In the SEC, it takes contributions from the offense, defense and special teams to win every week.
Unfortunately for Auburn, only one unit showed up to Saturday’s 20-13 loss to Georgia.
The defense played its best game of the season for the second consecutive week, holding the Bulldogs to 243 yards of offense, the lowest total since Oct. 15, 2011, when Auburn (5-5, 2-5 SEC) held Florida to 194 total yards.
“I thought (the defense) did some very good things,” said coach Gus Malzahn. “We didn’t win. That is the bottom line. Maybe one group needs to step up, but we just didn’t score enough points to win today.”
The offense appeared out of sync for most of the day, and while kicker Daniel Carlson was solid once again, special teams gave up what would become the game-winning, 53-yard punt return to Georgia’s Isaiah McKenzie with 9:28 left in the game.
Auburn seized all momentum early.
After the offense marched down the field to open the game, the defense forced a Georgia punt. On the Bulldogs’ next possession, Auburn stopped Georgia (7-3, 5-3 SEC) on three consecutive plays from inside the Tigers’ two-yard line.
“It was really big for us as far as momentum was concerned,” said linebacker Kris Frost. “We just wish that we could have made more plays toward the end.”
The defense was put into bad positions by the offense, especially in the second half.
Of Auburn’s first six second-half drives, four ended in a punt, and two ended in a fumble.
“It’s a part of the game,” Frost said. “There were times when we were on the sideline and we had a lot of time to rest.”
The final dagger came in the form of McKenzie’s punt return, which gave Georgia its first lead of the game.
“(McKenzie) is an electric guy,” Malzahn said. “He had a little bit of space and had a good cut and had the ability to take it to the house. That was a big play in the game.”
Auburn’s next test will be Idaho, which comes to town with only three wins on the year.
It will serve as another opportunity to put together a complete team win, something Auburn has only done once this year, according to Malzahn and players.
“This is a tough one,” Malzahn said. “We have to rebound and win next week. That is what is on our mind. There is no doubt in my mind that our guys will come ready.”
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