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All eyes in the college football world will turn towards Jordan-Hare Stadium this weekend, as No. 10 Auburn hosts No. 1 Georgia in a matchup with massive SEC and college football playoff ramifications.
Kickoff for the critical contest is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on CBS. If you don’t have cable or can’t get to a TV, you can watch the game online, on your phone or on another streaming device via one of the following cable-free, live-TV streaming services. They cost a monthly fee but all come with a free trial, so you can watch today’s game at no cost:
CBS All Access: This service lets you watch a live stream of your local CBS channel (most markets included) for $5.99 per month. It comes with a free 7-day trial, and you can watch on your computer via your browser, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the CBS app
FuboTV: CBS (live in at least 20 markets) is included in the “Fubo Premier” channel package, which gives you access to 70-plus channels and costs $19.99 per month for the first two months and $39.99 per month after that. It also comes with a free 7-day trial, and you can watch on your computer via your browser, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the FuboTV app
Preview
For Georgia, their spot in the SEC Championship is already assured. However, assuming they can take care of business against Kentucky and Georgia Tech over the final two weeks of the regular season, a win at Auburn would mean that the Bulldogs would conceivably still have a good chance of making the college football playoff even if they lose to Alabama in the SEC title game. According to FiveThirtyEight’s projections, a win Saturday would move the Bulddogs’ odds of making the playoffs from 57 to 70 percent.
On the other side of things, not only would an Auburn win almost assuredly turn the Iron Bowl into an SEC Championship play-in game, but this is essentially a must-win game if the Tigers want to have any hope of making the playoffs.
“Our goal is to win the SEC championship, and it has been since day one, and this is the next step,” Auburn head coach Gus Malzhan said. “It is a great opportunity for us, so it is a big game. We are not looking any farther ahead than Saturday, but this is a game we have been looking forward to, and it is here. There is a lot on the line for it. It is a good one.”
For the Tigers to win this one, slowing down the Georgia running attack will be key. Behind a dual attack of Nick Chubb and Sony Michel, the Bulldogs rank eighth in the country in rushing yards per game (278.8) and seventh in yards per rush (5.9). True freshman quarterback Jake Fromm has shown poise and efficiency at every turn, but the Tigers would much rather force him to win the game.
Of course, should Auburn struggle to slow down Georgia’s attack, the Tigers should at least feel confident knowing they have the offensive pieces to keep up, as Jarret Stidham and Kerryon Johnson lead a balanced attack that ranks 11th in the nation in yards per pass, 22nd in yards per rush and 12th in points per game. They’ll need to be at the top of their game to move the ball against Georgia’s stout defense, which is fourth in the nation in yards per play allowed.
“You have to figure out ways to do it. You have to figure out a way to make explosive plays,” Malzahn said. “That’s the challenge. When they can stop the run and still play two safeties, it’s tough. You have to be balanced. The more talented a defensive team is, the more important it is to be balanced.”
Put it all together, and you have two teams difficult to separate, as No. 1 team in the nation stands as just a three-point favorite on the road.