Auburn beats No. 1 Georgia 27-24 on final-play field goal
Alex McPherson's kick completed a road upset after Georgia rallied to tie the game, ending the Bulldogs' nine-game winning streak against Auburn.
Auburn beat No. 1 Georgia 27-24 in Athens, Georgia, on October 17, 2026, when Alex McPherson kicked a field goal on the final play. The road upset ended Georgia's nine-game winning streak against Auburn and left no unbeaten team in the Southeastern Conference, USA TODAY reported.
How Auburn overturned Georgia's early lead
Georgia scored touchdowns on its first two possessions to lead 14-0. Each drive covered at least 75 yards, according to USA TODAY. Auburn then scored twice to level the game in the second quarter and went into halftime ahead 17-14. Georgia also missed a field-goal attempt during that quarter.
Auburn quarterback Byrum Brown added a rushing touchdown in the third quarter. USA TODAY reported that Brown finished with 150 passing yards and 115 rushing yards on 26 carries. Georgia struggled to regain control for much of the middle of the game after its fast start.
Georgia came back to tie the score at 24-24 with 5:16 remaining. Gunner Stockton capped a 94-yard drive with a short touchdown pass, according to USA TODAY. The Bulldogs later got the ball back around midfield, but Stockton lost a fumble in the final minute and Auburn recovered. USA TODAY reported that a Georgia personal foul then helped the Tigers reach field-goal range for McPherson's winning kick.
What the loss changes for Georgia
Stockton threw two interceptions as well as losing the late fumble, 247Sports reported. USA TODAY said he completed 22 of 34 passes for 272 yards. The fumble gave Auburn possession, and the subsequent Georgia foul helped set up the winning kick.
Georgia had been No. 1 for one week and entered the game as a 19.5-point favorite, according to 247Sports. The same outlet said the defeat was Georgia's first at home against an unranked opponent since South Carolina won there in 2019. Auburn's victory also broke a nine-game Georgia winning streak in a rivalry whose previous Georgia run of that length came from 1923 to 1931.
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Sources and context
- Auburn ends losing streak to No. 1 Georgia with field goal on final playUSA TODAY Sports (republished by Yahoo Sports; by Paul Myerberg)
- Instant takeaways from Georgia football's loss to Auburn247Sports
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.