GEORGIA

So this is kind of a big deal

This is easily the biggest game a team can have against someone that has won twice, is 0-for-the conference and might fire its coach.

But Georgia can lock up its second straight SEC East title with a win on the The Plains.

The only thing stopping them is a desperate rival.

Auburn is 2-7 and have gone from National Champions, to second-tier SEC team, to man these guys really stink.

The last time UGA played at Auburn, things were a little different. The Dawgs were on their way to a 6-6 season. The Auburn Cam Newtons were ranked No. 2 and trying to clinch their own SEC Championship.

If you forgot, things got a little chippy.

Last year, Georgia handed the Tigers their worst loss in since 1996 (45-7). But don't think they haven't forgotten all the cheap shots from 2010 (this guy hasn't).

All of those ingredients make this edition of the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry a dangerous game for the Dawgs (by the way, Auburn leaves the series 54-53-8).

The Tigers might be horrible, but if you remember back to the fourth week of the season, Auburn nearly beat LSU at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

The Dawgs have never lost when they've had a chance to clinch the SEC East title (4-0) and if they stumble in this game, this season would go from a success to a failure before the Auburn fans can TP what's left of Toomer's Corner.

So no pressure.

Who steps up at WR, Part II?

I think I've written this before.

For the second time this season, Georgia has lost one of its leading wide receivers.

Sr. Marlon Brown went down with a knee injury against Ole Miss, ending his college career. Michael Bennett, who was the leading receiver after five weeks, also had his season cut short with a knee injury.

Brown was the co-leader with 27 catches and second on the team 469 yards. His final game against the Rebels was his third game with more than 100 yards receiving.

But alas, the big guy is gone.

Malcolm Mitchell (remember when he started the season as a defensive back?) will slide up one notch on the depth chart to become the No. 2 guy. But when the Dawgs go with three wide outs (which they do often) look for Chris Conley to be the guy.

Conley was pressed into similar duty midway through last year as Mark Richt took the redshirt off the freshman when Rantavious Woooten and Mitchell got hurt.

Conley had 288 yards last year. This season he only seven catches, 84 yards and one TD.

“He’s got some pretty good physicality about him," said Richt. "He doesn’t mind mixing it up and blocking a little. We think he’ll do well.”

Richt also says Justin Scott-Wesley (one catch, 43 yards) and Taylor Bradberry (no catches) will see some time in that slot position.

Ice Cream Watch

Georgia QB Aaron Murray has a deal with his offensive line.  No sacks, everyone gets ice cream. The QB buys.

Murray got sacked five times (all in the first half) against Ole Miss. There was no Blue Bell or Mayfield (my recommendation, try Mayfield's Snow Cream. It's the closest thing I've ever had to Grandma Black's homemade ice cream).

“Shoot, the way he got hit, we do not deserve ice cream or a pat on the back or anything,” sophomore center David Andrews told the AJC. “A deal’s a deal and he’s hung in there with that deal. No hard feelings between us and him. The deal is zero sacks.”

The good news was Murray wasn't sacked at all in the second half. But still, it was a little startling to the see an average defense tee off against the Georgia passing game.

Part of the issue is injuries have shaken up the group.

Right guard Chris Burnette has not practiced all week after injuring  his left shoulder against Ole Miss. He will not start against the Tigers

 “He possibly could be ready (to play), we just don’t know,” Richt said.

Sophomore Mark Beard came in and played left tackle, allowing the Dawgs to move Kenarious Gates to right guard. It remains to be seen how they will handle the shift against the Tigers. Austin Long (6-5, 324, Jr.) is listed as Burnette's backup on the depth chart.

Auburn's D is horrible (more on this in a moment) but they do rush the passer ok.

Former UGA defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder is now at Auburn and we've all seen how he blitzes.

Jr. DE  Corey Lemonier was second in the league in sacks last year and  has five this season.

Despite it being a concern coming into the season, the OL is fourth in the league in sacks allowed (1.89 per game).

By the way, the last time the QB bought everyone ice cream was after the Florida game.

AUBURN

So how bad are they?

Pretty bad.

That's the short answer, but if you've noticed I don't give short answers (for this six of you that have read all 1,300 words every week, our advertisers thank you).

Auburn is 2-7 and 0-6 in the SEC. The wins: LA-Monroe and New Mexico State. They get Alabama A&M next week followed by No. 1 Alabama. So the Tigers are staring at their worst season since 1998 when they went 3-8 (1-7 in SEC). Head Coach Terry Bowden quit during that season.

Current Tigers coach Gene Chizik might (well probably) see the same fate when this one is over, even if he beats Georgia.

If Chizik gets canned, it would be at an unprecedented pace for a champ.

Since World War II, the quickest a coach has been fired after winning a national title is Larry Coker. He was bucked in 2006, five years after taking the Hurricanes to the promised land.

But Chizik's team has re-written the record books

The Tigers started this season 1-6 for the first time in 60 years.

According to the Birmingham News, Auburn is the first team to start 1-6 two years after winning a National Championship.

The last time Auburn went 0-for the SEC was 1980 (5-6, 0-6). They have never gone 0-8 in the conference.

Defense

Believe it or not, no 2-7 has ever had a great defense (I might have made that up).

Still these guys really haven't stop much against anybody.

They are last in the SEC against the run (204 yards per game), while they have had one interception all season. All told, Auburn has allowed 428.6 yards per game.

The last SEC game against Texas A&M might be what costs Chizik his job.

The Aggies embarrassed the Tigers, hanging 63 points, seven touchdowns and 671 total yards on Auburn.

Senior LB Darren Bates is leading the team in tackles for the second straight season (86) and ranks third in the SEC.

It could be another big day for Aaron Murray against another young secondary. The Tigers freshman Joshua Holsey and sophomore Jonathan Mincy at cornerback. Neither has had an interception.

Whose at QB?

It is also a rule that if you've had more starting QBs than wins, you are probably having a bad season (I also may have made that up).

Kiehl Frazier, Clint Mosely and Jonathan Wallace have all seen time under center.

Wallace was 9-for-16 with 164 yards, one TD and one interception against New Mexico State last week.

That was good enough to lock up the starting nod this week.

Wallace is fourth on the team in rushing (115 yards).

"I'm going to step up to the plate," said Wallace. "That's what this game is about, is competing. It's just one of those things where I have to grow up quick. I'm ready for the challenge. It's going to be a lot of fun Saturday."

At least the freshman is confident. 

Frazier and Mosley each have more interceptions than touchdowns.

The Tigers offense as a whole ranks 13th in the conference (remember its 14 teams now) with 19.2 points per game (112th nationally).

Tre Mason is the team's leading rusher with 706 yards.

RB Onterio McCalebb can also be dangerous. He is the second player in SEC history to tally more than 2,000 yards rushing (2,469), 1,000 kick return yards (1,246) and 500 receiving yards (528) in a career.