Day-After Dissection: Georgia

Rarely does writing a "day-after dissection" piece actually feel like a literal dissection. Then again, rarely does a Gus Malzahn offense go an entire half without so much as gaining a first down, let alone in a game with national championship hopes on the line.

Auburn now finds themselves at 7-3 and firmly out of the playoff picture. The trip to Tuscaloosa to take on No. 1 Alabama in two weeks is probably going to be a loss, so it looks like an 8-4 finish for the Tigers. Not a bad season by any means, especially considering that Auburn had low expectations nationally this season after a 7-6 campaign.

However, a season that had built up so much promise for winning some rings turned sour with yet another low-scoring loss to a Georgia team that had no business beating them. If not for the flukey pass to Ricardo Louis in 2013, here's how Malzahn's track record would look against Georgia: A blown 20-point lead with national title hopes on the line, a 27-point beatdown with slim national title hopes still alive, an inexplicable home loss that made a mediocre season even worse, and an even more inexplicable loss with national title hopes on the line.

So, let's dissect this disasterpiece of a football game and hand out some grades, shall we?

Coaching: F

• I want to be lenient in this regard because Kevin Steele's defense, once again, put on a fantastic display. They shut out Georgia for three quarters and made the stops they needed to even when they were exhausted.
• Unfortunately, all the good Steele did was undone by the horrific job done by Malzahn and Rhett Lashlee in this game. Malzahn might not be the playcaller any more, but his preparation for this game was almost asking to be upset. He didn't allow an injured Sean White to throw in practice all week and then threw him out there against a good Georgia defense. How he was convinced that was a good idea, I will never understand. That alone is enough for an F, but the overall lack of preparation for this game seals it. The offense looked like it was looking forward to the Iron Bowl, and Malzahn coached that way. Overlooking your most historic rival is inexcusable.
• Rhett Lashlee had been on a roll with playcalling, so the second half of this game is even more unbelievable. Auburn faced seven third downs in the second half and tried to pass or run a quarterback draw on all of them. With an injured Sean White. I think that says it all.
• Malzahn and Lashlee owe Steele and every defensive player a heartfelt apology. Their poor choices and terrible coaching resulted in a loss that those defensive players simply didn't deserve.

Quarterback: F

• I want to make it clear that this isn't bashing Sean White. White has been the most consistent passer in the SEC this season when called upon. It was clear in this game that he wasn't close to 100 percent. So, really, this grade falls more on the coaches than White. But still, 6-for-20 for 27 yards, with 14 of those coming on one pass to Tony Stevens? White shouldn't have stayed in the game or played at all if he wasn't even healthy enough to partake in non-contact practice drills, or thrown as many passes as he did. The coaches failed him in Athens.

Running Back: C

• Kerryon Johnson did the best he could in an impossible situation without Kamryn Pettway's — or the coaches' — help. He ran 22 times for 99 yards and a touchdown. Stanton Truitt went down with an injury on his first carry while Kam Martin dropped what would have been a big first down in the fourth quarter. This was the offense's best group on Saturday, which isn't saying much.

Wide Receivers: F

• Nobody could get open. Outside of Stevens on his 14-yard catch, nobody could get downfield. And, worst of all, nobody could catch the ball. Marcus Davis had a drop. Ryan Davis had a drop. This was a horrific day for this group, which couldn't bail out their struggling, injured gunslinger. It's unclear whether the Auburn receivers should watch this game film extensively and see how to change things or burn the game film and bury the charred remains.

Offensive Line: D+

• This unit doesn't get an F because, like all of the other positions on offense, there wasn't much they could do with what they were given and they actually had their moments. The run blocking was good in the first half, but the line got no push in the second. Also, White was harassed all game by Georgia's pass rush. 

Defensive Line: A+

• Montravius Adams and Carl Lawson completely owned the Georgia offensive front. Lawson had six tackles, three tackles for loss and a sack. Adams had six tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack. Both made huge impacts on the game by constantly bullying the line and creating havoc in the backfield.
• The biggest compliment a defensive line can get outside of being sack machines is that they forced an offense to abandon the inside run. Most of Georgia's rushing yards came on outside runs because they realized not far into the game that the Tiger front four just weren't having it.
• If Adams and Lawson aren't both first-round picks, I will be absolutely shocked and disappointed. They're two of the best defensive linemen in America.

Linebackers: A-

• This unit wasn't as dominant as the defensive line was (because that's almost an impossible thing to ask of a unit), but Deshaun Davis, Darrell Williams and Tre' Williams all turned in good performances to anchor the defense. There were a couple of missed tackles, but this unit doesn't get phased easily, and they were a crucial part of the defense's success in helping Auburn stay in the game.

Defensive Backs: B

• Jacob Eason threw several great deep passes, including a 57-yard strike to Riley Ridley. Ridley burned Javaris Davis several times and although he had the one deep catch, he constantly kept the Auburn defense on its toes. Eason had as much success on deep passes as any quarterback that the Tigers have faced this year.
• Tray Matthews got an interception in the end zone against his old team and led Auburn with 8 tackles. He clearly seemed motivated by the return trip to Athens, though he denies that.
• Eason was able to dink and dunk down the field at points during the game, which is always frustrating for a defense, but it's understandable considering that the Tigers showed a lot of respect for their deep passing game.

Special Teams: C-

• Kevin Phillips got much more action than he would have liked. He punted eight times for 353 yards, which was more than twice the yardage gained by the Auburn offense. He mostly had a strong game.
• Auburn's lack of a return game, as well as a big return allowed in the fourth quarter, really cost it the field position battle. Also, the Tigers had a brief moment of hope when the Bulldogs muffed a punt, but it turns out that the returner was interfered with while trying to catch it.

Overall: F

• As much praise as I gave the defense, Auburn's defensive players maintain that they win as a team and lose as a team, so I will grade it as such. This is Malzahn's worst loss as a head coach. There was no reason for Auburn, a contender, to fall to a mediocre Georgia squad with a meandering offense. This loss is on him, as well as Lashlee. Even down Pettway and forced to go with a broken quarterback, this was simply an inexcusable performance, especially considering Auburn's recent track record against the Bulldogs and what was on the line. The pain on the Plains is going to be felt for a long time after this one, maybe even all offseason.