Auburn reaches the home stretch of the football season with two losses and a top-10 ranking under Gus Malzahn. But all the good and bad that’s taken place before now is largely forgotten, because the season really begins the week of the Georgia game.
Auburn loses 34-7.
Wait, you thought I was talking about this season? I was actually talking about 2014, when Auburn entered Georgia week with a 7-2 record and a No. 9 national ranking.
I could have just as easily been referencing last season, when Auburn took a 7-2 record and No. 8 national ranking into the Georgia game, only to lose to the Bulldogs and Alabama.
This season is much the same, as Auburn enters Saturday’s game ranked No. 10 in the country, in complete control of its own destiny in terms of winning the SEC championship and with that a realistic shot at the college football playoff.
But for all those good things to happen Malzahn will have to reverse his fortunes against the Tigers’ two biggest rivals. Malzahn’s offense has failed to score more than 13 points in five of the last six games against the Bulldogs and Tide.
That offensive production will have to improve or Malzahn will soon be on a historic eight-game losing streak in the rivalry games.
But if it does improve … well, just like almost every year, everything is still possible for the Tigers as Georgia week arrives.
For Threaded Fasteners, I’m Randy Kennedy with Nuts and Bolts of the Game.
