Auburn Football: Post-spring game-by-game predictions for 2019

Much like 2017, Malzahn could enter November needing wins over both Georgia and Alabama at home in order to save his job. Could lightning strike twice?

In the two meetings between these two since Auburn’s 40-17 win in 2017 to hand Georgia its first loss of that season, the Bulldogs have outscored the Tigers 55-17, rolling over Auburn in the 2017 SEC Championship Game and then dispatching them with relative ease in last season’s matchup between the hedges.

Georgia was hit hard by NFL Draft early entrants and the transfer market, but Kirby Smart has recruited at a high enough level that the Bulldogs no longer have to worry about rebuilding; they simply reload, and should be the favorite to capture the East for the third year in a row.

The Bulldogs have to replace a lot of offensive production from last season, but are aided by the return of rising junior Jake Fromm, who has proven to be one of the best quarterbacks in the nation. Even with Elijah Holyfield gone, Georgia’s ground game should still be deadly, led by D’Andre Swift, who might be the best running back in the SEC. The depth behind him is quite good, too.

Georgia lost a lot of talent at receiver, replacing Riley Ridley, Mecole Hardman, and Terry Godwin, along with tight end Isaac Nauta. There’s still plenty of talent there, though, led by Jeremiah Holloman, Cal-transfer Demetris Robertson, and several other talented, albeit untested underclassmen.

Defensively, the Bulldogs have a lot of potential as their star recruits from the last couple of cycles start to gain experience. If they can get contributions from a couple of incoming freshmen, then the ‘Dawgs will be deep defensively.

With his back against the wall, it’s tough to vote against Malzahn. He’s always been able to scrape out wins in these situations when he’s needed them most. I’d take Georgia at home or on a neutral field, but give me Auburn at home.

Pick: Auburn 30, Georgia 27 (7-3, 4-3)