Here are three things to know about the first 125 years of the Georgia-Auburn rivalry (Year 126 will kick off Saturday night in Athens):
1. Finding rarity in the familiar: There have been 122 games in the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry - including two meetings in 2017.
Georgia faced an opponent twice in a season on four previous occasions, dropping both meetings three times against UNC (1895), LSU (1943) and most relevantly, LSU in 2003, when the Tigers topped the Bulldogs a second time in the SEC championship. UGA defeated Presbyterian twice at home in the 1943 season.
Auburn also met a team twice in one season four times, with the most recent three coming in the SEC championship. The Tigers swept Alabama in 1893, lost to Florida twice in 2000, then swept Tennessee and South Carolina in 2004 and 2010, respectively, in route to perfect seasons.
- Georgia's motivation against Auburn comes from last year
In 2017, Auburn won at home 40-17 in the regular season and Georgia returned the favor by defeating the Tigers 28-7 in the SEC Championship game in Atlanta.
2. As close as it gets: Georgia holds a 58-56-8 advantage in the series. It began in 1892 when the teams played at Atlanta's Piedmont Park. Georgia and Auburn have played every year since outside 1917, 1918 and 1943, which were disrupted by world wars. The point differential may be the best illustration of the foes' equality: Georgia has outscored Auburn by 110 points (1,998-1,888) in 122 games.
The Bulldogs have taken recent control of the series with 13 wins in 17 tries.
3. Back in Athens: After playing in Auburn and Atlanta last season, the series returns to Athens for game No. 123.
The game has changed venues on multiple occasions throughout the years. As previously mentioned, the first game took place in Atlanta, as did the ensuing nine.
It was held in Columbus, Georgia, from 1930-58. Georgia played consecutive games at Auburn in 2012-13, marking the first time the game was played at the same location in consecutive years since leaving Columbus.
Auburn is 5-5-3 against Georgia in Atlanta, with the last meeting prior to last season’s SEC title game coming in 1914.
About the Author
