Is College Football’s No. 1 Cursed? Auburn Deals Georgia Heartbreaking Blow In Athens

This article was written by Mark J. Burns and published on Sport & State, a new media company founded by Clay Travis that is built around sports, culture, original voices, and live conversation.
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Bear Golesh asked his dad ahead of Saturday’s game against No. 1 Georgia if could he get on the field in Athens when the Tigers win.

Well, Bear got his wish as he joined dad Alex Golesh, Auburn’s first-year coach, on the field at Sanford Stadium after Tigers kicker Alex McPherson hit a last-second 34-yarder to beat the top-ranked Bulldogs 27-24.

ICE IN HIS VEINS ????
@AlexMc83 https://t.co/NIlE0v2wgR

— Auburn Football (@AuburnFootball) October 17, 2026

Georgia, now 5-1, had previously won 53 consecutive games against unranked opponents before Saturday.

“I’m grateful for our coaches, our fan base,” Golesh said immediately after the upset. “It’s been through a lot. We’re going to build Auburn to where everybody wants it. One game at a time — just hang with us. This locker room, these dudes who chose to stay, that’s what it’s all about.”

One game at a time ????

????️ @CoachGolesh https://t.co/9C0frHfLRY

— Auburn Football (@AuburnFootball) October 17, 2026

Auburn’s victory over Georgia is its first in Athens since 2005. Both Golesh and Florida’s first-year coach Jon Sumrall secured signature SEC wins on Saturday, with the Gators upsetting No. 7 Texas in Austin 27-24.

AND AN IMMACULATE DOUBLE EAGLE ???? https://t.co/neGH4hUi01

— Auburn Football (@AuburnFootball) October 17, 2026

As Sport & State big boss Clay Travis pointed out, with the Georgia loss, there are no more unbeaten teams left in the Southern Conference, meaning it’s wide freakin’ open right now as we head to the second half of the college football season.

Auburn beats Georgia and there are no unbeaten teams left in the SEC. And there is only one unbeaten team left in the Big Ten — UCLA. College football is now the NFL, any given Saturday anything can happen, undefeated teams are going to become extraordinarily rare.

— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) October 17, 2026

What happened in Athens?

Was the Bulldogs’ emotional win last week at the Crimson Tide too much for the top-ranked team?

Did the college football gods put a hex on the No. 1?

That’s two consecutive weeks in which the top-ranked program lost — the Sooners upset the Longhorns in the Red River Shootout last Saturday.

OK, back to Georgia-Auburn.

After going down 14-0 to the Bulldogs, the Tigers rattled off 24 unanswered points before the 20-point favorites eventually tied it at 24 apiece late in the fourth quarter.

With about a minute remaining and the ball around mid-field, Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton fumbled the ball off a teammate’s back, giving the Tigers great field position at their own 44 yard line — they also had three timeouts. Auburn drove the ball inside the red zone before McPherson’s walk-off kick.

GUNNER STOCKTON FUMBLES AUBURN BALL https://t.co/V9p0U1KTqj

— wok (@wokdior) October 17, 2026

What a finish.

To add insult to injury, Alabama watched its in-state rival Auburn celebrate in Athens as it simultaneously lost to Tennessee 26-10 in Knoxville, witnessing the Vol faithful and occasional player party with a victory cigar inside Neyland Stadium.

What a wild and weird knife-twister for the Tide.

Don’t you just love college football?

Tennessee whipped Alabama’s ass all day long. Given the opponent, this is the most dominant win of the Josh Heupel era. Congrats to Tennessee boy George McIntyre & what about that defense and Desean Bishop?! Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em! https://t.co/5FvZseiQvX

— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) October 17, 2026

Josh Heupel taking it all in with his players and fans after the Vols 3rd straight win over Alabama at home

????: @Ellie_Mai_ https://t.co/Zn8nJPDrEC

— Sport & State (@SportNState) October 18, 2026

The city of Auburn, AL needed today.

Toomers Corner is HUMMING! ???????? https://t.co/UKTpwnLkZV

— Vince Wolfram (@vincewolfram15) October 17, 2026

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