AUBURN Ala (EETV) - After an off week full of rest and recovery, the Tigers are prepared for a tough matchup against the No. 4 ranked Georgia Bulldogs.
The matchup on Saturday will be the 124th edition of the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry, and it will be an intense game, just like the past 123 games were.
The stakes are high for both teams this weekend. Georgia looks to keep the No. 4 spot in the College Football Playoff rankings, while Auburn Head Coach Gus Malzahn looks to keep a special record alive. Malzahn has never lost a game directly after a regular-season off week as a college head coach.
Both teams are excited for the game Saturday, but Auburn has deeper reasons behind their excitement, and that is the Tigers get to play at home. Special things happen in Jordan-Hare Stadium and Auburn is looking to kindle that energy and play hard against a tough team.
Head Coach Gus Malzahn spoke on the upcoming game saying, “I think another big factor is we're playing at home, so we're very excited about that. I know our players are, too. We can't wait to get in front of our fans in this game.”
Georgia’s defense poses a threat for the young Bo Nix of Auburn. Georgia has the No. 1 defense in the SEC and have not allowed a rushing touchdowns all season. Malzahn commented on how the Tigers will establish the run saying, “For us to be successful, we are going to have to run the football effectively; that is how we are built. It will be a really good matchup to watch and we will see what happens.”
Auburn players are ready for the matchup and excited to see how each team will perform. "I think it'll be a fun matchup," Auburn senior defense lineman Derrick Brown said. "They say we're a good defensive line, they're a great offensive line. Saturday means you've got to prove it.”
Senior offensive lineman Marquel Harrell also spoke about the game saying, “We're going to play with chip on our shoulder. It's the Auburn way. We're blue-collar, roll up your sleeves, get to work. That's just who we are.”
Kickoff for the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry is set for 2:30 p.m. CT and can be found on CBS.
