Georgia delivers blow to Auburn

The Georgia Bulldogs did more than just spoil No. 5 Auburn’s title hopes. They finally played like defending Southeastern Conference champions.

With Tra Battle returning one of his three first-half interceptions for a touchdown, and freshman quarterback Matthew Stafford’s poised passing and running, the Bulldogs salvaged a disappointing season with an emphatic 37-15 victory over the Tigers on Saturday.

And those embarrassing losses to Vanderbilt and Kentucky? What losses?

“I’m definitely not thinking about Vandy and Kentucky,” Georgia defensive tackle Ray Gant said. “That was easily erased from my memory with this win. This is the sweetest victory I’ve ever had.”

Georgia, 7-4 overall and 4-4 in the conference, all but erased Auburn’s hopes of even winning an SEC championship, much less a national title.

The Tigers (9-2, 5-2) entered the game as nearly two-touchdown favorites and were among a handful of one-loss teams trying to play into a Bowl Championship Series title shot. Ranked sixth in the latest BCS standings, Auburn was unable to put up much of a fight in this one.

“They came here with a mission and got it done at the expense of us,” Auburn Coach Tommy Tuberville said. “Today was one of those days where there wasn’t anything going our way.”

The result was the implosion of an Auburn team that struggled against other underdogs such as Mississippi and South Carolina and was dominated by unranked Arkansas.