Deep South's Oldest Rivalry

Series history

The first college football game between Auburn University and the University of Georgia was played on February 20, 1892 in Piedmont Park in Atlanta, Georgia. The game was the brainchild of Charles Herty of Georgia - the University's first football coach and George Petrie, Auburn's Trainer. The two had met as graduate school classmates at The Johns Hopkins University. The game was also, according to legend, when Auburn's team cheer, "War Eagle", originated. Auburn won the game 10–0.

The Tigers and Bulldogs have played each other nearly every year since. There have only been three exceptions since 1898, when World War I and World War II interrupted the series. Through the 2016 season, the rivalry is tied for the fifth most played college football series at 120 games, and is led by Georgia 57–55–8. When the Southeastern Conference split into its Eastern Division and Western Division in 1992, with Auburn placed in the west and Georgia in the east, the game was designated as the teams' annual cross-divisional rivalry game.

Game results

Series record sources: 2011 Auburn Football Media Guide, 2011 Georgia Football Media Guide, College Football Data Warehouse,

Notable games

In 1892, The two schools met in the first meeting in what is now the Deep South’s oldest college football rivalry. Auburn won the game 10-0. One Atlanta newspaper called it the “social event of the year.”

In 1896, Georgia won by a 12-6 score to finish its first undefeated season under Pop Warner. For Auburn, the game featured Reynolds Tichenor's brilliant punt returns.

In 1899, by all accounts Auburn was leading Georgia by a score of 11-6 when the game was called due to darkness, lighting not being available at that time, resulting in an official 0-0 tie. As noted by sideline reporters for The Atlanta Constitution "The conditions that appeared to make the ruling of Referee Rowbotham a necessity were such as should never have occurred on any gridiron that has the advantage of police protection. As darkness came on it was impossible in the bleachers and grand stand to distinguish the play and with no obstacle in the way the crowd surged into the field mingled with the players and made further progress a matter of impossibility." Fifteen minutes prior to the decision, Auburn coach, John Heisman, made an official request to call the game for the same reason. The decision was backed by Umpire Taylor. "In the decision that made the game a tie the referee was backed up by Umpire Taylor of Birmingham who, although a Just official has always been regarded by many as a friend of Auburn."

In 1902, Rufus Nalley dies in Atlanta after a short, serious illness. According to some, the last thing that he heard before losing consciousness on November 27, was that Georgia had beaten Auburn earlier that day, news that caused him to smile. It was the first victory for Georgia in the rivalry since the 1896 team for which Nalley played.

In 1916, Auburn won 3-0 in the mud on a 40-yard field goal in the fourth quarter by Moon Ducote kicked off of teammate Legare Hairston's leather helmet, in Columbus's McClung Stadium. This precipitated the rule which states the ball must be kicked directly off the ground.

In 1920 Georgia upset Auburn 7-0 when Auburn was fresh off a 56-6 beatdown of Vanderbilt.

In 1942, Georgia won the national championship with an 11-1 record, beating UCLA in the 1943 Rose Bowl, Georgia lone loss came to Auburn, falling 27-13 at Columbus's Memorial Stadium.

On November 14, 1959, at Sanford Stadium in Athens, as time ran short, Georgia player and future Auburn head-coach Pat Dye recovered a fumble by Auburn quarterback Bryant Harvard. Georgia quarterback Fran Tarkenton's touchdown pass in the final seconds gave Georgia a 14-13 victory and cost Auburn a Southeastern Conference championship. Georgia went on to claim the 1959 SEC Championship and the 1960 Orange Bowl Championship with a victory over Missouri in Miami.

In 1983, again at Sanford Stadium, Pat Dye celebrated his first SEC championship as Auburn's coach after the Tigers beat Georgia 13-7 on November 12. Georgia coach Vince Dooley, a former star Auburn quarterback, was there too on that day in 1959 as an assistant on Shug Jordan's staff.

In 1986, the Bulldogs visited Auburn as three-touchdown underdogs. Auburn was two wins away from the SEC Championship, with only one blemish on their record, an 18-17 setback at Florida. Georgia escaped with a 20-16 victory. When Georgia fans stormed the field of Jordan-Hare Stadium and started tearing the turf from midfield and refused to leave, they were doused by sprinkler system and fire hoses.

In 1994, Georgia ended Auburn's 20-game winning streak with a 23-23 tie at Jordan-Hare. The Sunday morning headline in nearby Columbus, Ga read "UGA beats Auburn 23-23".

