UGA football: The best games between Auburn’s Pat Dye and Georgia’s Vince Dooley

1986: Georgia 20, Auburn 16

"Now the firehoses are coming out to try to get the fans off the field. It’s a little chilly to be getting drenched down there. But the Georgia fans probbaly aren’t going to mind, they just wanted to go out there and celebrate. — Mike Patrick"

Georgia fans had no business storming Auburn’s football field in 1986. Then again, the Bulldogs had no business beating Auburn on their own field either.

Just a week earlier, Georgia dropped to 6-3 after an embarrassing loss to a mediocre Florida team. The Bulldogs were out of SEC Championship contention after suffering their second conference loss. Auburn had also been embarrassed by the Gators, except the Tigers were undefeated entering that contest and still had a chance to win a share of the SEC Championship.

But the losses weren’t the only reason why Georgia had no business beating Auburn. Quarterback James Jackson lost his grandmother earlier in the week and had to miss the game. Wayne Johnson, who Jackson unseated early in the 1985 season, started the game and had one of his best performances as a Bulldog.

Johnson nearly threw an interception early in the contest and Auburn took a 7-0 lead soon after. Johnson began to heat up and eventually hit Troy Sadowski for an eight-yard touchdown pass. Two more field goals in the first half put the Bulldogs ahead 13-7 at the break.

Auburn cut the score to 13-10 early in the third quarter. The momentum nearly swung completely in Auburn’s direction when Lars Tate fumbled around midfield, but an offensive lineman fell on the loose ball to keep Georgia’s ensuing drive alive. Johnson finished the drive with a seven-yard touchdown run on an option keeper to extend the lead to 20-10.

Georgia thought it had the game won when punter Chris Carpenter pinned Auburn at its own goal line with 5:37 seconds left in the game. An arid pass near midfield almost ended the game, but Georgia’s Miles Smith dropped an interception.

Auburn made the most of the second chance and started a 99-yard touchdown drive capped by a pass by Jeff Burger to Lawyer Tillman over two Georgia defenders. The Tigers attempted a two-point conversion, but John Brantley sacked Burger to hold the score at 20-16. The Bulldogs recovered the ensuing onside kick, but failed to move the ball or waste any time. Carpenter did his job again to pin Auburn at its own six-yard line with 1:41 remaining.

Georgia’s tired defense couldn’ stop Auburn’s passing game however as two huge passes to Tillman moved the Tigers into Bulldog territory. With a flat minute left on the clock, Burger forced a pass into triple coverage and Steve Boswell made him pay with an interception. Johnson took the field one more time to run out the clock. A group of players put Vince Dooley on their shoulders to celebrate Georgia’s 20-16 victory.

UGA students began to storm the field and completely engulfed Dooley and then ESPN sideline interviewer Tim Brando. Auburn resorted to drastic measures to get the Georgia fans off the field; several powerful water hoses capable of spraying water over 50 yards. The tactic worked to defeat the Georgia fans, but the UGA football teams win over Auburn was the only victory that mattered in the end.