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By B.J. Bennett
SouthernPigskin.com Senior Editor
SouthernPigskin.com Senior Editor B.J. Bennett looks at the historic Auburn vs Georgia rivalry. Follow us on Twitter at Twitter.com/SouthernPigskin.
We as people are the absolute worst when it comes to taking things for granted. Sure that can be applied in a larger, philosophical sense, but it applies in sports too. You see, do or experience something so often, you no longer appreciate it.
After 113 games, perhaps we've forgotten just how good of a rivalry Auburn/Georgia is. We know the history, we know the tradition. But the series doesn't roll off the tongue like others do when discussing the top rivalries in the south. Georgia fans might mention Florida, Georgia Tech or even Tennessee first. Auburn faithful will utter Alabama, without hesitation. The Deep South's Oldest Rivalry gets lost in the shuffle.
Georgia has lost 18 of their last 21 games to Florida. The last two scores have been a combined 100-27 in favor of the Gators. The last five Georgia versus Tennessee games have been decided by an average of 18 points. The Bulldogs have won 14 of their last 18 against Georgia Tech. Auburn was shutout by Alabama last season 36-0, but had previously won six of the last seven in the series. Six of the last ten Auburn versus Georgia games have been decided by a touchdown or less. Over the last 25 years, Georgia has won 12 games, Auburn has won 12 games and there has been one tie. Perhaps we've all been paying too much attention to the wrong rivalries.
Saturday night in Athens was a prime example of why we as southern college football fans can't let this series become just another game on the schedule. A back-and-forth classic, a game where the homestanding Bulldogs scored the game-winning touchdown late and held off the Tigers to preserve the victory in front of 92,000 plus. It was a game where neither team was ranked. There were no BCS bowl game implications, no conference championship consequences on the line. Despite the bland regional billing, the meeting was a lot of fun and was the game of the week in the SEC.
The history and tradition behind these two programs is simply stunning. From Herschel Walker to Bo Jackson to "War Eagle!" to Uga, the pageantry and lore found in Auburn, Alabama and Athens, Georgia is as impressive as you will find anywhere in the country. Every time these two teams meet, regardless of the venue, some of the main characteristics that make college football and the south in general really special are on full display.
Unlike other games around the nation and even the SEC in many respects, the Georgia/Auburn game becomes a hub for button down shirts, khaki pants and sun dresses. It’s like walking into a fine retail store, beer and bratwurst in hand. Tailgates are Southern Living in décor, classic southern rock in tone. And unlike some rivalries in this conference, the fans get along and mingle pre and post game. The rivalry has a very collegial feel and vibe.
The schools are a lot more similar than you may think, too. For as much as people compare Georgia to Florida and Georgia Tech, Athens is much more similar to Auburn than Gainesville or Atlanta. The fan bases mirror each other as well. Auburn University is located just across the Alabama/Georgia line and many students from the Peach State become Tigers after high school. Georgia cities like LaGrange and Columbus are Auburn hotbeds, both in terms of the Tiger nation and football recruiting. Border cities both ways down the state line are often split just like the mixed drinks at a pre-game tailgate; half-and-half.
This rivalry is one of the most unique pairings in all of college football and a series worthy of more than just a passing mention. The players, the coaches, the long-tenured success of both programs, the fan bases that are so close in both proximity and style; Auburn versus Georgia is what southern football is all about. Dr. Joyce Brothers, one of America’s great psychologists from the early 20th century, once said that being taken for granted can become a compliment.
After 113 games, perhaps we have grown a little complacent, comfortable and accustomed to greatness. But considering all this game has given us over the years, I think we owe this grand southern rivalry so much more.
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