To honor the life and career of the late Pat Dye, we’re looking back at the best games pitting Dye’s Auburn teams against Vince Dooley’s UGA football teams.
UGA football All-American and legendary Auburn football coach Pat Dye passed away Monday at the age of 80.
Most college football fans know Dye as the head coach of the Auburn Tigers from 1981-to-1992. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2005 as a head coach and his hall of fame profile picture features him in an Auburn cap.
But Georgia fans also know Dye as a two-time All-American linebacker and offensive lineman on head coach Wally Butts’ last two football teams. Dye played a huge role in Georgia’s 10-1 SEC Championship Season in 1959. In 1960, the SEC coaches named Dye Lineman of the Year and the Atlanta Touchdown Club named him the Most Outstanding Lineman in the SEC.
After a great career as a college player, Dye began an even better career as a college coach. In 19 years, Dye compiled a 153-62-5 record with five conference titles (four SEC and one SoCon). Dye became Auburn’s head coach in 1981, a year after Vince Dooley led Georgia to its first consensus National Championship since 1942. Of course, Dooley began his college football career as Auburn’s quarterback from 1951-to-1953.
Over the next eight years, Dooley and Dye took the “Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry” to a new level. In the 1980s, Georgia and Auburn combined to seven SEC Championships and both schools had a running back capture the Heisman Trophy.
When Dooley’s Bulldogs and Dye’s Tigers met on the field, the game was bound to be a classic. Four such games stand out above the rest. The following are the best Georgia/Auburn games featuring Vince Dooley and the late, great Pat Dye.
1982: Georgia 19, Auburn 14
"“23, 22, 21. Clock running, running. Oh, Look at the sugar falling out of the sky. Look at the sugar falling out of the sky.” — Larry Munson"
The significance of a moment was never lost on Larry Munson. As the seconds ticked off the Jordan-Hare Stadium clock, Munson knew Georgia had wrapped up its third-straight SEC Championship and trip to the Sugar Bowl.
Georgia and Auburn went back-and-forth on the plains. Herschel Walker carried the Bulldogs, as he often did in the early 1980s. Walker finished the day with 177 yards and a pair of touchdowns, plus one carry for 47 yards. His last touchdown came late in the fourth quarter to give the Bulldogs a 19-14 lead.
The Tigers had a legendary back of their own in Bo Jackson, but in 1982, Jackson was just an emerging star and one-half of Auburn’s potent option attack alongside Lionel James. Walker did his part to put Georgia ahead late, could Auburn’s duo do theirs to steal the game away from the Bulldogs?
They certainly had a chance to, driving deep into Georgia territory in the closing minutes. Ultimately, Georgia’s defense prevailed thanks to a clutch tackle of Jackson on first down; a sack of quarterback Randy Campbell on second down; a Tiger slipping after making a catch on third down; and a broken up pass in the end zone on fourth down.
"“3, 2, 1. And they’re carrying Vince Dooley off the field. Dawgs have won it, 19-to-14. The defense hunkered didn’t they? They did hunker.”"
1983: Auburn 13, Georgia 7
"“Tough day in Athens. It’s been a long time since the home folks saw their team lose a game ‘between the hedges.’ The last team to do it was 1979, that team was Auburn. And here are the Tigers, as pesky as ever, doing it again.” — Keith Jackson"
Entering the 1983 edition of the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry, Georgia hadn’t lost a game in Athens since a 33-13 loss to Auburn in 1979. That loss prevented Georgia from sharing the SEC Championship that season.
24 games between the hedges later, Georgia was again meeting Auburn with a chance to win the SEC Championship. Only this time, Auburn was also playing for a conference title. Both squads entered the game with top-four rankings and just one non-conference loss.
Both teams were noted for their dominant defenses and stellar running games. Even without Herschel Walker, the Bulldogs averaged 229.82 rushing yards per game. Georgia utilized the “rusher-by-committee” approach. Keith Montgomery and Barry Young led the group with over 500 yards each, David McClusky and John Lastinger added over 300 each.
