Georgia football conquered its greatest challenge of the 2026 season when it went on the road and knocked off No. 7 Alabama, 20-17, in Week 6 on Saturday, Oct. 10, a victory that vaulted it to No. 1 in the US LBM Coaches Poll.
As it turned out, it was the Bulldogs’ next game, against a different team from Alabama, that they really should have been worried about.
Coach Kirby Smart’s team suffered one of the more stunning upsets of the 2026 college football season, following up its victory at Alabama with a 27-24 home loss against Auburn on Saturday, Oct. 17 in the latest edition of the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry.
Georgia had previously been 33-2
in games under Smart in which it was the No. 1 team in the country.
Despite losing, the Bulldogs outgained the Tigers, 440-366, with quarterback Gunner Stockton, one of a handful of Heisman Trophy favorites, completed 22 of 34 passes for 272 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
What might the loss mean for Georgia in the immediate aftermath? Here’s what you need to know:
Where will Georgia be ranked after loss to Auburn?
Before taking on one of its oldest rivals, Georgia had what was widely considered to be the best resume in college football.
The Bulldogs were undefeated and largely untested, with each of their first five wins coming by at least 24 points. In their first and truly only genuine test of the season, they beat a top-10 Alabama team on the road while holding the Crimson Tide to 346 yards and outgaining them by 109 yards.
What had been a sterling track record six full weeks into the season suffered a major hit in the seventh week.
Against an unranked Auburn team that was 3-2 overall and just 1-2 in the SEC under a first-year head coach, Georgia squandered a 14-0 first-quarter lead and gave up 24 unanswered points before a late rally to tie the game was answered with a drive to set up a 34-yard game-winning field goal that was made possible by a Stockton fumble near midfield.
The loss snapped a nine-game win streak for the Bulldogs in a series they’ve dominated in recent years. Only two of their previous nine victories against Auburn had come by fewer than two scores. The loss slightly narrows Georgia’s path to the College Football Playoff, especially with games still remaining against No. 10 Mississippi and No. 13 Missouri, the former of which is on the road.
But what does it mean for the Bulldogs’ place in the Coaches Poll?
Georgia is very obviously a good team, with a Heisman-caliber quarterback and a characteristically ferocious defense. But for all their talent, the Bulldogs had a relatively easy road before beating Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Their first three SEC wins came against teams that are a combined 1-7 in conference play and even the win against the Tide looks slightly less impressive after Alabama went on the road and was beaten by No. 14 Tennessee on Saturday.
There won’t be a severe drop for Georgia, particularly on a day when other top-10 teams also fell, but it will likely drop at least a few spots.
Prediction: No. 4
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Georgia football rankings: How far will Bulldogs fall in polls after loss to Auburn?
