When Georgia beat Auburn 19-14 to clinch the 1982 Southeastern Conference championship, with the incomparable Larry Munson narrating a masterpiece, that Saturday on the Plains served as one of my most memorable Bulldog victories of all-time. That grand victory pushed top-ranked Georgia to 10-0 and a third straight SEC title en route to a perfect 11-0 regular season, capped with a 38-18 triumph Between the Hedges over the Yellow Jackets. I was 10, and it was just a wonderful day that I’ll never forget.

Well, from 1983 through 1990, as I say often, back when I was really into Georgia football, Auburn won seven of the eight meetings over that stretch. Thank you Steve Boswell and Wayne Johnson on the water cannons night of 1986. That same year at night, James Jackson put the ball on the ground when the clock struck zero in Columbia. My heart sank, and I remember in a panicked thought, believing you couldn’t advance a fumble. Which at the time, you couldn’t. Anyways, Georgia somehow won both of those games.

The losses of 1983, 1987 and 1988 cost Georgia SEC championships – and quite possibly a national title in 1983. Georgia headed in at 8-0-1, having tied Clemson. Auburn was 8-1, losing only to Texas, on the same day (September 17) the Dogs tied Clemson. Well, Bo Jackson was great in Sanford Stadium. Georgia came back, recovering an onsides kick which led to one of Munson’s greatest ever calls in a loss. But Auburn held on to win in Athens. The Bulldogs would recover to beat Tech and then topple Texas 10-9 in the Cotton Bowl. Auburn beat Alabama to win the SEC for the first time since 1957, ending Georgia’s run of three straight SEC championships.

Bitter pills.

For decades, this series was characterized by upsets and/or road team victories. From 1977-2001, Georgia was a woeful 2-11 versus Auburn at Sanford Stadium. The Bulldogs beat the Tigers in 2003 Between the Hedges, but suffered a devastating loss to the Tigers in 2005. Fourth down, the pass, the run, the punch out, the fumble, the ruling, the field goal. It was brutal.

After that game in ‘05, Auburn led the series 53-48-8, and the cumulative point total in the over 100 meetings was literally a one point differential.

The next season on the Plains, a pedestrian 6-4 Georgia team upset fifth ranked, once beaten Auburn 37-15, and a remarkable streak began.

Since that upset at Auburn in ‘06, Georgia has won 17 of the last 20 meetings with the Tigers. Amazing. That includes a 9-0 mark over this two decade stretch on Dooley Field in Sanford Stadium. Remember that aforementioned 2-11 mark?

This remarkable run of success in this iconic rivalry, includes an eight game winning streak under the watch of Kirby Smart.

If someone would have told me this would have happened back in my early tween and teen years of the mid to late 1980s, I don’t think I would have believed such a feat by Georgia would have ever been possible.

Of all the victories, the biggest is the one that started this eight game winning streak for Georgia against Auburn.

Heading to Jordan-Hare Stadium ranked No. 1 in the land in Smart’s second season at his beloved alma mater, Georgia jumped out to a 7-0 lead over Auburn. But then everything went wrong for the Bulldogs, and Auburn played an awesome game. The Tigers took down the Dogs 40-17. Afterwards, Tiger coach Gus Malzahn famously – and correctly – boasted, ‘we beat the dog crap out of them.’

Well, Georgia would rally back to beat both Kentucky and the Jackets to post an 11-1 regular season record.

Auburn meanwhile, two weeks after beating its second biggest rival, the top-ranked Bulldogs, toppled Rival No. 1, top-ranked, undefeated Alabama 26-14 to earn a berth in the SEC Championship Game.

After falling behind early, Georgia slowly took control, capitalizing on turnovers and a blocked field goal. Roquan Smith recovered a fumble with Georgia leading 13-7. Jake Fromm found Terry Godwin for a touchdown and two point conversion. Then D’Andre Swift broke off a 64-yard scoring dash for the knockout blow in a 28-7 Georgia victory.

It is one of the most significant victories in Georgia football history, and a crown jewel of the amazing Smart era. The vengeance triumph clinched the Bulldogs first SEC championship since 2005, and put Georgia in the College Football Playoff.

Since then, the Bulldogs have won four straight in Athens, and three in a row at Jordan-Hare – two of which have been very hairy. In 2019, Georgia jumped to a 21-0 lead and held on 21-14, as freshman Trayvon Walker had a game-clinching sack. Two years ago, Brock Bowers had one of his greatest performances ever, scoring the game-winner in a 27-20 Georgia triumph.

Rivalries like the deep south’s oldest have ebbs and flows and twists and turns. After all, these two got it all started in 1892 at Atlanta’s Piedmont Park.

Well, with 17 of 20, including the eight straight under Smart’s watch, a series that Georgia trailed by five after the heartbreak of 2005, the Bulldogs now lead 65-56-8.

That’s an incredible turn, and an amazing accomplishment for Georgia against an arch rival and fellow SEC blueblood. It’s especially appreciated by those who remember some mighty “hard times” against those Tigers not that many years ago.