Auburn had a dominant option attack featuring Bo Jackson, Lionel James and Tommy Agee. The trio combined for 2,545 yards with Jackson leading with 1,213.
Something had to give on November 12, 1983. Unfortunately, Georgia did most of the giving. Auburn took a 13-0 lead into halftime and didn’t even allow a first down until the second quarter. Georgia only passed midfield three times. The Tigers kept Georgia in the game however by missing two second-half field goals, but the Bulldogs failed to capitalize until Lastinger hit Herman Archie in the endzone late in the fourth quarter.
Georgia recovered the onside kick but failed to move the ball. Auburn regained possession in time to kneel out the rest of the clock to preserve the 13-7 victory
The parody did not end there. Georgia and Auburn ended the regular season by defeating their in-state rivals and both won their bowl games. Auburn defeated a 9-2 Michigan squad in the Sugar Bowl, while Georgia beat an undefeated Texas team which had defeated Auburn in the regular season.
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.
1988: Auburn 20, Georgia 10
"“The oldest rivalry in the deep south. Coach Pat Dye prevails over his alma mater. he goes across the field seeking out coach Dooley, two class gentlemen.” — Brent Musburger"
In 1988, Georgia and Auburn met in Jordan-Hare Stadium with the SEC Championship on the line once again. This time, in Vince Dooley’s last game against his alma mater. Georgia entered the game 7-2, but a recent loss to Kentucky had the Bulldogs in a three-way tie for first place in the SEC standings instead of leading. Auburn was a part of that tie along with LSU who Auburn lost to earlier in the season.
This was Georgia and Dooley’s SEC finale, and thus, their last shot at an SEC Championship together. Auburn still had the Iron Bowl and was only guaranteed a share of the conference title with victories. But Auburn also had to consider the rankings and a trip to the Sugar Bowl where it could have earned the national championship with some help.
The “Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry” is known for season-ruining losses, this time, Georgia was on the receiving end. Auburn defeated Georgia 20-10 and limited the Bulldogs to around 70 rushing yards, way below their season average.
More from Dawn of the Dawg
- Georgia Football: Top 5 Nick Chubb Moments at Georgia
- Georgia Football: Know the enemy UAB Blazers
- Nick Chubb is America’s running back, and he will return
- Georgia Football: Should laundry list of injuries be a cause to panic?
- Georgia Football: Report cards for Week 3 game against South Carolina
Though Georgia wasn’t dominated in the contest, the Bulldogs actually scored the first touchdown of the game, a 27-yard amazing touchdown pass-and-catch from Wayne Johnson to John Thomas. Auburn fumbled on its next possession and Georgia recovered at the Tigers’ 44-yard-line. However, the drive stalled at the 37-yard-line and John Kasey missed a 53-yard field goal.
Georgia led 7-0 after the first quarter, but its offense had become one-dimensional thanks to Auburn’s run defense. The Tigers began the second quarter with a 90-yard touchdown drive finishing with a pass to Lawyer Tillman.
The Bulldog defense prevailed later in the quarter with an interception near midfield, but the offense gave the ball back to Auburn with a sack-fumble at the Bulldogs’ 33-yard-line. Georgia’s defense shut down the Auburn offense, but the Tigers were already in field goal range and they knocked in a 46-yard field goal.
Georgia tied the game early in the third quarter with a field goal, but the rest of the game belonged to Auburn. A deep pass from Reggie Slack to Freddy Weygand set up a first-and-goal at the nine-yard-line. The Tigers scored two plays later with a pass to Walter Reeves. The Tigers added a 36-yard-field goal early in the fourth quarter and the Auburn defense continued to suffocate the Georgia offense.
The Tigers 20-10 and went on to beat Alabama to claim a share of the SEC Championship. A No. 6 ranking meant a trip to the Sugar Bowl, but the Tigers lost to Florida State. Georgia ended the regular season with a win over Georgia Tech and ended Dooley’s career with a victory over Michigan State in the Gator Bowl.