“Let’s start with this, Auburn is one of the hardest places to play in the world,” Smart stated at SEC Media Days on Tuesday from the Omni Dallas.
Jordan-Hare Stadium is infamous for its challenging environment, which nearly became the site of a major upset for Georgia and a signature win for Hugh Freeze in his first season at Auburn in 2023.
Georgia managed a narrow 27-20 victory against Auburn, showcasing Auburn’s potential early in the Freeze era. When asked about Freeze at SEC Media Days, Smart had high praise for the second-year coach.
“Hugh does a tremendous job motivating his team, he does a tremendous job in the recruiting aspect, and as he gets more and more of his players and his style of play in there, which he’s got some guys this year, they’re gonna be a force to be reckoned with,” Smart said.
Georgia defensive lineman Mykel Williams reflected on Auburn when asked about the toughest quarterback he faced last season.
“They were in a dual quarterback system, and both quarterbacks provided something different. Both of them could run. One was more of a passer, one was more of a runner. I believe it may have been Auburn,” Williams said.
The atmosphere at Jordan-Hare Stadium posed significant challenges for the Georgia players. It was quarterback Carson Beck’s first road start, and the intense crowd likely contributed to a slow start for Beck and Georgia.
“The atmosphere is insane, it’s absolutely ridiculous,” Beck remarked. “We had to face adversity in that game.”
Williams also recalled a pivotal moment in the game. “The Auburn game was interesting last year. They hit a big play when the quarterback, Payton [Thorne], had the 61-yard run around the edge. That was a big play in the game and gave them a little momentum going into halftime.”
Despite being heavy favorites, the close win didn’t diminish the victory, according to Georgia defensive back Malaki Starks.
“It’s tough to go win on the road in the SEC, it’s always hard, but I think it just showed what kind of team we had to be able to come out in that environment, one of the hardest environments to play in, and just be who we are and finish the game out how we did.”
The momentum wasn’t enough for Auburn to pull off the upset, but it underscored how a challenging road environment can impact a game. Auburn will host Arkansas, Oklahoma, Vanderbilt, and Texas A&M from the SEC in 2024, and will open the season with nonconference home games against Alabama A&M and Cal.
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