Georgia vs. Auburn: Behind the deep south's oldest rivalry

ATHENS, Ga. -- What makes SEC football so special?

I found out first hand on a freezing cold Saturday night "between the hedges" at Sanford Stadium.

The Georgia Bulldogs played host to the Auburn Tigers in what’s billed as “the deep south’s oldest rivalry.”

I’ve been to big football games before but I can honestly say I’ve never been to a sporting event with this much passion and intensity.

 (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)

Growing up in Miami, football games - college or professional - only sold out on rare occasions (Miami vs. FSU). 

Here in SEC country, they support their team in droves no matter the record.

A crowd of 92,746 packed Georgia’s Sanford Stadium to see the No. 5 Bulldogs play the Tigers and the fans were immersed in the game from start to finish.

"The fans are always here for Auburn and Georgia," said Columbus, Ga. native Xavier Palmer.

Despite temperatures creeping down to the 30s, virtually every seat was filled at kickoff, most of them obviously clad in Bulldog red and black, yet a fair number donned in Auburn orange and blue.
That included Palmer who's been a Bulldogs fans since the 1970s and attended his first game in Athens Saturday.

"I watch the games on TV, because I know if I stay here I'm going to take some hedges home and then I'm going to jail so I don't want nothing to happen. This rivalry here is No. 1, Georgia vs. Florida is No. 2," Palmer said.

Indeed for Auburn and Georgia fans alike, this rivalry means a little bit more than the others.

"I think it means a lot, being the oldest rivalry in the south it gives us a time to come together and enjoy something both schools like, being SEC schools," said Julius Hammock, an Auburn senior who made the trip to Athens to watch the game. 

For others, this game is everything.

"I remember back in '02 we went to Auburn, [Georgia WR] Michael Johnson caught a touchdown in the back of the endzone to win the game and they were spit on the entire way out of the game," said Bulldogs fan Grey Grinstead, of Athens. "This game means everything to me, f*** Auburn!"

Why so much passion? It's simple this rivalry has a ton of history.

Georgia first played Auburn in football way back in 1892 at Atlanta’s famed Piedmont Park. The teams have squared off every year since then excluding the 1917, 1918 and 1943 seasons because of  two World Wars.

💡 pic.twitter.com/5B7oeWP3F3

— Im With The #2 Pick (@EricTheMetsFan) November 11, 2018

Fast forward to 2018 and this has become one of the marquee games in college football. A 180-mile drive separates the two campuses. And although Auburn is located in Alabama, the university has more alumni living in Atlanta, than any other city. 

Since 2010, one of these teams has played in the national championship game three times, with Georgia playing in last year's game.
This season the Bulldogs were able to exact a bit of revenge against Auburn. Although Georgia beat the Tigers for the SEC championship last season,  Auburn mauled Georgia 40-17 during the regular season.

The Georgia faithful went home satisfied with the final score: Georgia 27, Auburn 10.

To those keeping score and much to the chagrin of Auburn fans, Georgia now leads the all-time series 59-56-8.