Auburn defeats No. 1 Georgia 27‑24 in Athens on a walk‑off field goal

Auburn rallied to defeat No. 1 Georgia 27‑24 on the final play of the game on Oct. 17, 2026, at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia.

The Tigers took the lead after a 34‑yard field goal by kicker Alex McPherson as time expired, following a late‑game drive set up by a turnover that gave Auburn possession at its own 44‑yard line with 58 seconds left.

Quarterback Gunner Stockton’s fumble, recovered by safety Sylvester Smith‑Reed, shifted momentum in Auburn’s favor. After three timeouts, the Tigers advanced 22 yards in three carries and benefited from a roughing‑the‑passer penalty on Georgia’s Gabe Harris Jr., positioning McPherson for the chip‑shot attempt.

“I’m grateful for our coaches, our fan base,” Auburn head coach Alex Golesh said after the win. “It’s been through a lot. We’re going to build Auburn one game at a time.”

Running back Byrum Brown carried the offensive load, rushing for 115 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries, and adding a passing touchdown. He also helped Auburn answer Georgia’s early 14‑0 lead with 24 unanswered points before the Bulldogs narrowed the gap.

Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton, who had led a 94‑yard, 13‑play drive to tie the game at 24‑24, also threw two interceptions and the decisive fumble. The Bulldogs’ offensive woes were compounded by three personal‑foul penalties and an ineffective performance from tailback Nate Frazier, who managed only 19 yards on nine carries.

The upset ended Georgia’s 53‑game run of victories over unranked opponents, a streak that began in 1973, and marked Auburn’s first win at the venue since 2005. The loss also knocked Georgia off the AP Top 25, opening the SEC race as teams like No. 2 Notre Dame, No. 3 Miami and No. 4 Ohio State look to climb.

Auburn, now 4‑2 overall and 2‑2 in the SEC, will host No. 22 LSU next Saturday. Georgia, at 5‑1, has a bye week before facing Florida on Oct. 31.