Not to say Georgia's season hangs in the balances on Saturday night vs. Auburn, but the Dawgs cannot really afford to drop on down on The Plains to their hated rival. Georgia enters play as the No. 10 team in the country. The Bulldogs are 4-1 on the season and 2-1 in SEC play. While they have a big road win over Tennessee in overtime, the three-point loss at home to Alabama is on everyone's mind.
So with Auburn riding a two-game losing streak and on the brink of College Football Playoff elimination this week, expect for Hugh Freeze's team to give Georgia everything it has got. Although Georgia does have the more talented team coming in, this is not a roster dripping with obvious first-round talent. They might only have one or two of its players ending up going inside the top 32 now.
That being said, a tremendous performance out of linebacker C.J. Allen vs. Auburn might do the trick to get him drafted on a Thursday night many months from now. He needs to be everywhere the ball is, whether that is getting after the quarterback, tackling a runner, or breaking up a pass thrown to the middle of the field, this is the game where Allen can go from making a million, to making a few million.
Let's discuss why it is so important for Allen to be the straw that stirs the drink for UGA defensively.
C.J. Allen could be the biggest difference-maker for Georgia vs. Auburn
On the season, Allen leads the Georgia defense with a combined 36 tackles. 18 have been of the solo variety, while the other 18 have needed help from a teammate or two. He is second on the team with two sacks and two passes defended. Clearly, his all-around game is moving the needle when it comes to him being a draft-eligible prospect. However, there is usually one game that tips the scales.
Think about how last year went for Georgia. Jalon Walker's phenomenal showing at Texas during the regular season played a huge part in why he was a first-round pick by the Atlanta Falcons. Not to say Allen will have that kind of a game vs. Auburn, but this feels like the high-profile opponent where he can clean up on the stats sheet. He can get tackles, pressure, sacks and maybe force a big turnover.
With how erratic Jackson Arnold has been as the Auburn quarterback so far this season, Saturday is the time for Allen to assert his dominance as one of the most versatile defenders in the SEC. This is a tremendous opportunity for him to not only shine personally, but to be an effective leader in not only just the front-seven, but for the entire defense. If Allen shows up, Georgia could win this game easily.
If Georgia wants to not only beat Auburn, but win the SEC again, Allen needs to be a driving force.