning field goal on the ensuing drive.

A cruel twist of fate

Everyone remembers the end of the Georgia-Alabama game. A lot of people will remember the controversial no-call, but when Alabama was trying to make a stop late, cornerback Dijon Lee had an unsportsmanlike penalty that gave Georgia a first down.

Fast forward to this week, and the same thing happened for Georgia. After Gunner Stockton fumbled the ball, Auburn was at the Georgia 34-yard line when Gabe Harris Jr. committed a roughing-the-passer penalty. That put Auburn in chip-shot field goal range instead of a field goal from further out. It was a cruel twist of fate for Georgia.

The Bulldogs will go on the bye with a strong 6-1 record, but a major black eye on their resume. They will face the Florida Gators in Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia on Oct. 31, 2026.

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This article originally appeared on UGA Wire: Takeaways from Georgia's 27-24 loss vs. Auburn Tigers

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