The Auburn Tigers dropped the first two games of conference play, but as they prepare to take on the No. 10 Georgia Bulldogs, a chance to right the ship has been on the forefront of everyone's mind.
As they are looking to get things back on track, a sense of urgency has been present as preparation for the Bulldogs has begun.
"We got a jump start on Georgia also," said head coach Hugh Freeze during his Monday press conference. Sense of urgency, look - there’s always a sense of urgency. We play in the SEC. There’s a lot of teams that are in situations similar to ours, and now it’s about the next game up, and that’s Georgia for us. What an exciting opportunity, and that’s what our focus is. The sense of urgency should be heightened constantly when you get these opportunities.”
Despite dealing with two-consecutive losses, the Tigers know they still have plenty to play for.
If Auburn manages to beat Georgia, everything it hopes to accomplish this season remains in-play.
"Everything is still in front of us, and it starts with an incredible rivalry game that you ought to just relish the opportunity to play in," Freeze said. "To get to do it at home, which I think we’ve won four straight at home now, and hopefully that gives us an advantage. I know our people will be a factor in this game, and that will be nice as we have not experienced that the last couple of weeks. It’s definitely a mixture."
Taking on a rival always brings out the best in teams, regardless of records. Freeze and the Tigers would love to best Georgia and bring the extensive losing-streak they have against it to an end.
"Yes, there’s always a sense of urgency because it’s the next SEC game, but you can’t run from the fact that this rivalry game means something to a lot of people," Freeze said.
Kickoff between Auburn and No. 10 Georgia is set for 6:30 p.m. CT at Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday, and ESPN will carry the broadcast.