Auburn Shocks No. 1 Georgia 27-24 in Athens with Last-Second Field Goal

Auburn stunned top-ranked Georgia 27-24 on Saturday night in Athens, winning on Alex McPherson’s 34-yard field goal as time expired to end the Bulldogs’ nine-game winning streak in the rivalry.

The upset turned on a frantic final stretch at Sanford Stadium. Georgia tied the game 24-24 with 2:58 remaining, but Bulldogs quarterback Gunner Stockton lost a fumble with about 1:12 left. Auburn recovered at its own 44-yard line, then drove 40 yards in five plays to set up McPherson’s winner.

It was a sharp reversal from the start of the game. Georgia raced to a 14-0 lead, only for Auburn to answer with 24 consecutive points and carry a 24-14 advantage into the fourth quarter. Georgia rallied to even it late, but Auburn made the last play.

The numbers showed how narrow the margin was and where it turned. Georgia outgained Auburn 440-366 in total yards, but the Bulldogs gave the ball away three times. Stockton threw two interceptions before losing the late fumble that gave Auburn one more possession and, ultimately, the game.

Auburn quarterback Byrum Brown led the comeback with both his arm and legs. Brown completed 15 of 26 passes for 150 yards and ran 26 times for 115 yards and a touchdown. McPherson also delivered earlier in the night, making a 49-yard field goal late in the second quarter before his game-winner.

Stockton finished 22 of 34 for 272 yards and two touchdowns, but his three turnovers loomed over the result. Georgia moved the ball consistently for much of the night, just not cleanly enough to put away its in-state rival.

The result was one of the biggest in recent Auburn memory and a signature early-season win for first-year coach Alex Golesh, though it came in the oldest possible setting. Georgia entered the game ranked No. 1 in the AP Top 25, and the loss came in the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry, one of college football’s most tradition-rich series.

For Auburn, the victory carried added weight beyond the ranking. It snapped Georgia’s nine-game series winning streak and gave the Tigers their first road win over the Bulldogs since 1995.