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Auburn's front seven to be challenge for Georgia on Saturday night

Jeremy Johnsonby: Jeremy Johnson10/07/25JeremyO_Johnson
Georgia/Bo Hughley
Photo by Jeremy Johnson.

Georgia is well aware of Auburn’s productive front seven. The Bulldogs will be faced with the SEC’s leading sack defense on Saturday night.

Auburn has collected 16 sacks in their first five games. The Tigers also play the run well. Auburn allows 88 yards rushing per game at the moment.

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart acknowledged the skillset of Auburn’s edge players Keyron Crawford and Keldric Faulk as well as the entire defensive front.

Auburn’s middle linebacker Xavier Atkins has three sacks from the linebacker position. Smart points to Auburn’s, speed up front as well as the scheme for creating winnable match ups.

“The twitch they have. They’re really twitchy even at the inside positions,” Smart told reporters on Monday. “Two edge rushers that are probably their, you know, premier players on defense. They both can cause havoc, can wreck a game plan, get off the ball, rush the passer. And they do a good job changing up their looks so it’s not like, oh, just let them sit here and rush. They change things up with a lot of different looks and pressures. Getting those guys in one-on-one situations is their goal, and they do a good job of that.”

Georgia running back Chauncey Bowens took note of Auburn’s secondary as well as the Tigers’ phyiscality in the front seven in his early preparation.

“Yeah, really physical front seven, for sure,” Bowens told reporters on Monday. “That’s something that stands out to me, in my opinion. I think they have a really good secondary, as well. So it’s gonna be a tough physical game, for sure. And we give them a lot of respect and credit. So looking forward to playing them.”

Georgia offensive line still working through injuries

Georgia will be looking for continued step up from the offensive line group. Earnest Greene continues to try and return to the line up after a back injury.

The Bulldogs saw left tackle Monroe Freeling go down with an ankle injury, though the prognosis was a positive one on Monday from Smart.

Georgia has leaned on freshman Juan Gaston at right tackle. Bo Hughley swung over to left tackle and took over for Freeling on Saturday during the Bulldogs’ win over Kentucky on Saturday.

Smart continues to see growth from Hughley.

“Bo, like I talked about after the game, he embodies fire, passion, and energy,” Smart told reporters on Monday. “The guy’s happy every day at practice. He loves football. He works his butt off. I mean, he competes. He goes out, and it doesn’t matter who’s in front of him, he’s going to go to war and fight with them. And he’s done it at the left and right tackle. He’s come in in the pinch and played well in multiple games. He’s a kid that I enjoy coaching and love being around and continues to get better. He’ll continue to get better because of the way he works and the way he practices.”



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