Here are the grades for Auburn from its sixth straight loss in Athens.
QB: C-
Gus Malzahn’s offenses are traditionally bad in Athens, Georgia.
In five years, the Tigers are yet to score a touchdown in the second, third, or fourth quarter in Sanford Stadium. Saturday was no different. After scoring a touchdown in the first quarter to take a 7-3 lead, the Auburn offense stalled out and only managed to add one field goal the remainder of the game. Jarrett Stidham wasn’t great, but it was more a product of an overall uninspired performance from the whole offensive unit.
Stidham finished 24-of-36 for 163 yards, and failed to throw a touchdown pass.
RB: C
The running game was without a rhythm Saturday night. The Bulldogs, who own one of the better run defenses in the country, stymied the Tigers rushing attack and didn’t give up a rushing touchdown all night.
The lone bright spot for Auburn was JaTarvious Whitlow’s 9-yard touchdown pass to John Samuel Shenker out of the wildcat formation which gave the Tigers their only score of the game. Whitlow finished with nine carries for 26 yards and Shaun Shivers led the team with four carries for 43 yards.
Auburn totaled 102 yards on the ground as a team.
WR: B-
Ryan Davis set two school records Saturday night, but apart from that, it was a quiet night for the wide receivers. Davis, who became Auburn’s all-time leader in receptions, finished with 13 catches for 72 yards.
Freshman Seth Williams was next best, finishing with three receptions for 38 yards. The Tigers threw for 172 yards.
O-LINE: C-
Auburn’s offensive line, as it has been for almost every game this season, was simply overmatched Saturday. The Tigers did not give up a sack but failed to establish any semblance of a run game and rarely gave Stidham enough time to make accurate throws.
When the offensive line is weak, it is hard for the rest of the offense to be anywhere near successful.
FRONT SEVEN: D-
Battling injuries and an ejection, which came early in the first half, the Auburn defense was dominated by the Georgia and running back D’Andre Swift on Saturday night.
The Bulldogs ran for 303 yards, which was capped off by Swift in the fourth quarter with a 77-yard touchdown run that extended their lead to 27-10. Injuries or not, giving up over 300 yards on the ground will never put you in a position to win an SEC game on the road.
SECONDARY: D
It wasn’t just the front seven either; the secondary provided no help against Jake Fromm and the Georgia passing attack. Fromm threw for 213 and two touchdown passes.
The Bulldogs were just flat out better on both sides of the ball all night. Georgia finished with 24 first downs, and were 8-for-14 on third down conversions, compared to Auburn, which was 3-for-11 on third down.
SPECIAL TEAMS: B
Anders Carlson converted his only attempt of the night from 27 yards out to put the Tigers up 10-6 in the second quarter.
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