McKenzie’s punt return lifts Georgia past Auburn
Published 4:00 am Sunday, November 15, 2015
- Georgia's Isaiah McKenzie returns a punt for a touchdown against Auburn during the second half of an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015 in Auburn, Ala. Georgia won 20-13. (Todd J. Van Emst/Opelika-Auburn News via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT
AUBURN, Ala. (AP) — Jeremy Johnson and Sean White both had their chances to get Auburn’s offense going, but couldn’t deliver.
The two Tigers quarterbacks each committed a turnover and produced few passing yards in Saturday’s 20-13 loss to Georgia, leaving the position still unsettled going into the final two games.
Auburn (5-5, 2-5 Southeastern Conference), preseason league favorites, remained at the bottom of the Western Division.
“It’s very disappointing,” Johnson said. “With a game like this, it’s a big rivalry. You always want to win this game, unfortunately we came up short. All we can do is just get better from here.”
Johnson started his second straight game with White hobbled by a knee injury. He was 14-of-22 passing but produced just 61 yards and also threw an interception in Georgia territory after throwing a short pass to Tony Stevens well above his reach. He said he didn’t mind the second-half switch-up with White.
“That was the game-plan, to play us both,” Johnson said. “I knew I was coming out. There wasn’t any confusion.”
White’s only completion in five attempts went for 1 yard. Coach Gus Malzahn said he wasn’t fully recovered “but he’s healthy enough to play.”
Isaiah McKenzie returned a fourth-quarter punt 53 yards for a touchdown and Aaron Davis recovered two fumbles — one on the goal line — after that for the Bulldogs (7-3, 5-3).
The Tigers managed only two Daniel Carlson field goals after their opening drive, the second coming with 1:14 left to play when the Bulldogs kept Auburn from the end zone.
Georgia’s Malcolm Mitchell recovered the onside kick to settle a game when both offenses had more fizzle than sizzle.
McKenzie also scored the tying touchdown on a 4-yard run late in the third quarter for his first career offensive score. Then he tied Georgia’s career mark held by Buzy Rosenberg with his fourth career TD on a punt return.
Greyson Lambert was held to 97 passing yards for Georgia, which stalled in Auburn territory on its first three drives. Sony Michel gained 77 yards on 26 carries.
Auburn gained 275 total yards, Georgia 243.
The Bulldogs took the edge in the long-running series, at 56-55-8, for the first time since 1986.
Auburn led 10-3 at halftime but managed just one first down in the third quarter.
“Obviously in the second half, we didn’t get it done,” Malzahn said. “Uncharacteristically we had the three turnovers. We’d been protecting the ball extremely well. Three turnovers are big.”
With both offenses sputtering, the game turned on big plays by Georgia’s special teams and defense.
McKenzie fielded the ball, made a couple of cuts and darted to the end zone with 9:28 left for a 17-10 lead.
Two plays later, Jordan Jenkins jarred the ball loose from White. Davis fell on it at Auburn’s 17 and Marshall Morgan made it a two-score game with a 38-yard field goal after the offense went backward.
“You just have so much joy and so much excitement, so much energy over the way we played,” Jenkins said. “It makes up for some of the pains we’ve had throughout the season.”
The Tigers then mounted their best drive since the opening possession behind starter Johnson, moving all the way to the 5. Then receiver Ricardo Louis got the ball on an end around, reversed field and turned toward the end zone.
Lorenzo Carter forced a fumble and Davis won the goal-line scramble for the ball.
On Georgia’s last visit, Louis had caught a deflected fourth-down pass in the final minutes in a play dubbed the “Prayer in Jordan-Hare.”
Carlson set an Auburn record with his 13th and 14th consecutive field goals. The previous mark was 12 by Jaret Holmes in 1997
Jovon Robinson led Auburn with 93 rushing yards but had only four second-half carries. Peyton Barber gained 72 yards on 13 carries.