Last week, Kirby Smart and Georgia picked up one of the top wins in college football this season with a top-10 win on the road at Alabama as the Bulldogs moved to No. 1 in the US LBM Coaches Poll.
Their stay at the top will be short-lived, as Kirby Smart's team sustained its first loss of the season on Saturday, Oct. 17, with a 27-24 defeat to Auburn at home in Athens.
Though it by no means removes the Bulldogs from contention for the College Football Playoff, it's a brutal loss. Georgia's defense, which entered with the top-scoring defense in the SEC (in addition to the conference's top-scoring offense), gave up 24 unanswered points after building an early 14-0 lead.
Geogia fought its
way back with 10 fourth-quarter points to tie the game at 24-24, but a Gunner Stockton fumble gave Auburn the ball back with a chance at a go-ahead score. Alex McPherson hit the 34-yard field goal to win the game.
The Bulldogs are the second SEC team ranked in the top 10 to have lost on Saturday, with the other being No. 6 Texas.
Given the outcome in Athens, the college football world did not hold back with their reactions to the outcome:
College football reacts as Auburn upsets Georgia
Here's a snippet of reactions:
If Auburn beats Georgia, can we all agree that none of us know nothin about nothin?
— Brandon Walker (@BFW) October 17, 2026
Georgia in deep water
— Big Cat (@BarstoolBigCat) October 17, 2026
Florida beating Texas
— Peter Burns (@PeterBurnsESPN) October 17, 2026
Auburn beating Georgia
Tennessee beating Alabama
Like it or not, you are already seeing why SEC would be in favor of 24 team playoff.
Reminder:
SEC is 38-2 in non conference games this season.
The league is deeper than ever before.
Georgia down two scores
— SleeperCFB (@SleeperCFB) October 17, 2026
Alabama down two scores
What is going on in the SEC 😳 pic.twitter.com/dBOE4CaUgt
I can't wait to see Georgia fall from No. 1.
— The Bulldawg Report (@ReportBulldawg) October 17, 2026
Started smelling themselves way too much.
Never thought I’d see a Kirby Smart-coached defense give up 24 unanswered points.
— Lance (@LM_Sports_Media) October 17, 2026
If Auburn finishes off Georgia does that mean there are no good teams in CFB?
— LandonTengwall (@LandonTengwall) October 17, 2026
If Georgia, Texas, and Alabama lose today they’re going to announce they actually are expanding the playoffs this season
— Kendra Middleton (@KendraMiddleton) October 17, 2026
Losing to Arkansas at Jordan-Hare in three weeks after beating No. 1 Georgia in Athens will be peak Auburn.
— Chris Fallica (@chrisfallica) October 17, 2026
This will be Georgia’s most humiliating loss ever
— Annabelle Peaches (@annaisapeach) October 17, 2026
I can’t believe what’s happening right now
— Liam Blutman (@Blutman27) October 17, 2026
Tennessee? Sure. Did I see it coming? No. Did I think Alabama would win fairly handily? Yes. Am I an idiot? Yes.
Auburn? HUH? Did I see it coming? NO! Did I think Georgia would win easily? Yes. Am I an idiot? No.
This Georgia loss would be so much cooler if they weren’t already guaranteed a spot in a stupid 12 team playoff
— KyletheWhaler (@KyletheWhaler) October 17, 2026
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Georgia drops stunner to Auburn: Bulldogs 'started smelling themselves way too much'
