Final
King rallies Georgia past Auburn 31-24
Nov 15, 2009 - 4:40 AM By PAUL NEWBERRY AP Sports WriterATHENS, Ga.(AP) -- Caleb King ran for two fourth-quarter touchdowns, Bacarri Rambo made a jarring tackle that likely saved the tying score and Georgia assured itself of bowl eligibility, beating Auburn 31-24 Saturday night for its fourth straight win in the Deep South's oldest rivalry.
The Bulldogs (6-4, 4-3 Southeastern Conference) looked like they were headed for a blowout loss when Auburn (7-4, 3-4) scored on its first two possessions for a 14-0 lead. But Georgia rallied, taking the lead for good on King's second TD run from 24 yards out with 6:52 remaining.
Auburn was driving to force overtime when Chris Todd lofted a pass over the middle for Mario Fannin, who was hauling it in at the goal line until Rambo flew out of nowhere to knock the ball away.
The redshirt freshman safety was briefly knocked out and had to be carried off the field on a cart. But he was able to talk to his teammates and move his arms and legs, have apparently suffered nothing more serious than a concussion.
After a 10-minute delay while Rambo was carefully strapped to a board and lifted onto the cart, Todd was sacked by Cornelius Washington and a penalty left Auburn with a fourth-and-18 from the 30. Todd went for Fannin in the end zone, but the pass was knocked away.
Georgia, which came into the game with an abysmal minus-16 turnover ratio, picked off Todd twice, including an interception by Reshad Jones that set up the winning score. The Bulldogs didn't turn it over at all, the first time that's happened all season. It's also the first time they've had fewer turnovers in a game than their opponent.
Auburn marched down the field on its first two possessions. The home crowd showed its displeasure with an early smattering of boos, convinced that it was going to be another long night for Georgia's beleaguered defense.
But the defense came around, getting more pressure on Todd and sacking him three times. King put Georgia ahead early in the fourth on an 11-yard TD run, then Auburn tied it at 24 on Demond Washington's 99-yard return with the ensuing kickoff.
Todd was 20 of 28 for 238 yards, including a pair of touchdowns. But it wasn't enough to prevent Georgia's fourth straight win in the series for the first time since the 1940s.
Auburn's fast start was highlighted by Todd's 5-yard touchdown to his predecessor at quarterback, Kodi Burns, and a 31-yard scoring toss to Terrell Zachery. The Bulldogs stumbled through their first two offensive series and punted it away.
At that point, Auburn had 156 total yards, Georgia minus-2.
Game over? Hardly.
Early in the second quarter, Cox held up the Auburn secondary with a pump fake, and Israel Troupe blew by cornerback Neiko Thorpe to haul in a 50-yard touchdown pass.
It was Troupe's first catch of the season, and the third-year sophomore's first career TD.
The Bulldogs certainly needed some players to step up after being dealt a huge loss in the first half.,
A.J. Green, the SEC's leading receiver, sprained his left shoulder when tackled hard along the sideline on a 12-yard reception. He didn't return, watching the second half from the bench with his arm in a sling.
- NCAAF FINAL
1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
AUBURN 14 0 3 7 24
GEORGIA 0 7 10 14 31 FINAL
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER: AUBURN - TD, KODI BURNS 5 YD PASS FROM
CHRIS TODD (WES BYRUM KICK),
3:47. AUBURN 7-0
AUBURN - TD, TERRELL ZACHERY 31 YD PASS
FROM CHRIS TODD (WES BYRUM
KICK), 11:45. AUBURN 14-0
2ND
Nov 14 10:35 PM - NCAAF
AUBURN 24
GEORGIA 31 0:00 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Nov 14 10:35 PM
TD AUBURN DEMOND WASHINGTON 99 YD KICKOFF RETURN (WES BYRUM KICK)
Auburn 24, Georgia 24 4th - 14:11Nov 14 9:50 PM
TD AUBURN DEMOND WASHINGTON 99 YD KICKOFF RETURN (WES BYRUM KICK)
Auburn 24, Georgia 24 4th - 14:11Nov 14 9:50 PM- NCAAF
AUBURN 17
GEORGIA 17 0:00 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Nov 14 9:37 PM - NCAAF
AUBURN 14
GEORGIA 7 0:00 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Nov 14 8:34 PM - NCAAF
AUBURN 14
GEORGIA 0 0:00 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Nov 14 7:51 PM
TD AUBURN TERRELL ZACHERY 31 YD PASS FROM CHRIS TODD (WES BYRUM KICK)
Auburn 14, Georgia 0 1st - 3:15Nov 14 7:35 PM
TD AUBURN TERRELL ZACHERY 31 YD PASS FROM CHRIS TODD (WES BYRUM KICK)
Auburn 14, Georgia 0 1st - 3:15Nov 14 7:35 PM
TD AUBURN TERRELL ZACHERY 31 YD PASS FROM CHRIS TODD (WES BYRUM KICK)
Auburn 14, Georgia 0 1st - 3:15Nov 14 7:35 PM
TD AUBURN KODI BURNS 5 YD PASS FROM CHRIS TODD (WES BYRUM KICK)
Auburn 7, Georgia 0 1st - 11:13Nov 14 7:19 PM
TD AUBURN KODI BURNS 5 YD PASS FROM CHRIS TODD (WES BYRUM KICK)
Auburn 7, Georgia 0 1st - 11:13Nov 14 7:19 PM
TD AUBURN KODI BURNS 5 YD PASS FROM CHRIS TODD (WES BYRUM KICK)
Auburn 7, Georgia 0 1st - 11:13Nov 14 7:19 PM
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