In 1996, the two teams played in the first Southeastern Conference football game to go into overtime. First-year head coach Jim Donnan's team was down 28-7 at halftime, before rallying to tie it at 28 on a 30-yard touchdown as time expired from Mike Bobo to Cory Allen, and Georgia went on to win 56-49 in four overtimes. This game was also famous for the incident in which Uga V lunged at Auburn wide receiver Robert Baker after a first-quarter touchdown.

In 1999, Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville got his first signature win, as the underdog Tigers led 31-0 at halftime and cruised to a 38-21 victory.

In 2002, #7 Georgia traveled to #22 Auburn with a spot in the SEC Championship game and an outside chance at the national title on the line. Auburn led 14-3 at halftime, thanks to a 53-yard touchdown run from Ronnie Brown. Georgia rallied to make it 21-17 Tigers with 1:25 remaining when they faced a 4th and 15 from the Auburn 19. QB David Greene threw up a prayer, and Michael Johnson outjumped Auburn CB Horace Willis to come away with the improbable touchdown. Georgia defeated Auburn 24-21 to secure a spot in their first SEC Championship Game. The Bulldogs defeated Arkansas 30-3 to win their first SEC Championship since 1982. The Bulldogs finished the season 13-1 with a victory over Florida State in the Sugar Bowl, and a #3 final ranking.

In 2004, #8 Georgia traveled to undefeated and #3 Auburn in 2004. The Tigers were eyeing their first SEC Championship since splitting the title in 1989 (note: Auburn was on probation in 1993 and ineligible for the championship), as well as a spot in the BCS National Championship Game. The Tigers won 24-6 on their way to a 13-0 season, ending with a 16-13 victory over Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl and a No. 2 national ranking.

In 2007, the game marked the first time in the modern era that Georgia wore black jerseys. It also marked the first time that Georgia defeated Florida and Auburn in the same season since 1982 [1], and the first time that Georgia scored more than 40 points in three straight games since 1942.

In 2013, #7 Auburn hosted #25 Georgia in Auburn. Through the first 50 minutes of the game, Auburn had scored on seven of nine possessions with 29 first downs building a 37–17 lead. In contrast, when Georgia began their first possession of the fourth quarter they had only reached the end zone once on their previous six drives. Auburn maintained that 20-point lead until 9:35 left in the game when the momentum suddenly shifted. At that moment, Aaron Murray threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to senior Rantavious Wooten to cut the deficit to 13 points. In fact Murray would lead his team to three touchdowns in the span of 7:46, the final touchdown giving Georgia their first lead of the game with 1:49 remaining. With 36 seconds remaining and faced with 4th and 18 from the Tiger 26-yardline, Auburn quarterback Nick Marshall, a former defensive back for the Bulldogs during the 2011 season, threw a Hail Mary pass, which was tipped by Georgia safety Josh Harvey-Clemons into the hands of Auburn sophomore wide receiver Ricardo Louis. What has become known as "The Prayer at Jordan–Hare," the play resulted in a game-winning touchdown for the Tigers with 25 seconds to spare. Auburn went on to win the SEC Championship and later play for the BCS National Championship.

Family rivalry

"It's a unique thing. It's like playing against your brother. I don't think anybody who plays in that game can ever forget it. It just doesn't matter much where it's played or what somebody's record is. It's so intense and tough, but at the same time, it's family" Pat Dye, UGA '60 - Auburn head coach, 1981–92

Beyond the length of the rivalry, the schools' football histories are quite interconnected. Georgia's long-time head coach and athletic director, Vince Dooley, earned both his bachelor's and master's degree at Auburn while playing football and subsequently beginning his coaching career under legendary Auburn head coach Shug Jordan. Jordan himself was an assistant football coach and head basketball coach at Georgia before returning to his alma mater.

Former Auburn head coach Pat Dye was a three-year letterman and All-American offensive lineman at Georgia under head coach Wally Butts. Current Auburn defensive line coach Rodney Garner (who coached at Georgia for fifteen years), and former Georgia offensive line coach Stacy Searels both played at Auburn under Dye. Two-time former Auburn defensive coordinator Will Muschamp and offensive line coach Hugh Nall are former Georgia players. Former Georgia offensive coordinator Neil Callaway was Auburn's offensive line coach for all of Dye's 12 seasons. Tracy Rocker, a College Football Hall of Fame inductee and 2x All-American at Auburn as a defensive lineman, was a defensive line coach at Georgia from 2014-2017.